The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-12-12

81 80
89tAers she began conddentiallv. Il
assure you I'm quite 70 be trusted. and
want % ask you a lot Of questions.
In the aFst place. sre you the genuine
John Bull2'
The burglar regarded her inquif.
tnEly. Wei, yes. he said slowly, u
think I can aspire to that distinction.
She could not resist clapping her
hands. Il knew til I knew it!@ she
declared triumphantly. You see.
re8d all about you Ia the Post this
very evening, and now 10 actually see
you" She dew a long breath ard
eyed MIN critically.
a queer expression crossed the bur
glars face. Was it embarrassment or
amusement
Really, he muFmUTed, 'it's awful
" good Of you, I'm sure
She contemplated him with gravity.
You see, she said, earnestly, Il can't
help being sorry for Won when / tfink
Of the dangerous life you are leading,
the awful risk you ran. TO think (she
clasped her hands excitedly) that at
any moment you may be captured.
Haven't you found out that you are 4
tremendous catchg'
The burglar raised his eyebrows 3
trife. II confess he began lightly,
that thought has never occurred to
me before"
How careless and %incredulous his
tone was! Her heart beat fast and
thick Could 1t be possible he did not
realize that he was a hunted man, a
price on his head? The girl rose to
her full height.
Don't you know" she 0larted out,
that the whole country is on your
track, YOU name is in all the papers
and a full description Of you has been
cabled all over the United States?p
But the man only stared at her
blankly a moment and then burst out
laughing.
Now you are Chanting me" he de-
clared. you're not in earnest. / can't
believe that you Americans would
make such a fuss over a mere title"
His 'titIe?" Did he mean his So
briquet, his alias?
"Ah, we'll" she said, REFRESHING an
inclination to laugh, you're a noto-
rious character, you know"
Il am afraid you were hard up
she continued, hesitatingly. Il know
nothing but pressing need OF money
would have brought you here tonight,
and I want you to let me help you out.
Yes, 7 she continued emphatically, warm
ing to her scheme, I'm going to make
you a fair and square proposal. I'll give
you the things, instead Of your-er-tak-
ingthem! These rings. for instance" (she
was stripping her bejeweled fngers)
"and this bracelet ought to be worth
something in ready money" She held
them out to him with an inviting
smile, but the burglar recoiled, his face
working strangely.
Are you mad?" he said in quick,
staccato tones or is this n of your
American jokes?"
"Of course, it isn't" the girl pro-
tested, Indignantly. I'm in dead ear
nest, and this isn't all, nearly all that
I want to, give you. We've some old
family silver, hideous but valuable,
and lots of other things that I'm going
to get this very minute"
She was moy'rg rapidly towards tAa
door, as she spoke, but the burglar
made no attempt to follow her this
time, he only stood rooted to the car
pet, his face expressing utter bewiIdeT-
ment.
Suddenly his heel crushed some-
thing that rustled crisply. He stopped
down with an exclamation. 1t was
Ouly a newspaper In a crumpled heap
BY the arm chair, and he was abolU to
replace it careless,y on the table when
a certain paragraph caught and riveted
!is eye.
One instant he stood staring at it in
silent amazement. the next a peal OF
deep bass laughter rang through the
room. Surely the burglar seemed like
one possessed, He Rugged himself
.mirthfully, chuckling like a schoolboy,
and staggering about in spasms Of un-
Comfortable laughter. These lasted
only for a few moments, however, for
a light footstep in the hall recalled
his self-Dossession.
The girl came towards him breath
lessly, her arms laden with a varied
collection Of silverware which she pro-
ceeded to place on the table n by
one.
'Tll just stow this ere in my valise
right hoff if you'll allow me-" He
fetched it from the hall forthwith and
proceeded to pack away each article
with great care. The girl watched him
with wondering eyes. A change sud
den and u~nmistakable had come over
him in the last few minutes. She sup
posed it was the sight Of the silver
that had turned the gentleman into
the burglar, and a coekney at that,
for now that he was OFF his guard a
lack Of n" was painfully evident.
She turned on him impulsiYely.
Tell me, have you never done
honest work in your life?"
mo num-" he confessed, 1--WE never
done a stroke Of honest work in my
life"
Perhaps she suggested, q might get
you a position in some good livery sta
Bile, where you could drive hacks and
that sort of thing. There must be lots
of openings and-Who knows-you
-a-NA --z 49, --1-E-- - . . -