Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-11-15
1 Told i'm the Dark
Il The Old Story, With a Thread of
! Crime.
'NENE111~~I~N
.HE clock in the hall ha,
VITEHTVW IT. H., Dllt JuIIV
Kimholton slill fingered b.,

| sum lihSNitu ",
the dying fire in the grca
lonely drawing room, absorbed in tn
memory of Il long-dead past.
J Jean"
She started violently. Had she hear,
| 1t or only dreamed it? Dreamed tia
stifcd, stricken whisper? Only on
| human being ever called her that, ant
1t was twenty years
At that moment the electric ligh
was switched off. and Il curt. incisiv,
voice came TO her out of the darkness
Don't scream. You needn't b,
afraid. | swear not to harm YOU"
Then Janet Kimb0lton realized tn,
situation. She had dreamed it. o.
courSr-dr"amcl that whisper. Blu
she was no coward. though her BRAY
cry was of the kind that comes whel
life has lost its SAVIOR, the bravery thu
fears nothing because it hopes moth
ing.
II am not afraid she answered
composedly, and waited.
For Il few moments only the faint
tinklc of gems striking against a pol
ished surface broke the stiffness, fol-
the man was struggling hard for self
control.
you are brave woman" he said
at last, with genuine admiration.
II am not going TO take your jewels.
he went on; "whcn | have gone you
will find that they are all here
"Are they - not worth the talling|
she questioned, with touch Of the
humor that never deserted her.
"Thcy're worth just about 100000
he answered quietly. THAT'S not much
to me. You see" and his voice took
on a certain note of pride. Il am the
man they call Dandy Dick"
"Oh!' And little ripple of laughter
came TO him out Of the darkness
Then | have the honor Of converSing
with the most notorious burglar in
Christendom-thc man who spirits
away the jewels of duchesses-thc
bonds of stockbrokers-thc moncybags
Of banks, and the treasures of
princess
"You have heard of Carshalton, the
American: the King of AIillionaires, as
they call him? Well, I am he"
A sudden horror seized her. Was
she shut up alone with mailman, and
not a mere burglar, as she had been
supposlng?
"Oh, l am not mad" he told her, re-
assuringly, his quick intuition divin-
ing her thoughts. when l am sup
posed to be in the Rockies, in Russia,
in Italy, I'm here, or in Paris, or Wen
ma, anywhere there happens to be any
thing worth taking"
TITS dangerous" she hazardcd, at a
loss what to say in situation SO
bizarre.
He laughed joyously.
dangerous? l live for danger. It's
the sap of life. If 1t weren't for that,
l should be Il respectable citizen to-
morrow"
She listened, amused, perplexed,
sorry.
"Of course, I have realized before
=
a gentleman. Why, then, do you do
this horrible thing"
His face fell. and his voice took on
a humber tone.
"AIay l tell YOU why?'
Yes she said. "dO. 1t Is all very
Interesting, and it's long while since
l have been really interested.tai ~,
And you're not afraidy" he ques.
toned. s'"--;' ~ ~ L,
you have given me your word,,'~siie
answered with quiet serenity.
"Thank YOU"
In the darkness she could see the
Hush that dyed the mans face.
Then she sat down on the cushioned
window seat ana ray Of moonlight
stealing through crack in the shut.
ters fell upon the silver-gray of her
hair. The man came quite close, and
stood looking down at her, then sud.
denly he bent and touched her arm. A
curious magnetic thrill seemed to pass
through her and she leaped to her feet.
"Who are .you:" she demanded. "In
heavens name, who are you!"
lie stepped swiftly back, and con.
trolling himself by supreme effort,
answered in dull and measured mon.
Otonc:
Dandy Dick. burglar. Francis Car.
shalton, millionaire
There was short silence, then he
began to speak.
Il was born too late. I ought to
have come into this world 200 years
igo. the world of Drake and Frobishcr
ma Raleigh, the world when men lived
ma dared, not the world of to-day.
when they Stagnate and exist The |
'ursc of some bygone ancestor was in
ny hloQ1, the curse of restlessness, of
awlessness. Of untamed ambition.
from my very babyhood l was a rebel,
ma rebellion grew on me- could |
never be as Others were. could never
bear the shackles and trammels and !
he emptiness Of civilized life. For