Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1902-10-30

| the brook. This l knew was the scene /
of his nights work.
| The house was modern one and |
stood on a slight eminence overlooking |
the surrounding country. 1t was own |
ed by an intimate friend of the Stetson |
and Goddard families-Mr. Jaimson |
by name-and 1t occurred to me as be- |
Ing very peculiar that my master |
should attempt to rob 1t. But what |
| could not be expected of him after he |
had looted the Stetson house, the very
home of the one whom he loved !? |
Gould such baseness be ever overlook |
ed? Could such a man be reformed? |
| For few moments my resolutions
| wavered, and thought of returning
and telling all that knew to Miss Stet-
son and let her decide the fate of the
two men.
But moment later found myself
pursuing my game with renewed ami
nation. He had actually entered the
house through one of the basement
windows. l waited reasonable length
of time before following him. Then
when everything was quiet 1 climbed
through the window at the risk Of my
L
was silhouetted against the outside
light, while my master might be hid
den in the darkness inside.
But gained the interior of the base
ment without accident l searched
around for an open door, and, finding
it, 1 walked catlike into larger room.
knew that my masters first point
would be the dining room, and bold
ly climbed the stairs leading to it from
the basement Once there I heard the
slight rattle of silver and caught the
quick, flashing ray Of his dark lantern.
Then concealed myself behind some
curtains and waited.
decided that it would be better to
let him finish his job and then con-
front him with his booty in his hands.
There would then be no question of his
, intentions.
He passed from the dining room into
the library and then moved silently
upstairs. In spite Of his soft steps
and quiet motions | could OCCASIONALLY
catch a sound which indicated to me
! where he was. If anybody had been
, awake, his presence would have been
detected
) l kept myself pretty well concealed
behind some curtain or portiere, for I
dreaded lest at any moment he might
fash the rays of his lantern in my di-
: rection and detect me | was thus con-
5 cealed from view in small alcove
t opening upon the upper hall when I
2 was startled by Il peculiar noise.
AS a professional burglar myself |
e knew the alarming nature of that
sound. 1t was the distinct click of a
t revolver. | peered through the cur
+ tains to determine what it meant. AS
d l did so there was another click. this
;. time lower and less distinct. This was
G caused by the pressing of an electric
= button. The next moment the whole
house was brilliantly lighted.
e l stepped back into the alcove with
trembling heart. The inmates of the
] house had been aroused, and my mas
' ter as well as myself was caught.
| Through the filmy curtains l caught a
' glimpse of a dark shadow fash
r through the hall toward the front
0 stairs. l knew that it was my master
| and that he was making a bold dash
f for freedom.
At almost the same moment | heard
t door open and loud voice exclaim:
"Stop or III shootH'
= I imagined that my master did not
obey, for the next moment two pistol
! shots rang through the house, followed
by the loud shutting Of feet and the
: banging of doors.
! Had a tragedy been enacted within
e sound of me or had my master es-
e capped?
q I waited and listened, eXpectantly
and anXiously. The people of the
r house were evidently assembled in the
s hall below. They were too frightened
to do much talking. Then matters
e Gained down a little, and 1 caught
4 snatches of their conversation.
t "The basement window was opened, y
: somebody said. HE jumped out of
that
t Didn't you hit him, father" asked
u a youthful voice which l recognized
Z. as that of the seventeen-year-old son
e of Mr.. Jaimson.
Il 81 don't know. Do you see any signs
l. Of blood in the BASEMENT
$ They went down another fight of
stairs, and l would have made bold
y dash for liberty then had not the pres
ence of some of the frightened serY-
y ants in the upper hall prevented me-
J. Half an hour later they returned up
| stairs. Fortunately for me no thought
/ of a search for another burglar en-
e tered their minds. Mr.. Jaimson tried
IL to calm the servants and the ladies by
N saying:
is "Now all go to bed again. There is
e no more danger. He has left the
I house, and we are safer than ever. y
burglar never enters house the see
d ond time"
ID Gradually they separated and re-
turned to their bedrooms. Only the
n old man and his wife remained in the
x hall within my hearing When every
re thing was quiet again, he said:
n ELLEN, / recognized the burglar 10
III night beyond doubt"