The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-04-29
KATHRYN'S
BURGLAR
BY Frank S. Chiswick
Copyright, 1901, by A. s. Richardson

Cduse ue WOulu nave lduSQe0 dL QeF.
Nor would her stern father Of Scotch
ancestry tolerate such absurd nonsense
as the observance of heather customs
on All Saints eve. Just the year be-
fore he had objected to her attending a
Halloween frolic simply because he did
not approve Of perpetuating silly super
stitiOns.
But Tom was safe at Harvard. un-
dergoing the first anxieties Of an ambi-
tious freshman, and her father had
been summoned abroad to look after q
big contract. So, motherless, Kathryn
was free to walk down stairs backward
or perform any other Halloween feat.
Just at present she was standing in
front of the old fashioned gilt edged
mirror in the drawing room. All
around her was midnight stiffness.
Il hope the face of my true love
comes to me-"
She murmured the ancient formula
approved by generations Of lovelorn
damsels and to complete the charm
slowly munched an apple, half appre-
hensive and wholly filed with wonder
as to whether the apparition conjured
up by the invocation would be clean
features of Frank Handy or Chester
Raymond? Both had asked for her
hand, and really she did not
What was that7 Yes. it must be a
masculine face, with bonnie blue eyes,
appearing just above her own curls. A
little, smothered shrek, and she swung
round to confront a personable chap
with crisp blond hair and face which,
save for a haggard look, would have
been more than ordinarily attractive.
His eyes had a subtle expression that
made her think Of Tom. and his dress
proclaimed that he had once moved In
good society.
Following the first spasm Of appre-
hension, she felt q sensation Of relief
that the picture reflected in the glass
was that Of a very pretty girl whose
chestnut hair formed dainty contrast
with fluffy negligee of pale lavender.
The stranger raised his cap. Pardon
the intrusion" he began. 81 had no in
tention Of attracting your attention,
but when opened the door could not
resist the temptation to help out fate,
even though the forced prediction
might displease you"
Kathryn stared at him. "How did
you get in without my hearing your
she demanded. 81 locked all the doors
hours ago."
'That is my business" he explained.
NO." he went on as she drew herself
up, II did not mean to indicate that it
was none of yours. l merely mean that
it is my occupation to get into houses
with as little disturbance to the occu-
pants as possible"
A wave of red swept over her face.
$50 you are just common burglarT
she demanded, with Icy scorn.
He fiinched at the disgust she did not
seek to conceal, but In a moment his
easy assurance reasserted itself mo,
quite an uncommon one, assure you.
In fact, am merely tyro, and pref
ty bad one at that, imagine You see,
I was not brought up to a respectable
trade, and when l was thrown upon
my own resources I had to do the best
could. / sought everywhere for work,
but my family friends remembered the
time when / led a riotous life and
would not have me, while others seem
ed to think that did not mean what
said when asked for the simple work
could perform. No man wanted to
hire porter who wore more fashiona-
BILE clothes than he did, and / couldn't
tell him that had no Others"
"Still, that is no excuse for becoming
a burglar"
mo" he admitted. "but yesterday it
came to a choice between the poor
house and rich one, and when pass
ed your house this afternoon 1 heard
you tell friend you would be all alone
save for the servant. / did not intend
to take much, just enough to get me to
Chicago, and / never supposed that
you would be trailing about this time
of night Then, you see, when a man
has been practically starving for two
days there Isl
She flashed sharp glance at him.
do you mean to tell me that you have
starved to deathY' she demanded.
mot quite that, or I should not be
here, but If remember right the last
meal had was Tuesday morning. This
is Thursday. 1t might have been Mon
day; never was good at ancient his
tory, but think it was Tuesday"
Kathryn picked up a quaint silver
candlestick. "Come right along" she
commanded. "You should have gone to
the poorhouse. but I suppose you are
foolishly proud"
He followed. his eyes resting admir-
ingly upon the little lavender form in
front. Here was a girl who was not
afraid of burglars and who carried her.
self as fearlessly as though she were
entertaining guest.
In the dining room she laid out a
dainty lunch. Then she sat herself
down on the other side of the table,
nor did she speak till the first keen
craving for food had been satisfied.
''You don't look a bit like burglar"
she said musingly as she looked at the
well built man opposite Somehow
you look as though you were cut out
for a leader of men,"
eff keep this sort Of thing up" he
responded with grim humor. 81 am apt
to wind up leading chain gang"
She sprang up with little cry. "You
mustn't keep it up. You must get work
and make your people proud of you.
You must not go to prison"
81 don't know" he responded, re-
garding her excitement wonderingly
"Irs the only boarding house / know
Of where you are not put out II you
fail to pay your bill, and, apparently,
it's the only place where l can find
work"
you should not say those things"
reprovingly.
II know / should not, but when you
have done your best and the whole
world seems to be against you, when
you starve till you are made desperate
there come moments of temporary In
sanity, when all sense of right and
wrong is lost When / came here,
fully intended to get enough money to
take me out west, where there might
be better chance for me, but when
saw you before the glass IN that violet
colored dress somehow you made me
think of my sister-and she's dead. So
are the others, thank Godv
Kathryn rose abruptly and went into
the library. Would she call for help?
The man did not care much. He simply
sat watching the doorway through
which she had disappeared. He was
very tired, and 1t did not matter much
now anyhow.
She came back with card in her
hand.