Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-03-19
Love Revived
By EDGAR COOLEY.


n it began TO rain dismally. This
pleased him, for it added to the black
ness of the night, and had tendency
to drive away any late pedestrian.
He was not hampered by baggage.
Such articles as he needed bar of
soap, an air-pump, can of nitro
glyeerin, some fuses, a jimmy, dark
lantern. a reyolyer-he carried in his
pockets, and, under his coat, a folded
grain sack.
Without pausing, without hesitat-
ing, he glanced searchingly up and
down the street. No living creature
was stirring.
A few strides took him to the side
window of a building. The sill was
on a level with his head. He tried to
raise the sash, but, as he expected, it
was fastened. So he took stout knife
from his pocket, and, slipping its
thin edge under the frame, threw all
his weight suddenly upon the handle.
With a report like that Of pistol,
the lock snapped. For five minutes,
perhaps, the burglar crouched in the
shadows under the window, watching,
listening. But not a sound, save the
patter Of the rain in the street, did
he hear; not moving object did he
see.
Then carefully, noiselessly, he
raised the sash and climbed in. He
was in total darkness, but knew ex-
actly where he stood. He could have
drawn an accurate, detailed plan of
the interior Of the building -knew
precisely how many feet it was from
the window to the safe; from the
safe 70 the front doors.
So although he could not see his
hand before him, he turned confident
ly TO his left and walked six PAGES.
Then he circled TO the right, around
the center of the counter, and took
four steps more. Pausing, he reached
out his hand and touched the safe.
The burglar moved his hand gleeful-
ly over the door and laughed. The
bank was not provided with a vault.
A good vault costs as much as a
building, and this was a small bank
in a country town. So the funds
were intrusted 70 the protection Of
this "burglar-proof" safe. He won
dered what the citizens would say
about "burglar-proof" safes while
gathering up the piecesl
without losing a moment, he filed
the cracks around the door with
soap. leaving one small opening. To
this opening he attached his pump
and exhausted the air on the inside.
Closing the opening, he cut a piece
off the bar of soap, and, rolling il
between his palms and molding it
with his fingers. soon fashioned it
into the shape of a small cup. This
he fastened at the bottom of the
door and filled with nitroglycerin.
Then he attached a fuse.
Ten feet from the safe a door
opened into the rear Office of the
bank, and in this room the safe
breaker had planned TO seek refuge
while the explosive was doing its
work. Not desiring 20 tarry unnec-
essarily in close proximity 10
charge of nitroglycerin about to ex-
plode. he concluded. before lighting
the fuse, to satisfy himself that the
door Of this inner room was not
locked or bolted.
He turned the knob, the door
opened readily. and he took one step
across the threshold. Then he
paused. In the intense darkness he
could not see an object; in the per-
feet silence he could not hear a
sound.
But something premonition, in
stinct. some indefinable sixth sense
something sent chill through him,
and he trembled as one who sudden
ly becomes conscious of the pres
ence Of unseen spirits. Without the
power to move he stood staring
into the darkness, the perspiration
standing in icy drops upon his fore
head.
With the desperation that fear in
spires. ne drew his Udik lHAtSA -
slipped back the slide, and threw the
searching glare around the ROOM
lighting first the most distant corner.
Slowly he moved the lantern, bring
ing the round spot Of brilliant light
toward him across the carpet.
Suddenly he uttered low cry and
shrank back as the light fell fiercely
upon an object almost az his feet.
So near that by STOPPING the bur
glar could have touched him, dead
man. lay. his waxen face and sightless
eyes turned upward. The carpet,
where his head and shoulders rested,
CLEANED scarlet with his Blood the !
nerveless fingers of his right hand
clasped a pistol; in the center OF his
forehead was a CHASTITY wound.
With a strange weakness IN MS |
knees the burglar bent over the dead
man, brushed back his matted hair
took the pistol gently from his nm
gers and folded his hands across HIS
49,. Il sba eo~aaa the crap kEmau i