Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-07-08
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
PnlNEAS HARLOWE', BURGLAR


old.fashioned candlesticks. He took
two, so that one might always be at
hand to show whether the other were
still giving light or not.
Five minutes later Phineas was In
bed and sound asleep, the sole occu-
pant of the big house in Rosewater
street. He was not the sort to lie
awake listening for footsteps softly
creeping upstairs, for the soft creak.
| ing of doors, burglariously turned, or
for the squeak of window sash being
gently raised. He. was a matter-of.fact
person. who took things as they came.
SO when at 1 o'clock on this night he
suddenly awoke with a consciousness
that there was a burglar in his room,
he took him as he came, though for the
life of him he couldn't tell how he
came, every window and door having
been carefully locked before he went
to bed.
The burglars back was toward the
bed as Phineas opened his eyes, and
the latter saw that his unwelcome Wis
itor was bending over the bureau, ex-
aiming the watch and some other val
liable articles Phineas had left there.
AS the burglar had evidently taken
some pains not to awaken him, Phi.
meas readily saw that he was in no per.
sonal danger, so long as he feigned
sleep. and being entirely unarmed he
concluded to accept the teachings of
his old copy book in regard to "discre-
| ton" and "valor." He lay very still
and watched the burglar through the
merest cracks in his eyelids. Having
satisfied his curiosity regarding the
articles on top of the bureau, the latter
softly pulled out several bureau draw.
ers and fell to ransacking them. How
long he had been thus engaged cannot
say, but certain II Is that he was inves.
tigating the lowest drawer of all when
there came a gruf voice outside the
ball door--the door by which he had
entered the room.
"Arrah, now! ye spalpeen. have
ye penned up loike a rat in thrap.
Come right out nv there. or. be hivns,
- - w 'h' "'lSN iOl II Httlutu
TO Phineas that the burglar Jumped
pretty near to the ceiling; but when
he reached the floor again he had his
| revolver out and a never-say-die ex-
preston on his countenance.
"Oi'm Barney OBrien, the cop on
this bate" went on the voice In the
hall. AN OF follied ye In here, We
thafe. We've got ye penned, so ye'i
betther put up yer gun an come out,
quiet.loike.'
Yes, indeed" said cheerful voice
outside the door, on the opposite side
OF the room. we've got you as snug as
bug In a rug. We saw you breaking
into the house and we followed you IN.
| think we've got you pretty nicely cor
nercd."
At the sound OF the second voice
guarding the door on the other side OF
the room the burglar lost his nerve for
a moment. An all.is.lost expression
chased the never.say.die look complete.
ly on his face. But only for moment.
With a quick, noiseless step he reach.
ed the window and softly threw up the
sash. Alas for hopes In that direction!
A voice came up from the darkness
and the shrubbery below--a voice with
an unmistakable Yankee accent, that
gave warning of mo thoroughfare" in
that direction.
'Naow don't think o. jumping daown
here" expostulated the voice. Don't
dew 1t; | beg o. ye. don't. I'm here
with a three-tined pitchfork, an Silas
Is along, tew. You here, amt you, Sile?
yep. I'm here, sure" drawled an.
other voice from out the darkness.
"fe see ye're pooty well surrounded"
went on the first voice. Better lay
down yer shootin' iron an go erlons
with tn p'leeceman peaceable."
The burglar drew quickly away
from the window. and with a hunted
look now upon his face glanced hur.
riedly about the room.
There was but one window in the
room. Behind two doors lurked enc
mics. There was but one other door.
and this. investigation showed. opened
into clothes press.
Meanwhile Phineas was apparently
sleeping the sleep OF the just. How.
ever greatly surprised he may have
been at the sound of saving voices out.
side his doors and window. he gave
no sign. Any movement on his part
would precipitate matters, and while
the burglar would naturally be over.
powered in the end. any one can see
that 1t was wise for Phineas to take
no chances involving his own skin.
As the burglars eye fell upon Phi
meas an idea seemed to occur to him;
1t was his only chance--it was worth
trying. lie tiptoed softly to the bed,
and gently shook the sleeping owner
Of the premises. II required repeated
shakings to arouse the sleeping man,
who finally rubbed his eyes and stared
vacantly about him, as one who finds
it difficult to break away from dream.
land.
"Ss- sh!" whispered the burglar,
warningly. Don't make a sound" He
I II -.