Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-09-20

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| FS>-2<SATZI to lay all the blame
|WS upon him, arguing that
he had misled my
master In some way or that ne held a
price over his head and forced him to
| do his win. took this view of the
| question for several days, upholding
my master and reviling the doctor. at
tributing all sorts OF evil things TO
| him. Certainly he was as great a
| criminal as Mr.. Goddard. and II one
was ever caught IN the act Of robbery
the other would have to be implicated.
felt that the doctor was accepting
the easy part OF the job. staying home
to receive the stolen goods while my
master ran the risk OF capture and
even Of being killed
In the event OF the htter's arrest
knew that DR.. Squires would suddenly
leave the neighborhood, and my mas
ter would be left to suffer the penal
| ties OF their mutual crime. Incidental
" decided to prevent any such IN
Just punishment by being on hand
when the doctor found the place too
hot for him. l knew enough about
their partnership to have him SEN
fenced to the state prison for q good
long term.
My old hatred OF the doctor returned
with double force. had more tangible
reason for disliking him now than
when first suspected him of attempts
TO kill my master with poisons. My
| suspicious that he was not all above
board in his lonely life in the haunted
nnncinp
make it point TO investigate the prem
Uses in spite of all opposition.
Thereafter l eoolly but deliberately
went to work to effect an entrance into
the old house, and it may be remarked.
incidentally, that when n professional
burglar OF my standing makes up his
| mind TO enter building no locks. bolts.
bars or electric alarms can keep him
! out. Moreover. felt that had Justice
on my side this time. and. REINFORCED
with quiet conscience. | made spe-
oially good plans.
1T was three nights later that found
myself on the premises again. This
time ] was prepared for work that
had become a second nature to me.
Leaving my shoes in clump OF bushes
In the woods. l proceeded TO approach
the house with catlike treads. reach
ed the front porch without mishap
There was no moon out. and the place
was extremely dark.
When satisfied that everything was
quiet | climbed up the largest piazza
post and drew myself noiselessly upon
the upper porch. Here | rested a mo-
ment and then crawled along the side
SO as not TO make any cracking noise
with the timed roof. / gained the dark
side OF the house, and by placing one
foot upon the staples which supported
the blinds l deftly swung myself up
on the slanting roof of the third story.
On the top Of the house was round
cupola tower inclosed in glass, and
judged rightly that no burglar alarm
would be attached to these windows
and that noises made there would
hardly be heard by the doctor and his
old servant in their rooms below.
reached the cupola in safety and after
resting few minutes l proceeded TO
work
In few minutes 1 had cut out q
small piece OF glass from the window
pane, and then, inserting my hand
through the aperture, 1 easily un-
fastened the catch 1 took the pre-
caution, however, to be sure about a
burglar alarm. There was none at
tached 20 the window. and so far
was safe.
Once inside the cupola, 1 flashed a
bright ray OF light from my dark Ian
tern and inspected my surroundings.
IL
accumulated dust OF many years gath
cred on the window sills and floor. 1t
was perfectly bare OF articles OF fur
niture and, as judged, had not been
visited by any one for years
A trap in the floor opened into hall
below. / tried this door and 9und
that IL was locked on the inside. An
ordinary lock is easier to pick than q
paddock attached to staple cr the
opposite side of a two inch board.
However. was prepared to encounter
oil sorts Of dificuIties.
i could work in comparative safety
In the cupola. SOL took cold chisel
and softly pried up the ends CT the
staple driven into the door from the
opposite sides. When had straight
ened these out, forced tn .-,adual-
ly out OF their holes. They fell back
with little clatter that startled me-
Would anybody hear the noise1
waited breathlessly for q full half
hour, squirting my, eye through the
small holes to detect any ray of hight
But apparently nobody slept in that
part OF the house, and the noise had
done no harm. tried the trapdoor.
II stuck little at the corners, but by
prying it up with my chisel managed
to raise it without creating any noise.
An old ladder led from the trapdoor
TO the hall below. I tested it with my
feet before venturing my whole weight
on It. for was not certain whether it
was strong enough to hold me. Then
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