The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-01-12
An Up-to-Date
Burglar.


sparkling in the moonbeams. Betweei
her and the water lay sensltiv,
strip Of lawn, across which dlapha
nous shadow occasionally fitted
whether friend or foe she could no
surely tell in the half light. Mrs
Morton would have smiled at the sug
gestion Of foe. yet at that momen
one darkened her windows who wai
not only a natural foe and intruder
but a menace to her existence. Ye
she did not stir as the man, wearing I
mask that was obvious In the semi
darkness, partly entered. then stopped
cautiously to look around. Mrs Morton
being in the shadow Of room un
lighted from within. could not be seer
at first glance. She did not move
nor did her voice tremble as she asked
what do you wantg Have you
made a mistake In the roomsr
Not at all,f was the decisive
answer as the man stepped inside and
saw that no one else was present y
am here on business but may as well
confess that | did not expect to see
Mrs. Wallace Morton herself sitting
alone In the dark"
"Oh. then you know me?e the lady
said eoolly. please state your bust.
ness-but | think your mode Of COM,
ING to my apartments explains your
errand-you have come to rob mev'
4 have no intention OF harmlng you
have no fear. madam: | am here to
get the possession OF the Morton dia.
monds-when you hand them over |
VIII relieve you Of my presence at
once. have no time to parley."
You speak like an educated man. /
am not afraid. as il would do no good
10 use violence. They were sent this
afternoon to the bank vault. where |
have a box. 50 thar am saved from a
great loss and you ftan the commission
Of a great crime.
Mrs. Morton spoke with a convic,
lion, and the man standing there in
the moonlight knew she was speaking
the truth. He muttered an oath and
turned to go, but Mrs. Morton halted
him by sudden question.
How long have you followed this
kind or llfeg"
Ever since left college. with my
head crammed full OF fads and moth
Ing for my hands to do. / was told to
get out and make living. Wen ]
tried honest work. and wouldn't DO
A raw boy from the country who
never saw the inside Of college was
better adapted to the necessities OF the
hour. He could begin at the foot Of the
ladder and reach the room at the ton
! was az the top and there was nothing
for me but to come down. aud | was
not fitted to begin over again. Not
much excusei Then my mother cut
me OF. That was the last straw
But II you were to reformg
"The De Greys are prcud-they never
forgive disgrace"
The DE Greys? You cannot mean
the Horace Devon De Greysy'
Yes, l am the degenerate son OF
that family, much to their chagrin. IL
l could be killed Incognito they would
be rejoiced, but black sheep Of the
De Grey stock reformed or caught on
an expedition Of robbery that would
crush their naughty spirits to the
DUST
But Mrs. Morton rose to her feet 10
make her announcement .do Won NOT
know that Mrs Horace Devon DE Grey
Is a guest In this hotel at this very
momentg Can It be possible that she
Is your mothery'
~Sbe Is. and with the De Grey mil.
lions at her command she turned me
put to accomplish work that was
never intended for Do you wonder
that became hold-up man. as we
are facetiously cailedg"
4 shall consider it my duty to tell
Mrs. pc Grey-your mother-,of my
my-seeing you. am sure that you
are not all bad; perhaps | can bring
aDout forgiveness ana a reconciliation.
You must be tired of your present.
profession?v
A knock at Mrs. Morton's door in.
terrupted the conversation and the
masked burglar, who had been poised
for instant flight. disappeared like
magic, while Mrs. Morton. who had
been steadily repressing her ex-
element, nearly tainted at relief from
the great tension. She opened the
door to admit a sparkling society girl
whose family occupied adjoining
suites.
Have you the time, dear?" she asked
- tiutter X let my sister take my
watch this afternoon"
Yes, certainly. Alice. my watch il
light here on the table" and she stepped
to stand that was between her and
the window, but she could not find II
and turned on the light. The watch
was gone. Her caller had improved
his time BY appropfiaiing II while he
told bis pltiful story. Mrs Morton said