Morris tribune., 1903-01-24

the slightest sound, he crept into a
room which served Mr.. Timpany for
kind of home office.
'sThis is BETTER" chuckled the
burglar, espying a safe in the cor
ner, and once again the centerbit
was called into operation. But it
was a tough job, and file and crow
bar had to be brought into play, and
Mr.. Renshaw's brow was moist be-.
fore the door showed the slightest
signs of yielding.
eff [ had the man as made this
here" he growled, she'd never make
no more. The idea o. folks 'avin'
awkward furniture like this in their
'ouses! It's only out O. aggeravation
to give folks unnecessary trouble
over their work"
But at last the hinges gave way to
the brutal but silent attacks of the
Jimmy where the file had bitten and
| gnawed, and Joe, quickly forcing
| the inner drawers, turned his bulls
eye on the contents.
"Wellw he said, and then he
swore. 'Arter all, nothin' but a pile
O. dirty parchment not worth a
crown" And he angrily turned over
the bundles Of deeds, which repre-
scented tens of thousands of pounds.
But as the last drawer slid open a
chuckle escaped him. There lay a
bundle of crisp Bank of England
notes which Mr.. Timpany had re-
ceired on the completion Of con.
veyancing matter after office hours
on behalf Of his client too late to
pay into the bank.
stufing the notes into his pocket,
he gathered up his tools and pre-
pared to depart. To his great JOY he
saw upon the table bottle of port
wine and tumbler.
ooh, amt e kind" he solilo-
quized, Hto perwide refreshment as
well as amusement? He might "a
left it in a tureen, an really I don't
like drinkin' port out O. a tumbIer
Reckon he's too thirsty for wine
glasses an mops it up here on the
Q. To-
And, taking up the bottle, Mr..
Renshaw placed it to his lips and
drank and drank until he had
drained it to the dregs.
Replacing the bottle on the table,
he picked up his tools. He was bit
tired after his exertions, though he
had not felt it so Enthusiastically as
now.
He.slid into chair to rest for
moment. He felt quite sleepy. If
there had been more than half a
bottle OF port, lie would have fan
cied he was drunk.
"This won't do" he muttered. II
must get back to the pony trap.
Wasser matter, SO sleepy-eep-eepy!
Ahoow And he yawned loudly.
He ossaved to rise, but could not.
For a moment he felt a thrill Of
fright, but it died away in a deep
and drowning slumber His arms
sank upon the table and his head
between them.
And there five hours later Mr..
Timpany, trotting down in his
dressing gown, found him. For a
moment he started, then he, said:
S5My friends man Of his word. I |
thought he was, though Isbegan to
give him up. So the glass bottles on
the wall, the bulldog, the electric
bells and the iron shutters all failed
me. But my own idea the drugged |
bottle of wine which I've left in this |
room ever since this gentleman's
last sentence expired-has done It's
work admirably"
And then Mr.. Timpany trotted |
upstairs for that patent alarm whis-
tie and woke up all the sleepers in
the locality except the burglar, who
slept on for several hours more and |
awoke to find himself seated on
hard deal board in police station
cell.
He is now commencing term of
twelve years penal servitude, and
his constant reflection is that it's all
through doing business with law
yers.''
K,,oon and %L,a IIi+lapdare