Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-23

| Inc flSlC mousse SIOOu Oh llSu SfOuuu
near the river, with quite drive Tin at
one gate and out at the other sweeping
past the steps. Between the two gates
was half moon of shrubs, to the left
of the steps n conservatory and to their
right tic walk leading to The trades
mems entrance and the back premises.
Here also was the pantry window, OF
which more anon. The right house was
the residence of an opulent stockbroker
who wore q heavy watch chain and
seemed fair game. There would have
been two objections to it had l been
the stock broker. The house was one
of row, though a goodly row, and an
army crammer had established himself
next door. There is type of such in
situations in the suburbs. The youths
go about in knickerbockers, smoking
pipes, except on Saturday nights, when
they lead each other home from the
last train. 1t was none of our business
TO spy upon these boys, but their man.
ners and customs fell within the field
of observation. And we did not choose
the night upon which the whole row
was likely to be kept awake.
The night that we did choose was as
misty as even the Thames valley is ca
pable of making them. Rafties smear
ed vaseline upon the plated parts of his
precious wheel before starting, and
our dear landlady cosseted us both and
prayed we might see nothing of bur-
glars.
1t was about midnight when we
cycled through Kingston to Surbiton,
having trundled our machines across
Ham fields, mournful in the mist as
those by Acheron, and so over Tedding-
ton bridge.
1 often wonder why the pantry win
dow is the vulnerable point of nine
houses out of ten. This house of ours
was almost the tenth for the window
in question had bars of sorts. but not
the right sort. The only bars that Raf-
fies allowed to beat him were the kind
that are let into the stone outside.
Those fixed within are merely screwed
to the woodwork, and you may I'M
screw as many as necessary If you take
the trouble and have the time. Barred
windows are usually devoid of other
fasteners worthy the name. This one
was no exception to that foolish rule,
and n push with the penknife did its
business. / am giving householderS
some valuable hints. and perhaps de-
serving a good mark from the critics.
These, in any case. are the points that
/ would see to We're l rich stock
broker in n river side suburb In CIV
ing good advice however, l should not
have omitted to say that we had left
our machines in the semicircular shrub
berry in front or that Raffles had most
ingeniously fitted our lamps with dark
slides. which enabled us to leave them
burning.
1t proved sufficient to unscrew the
bars at the bottom only and then to
wrench them to either side. Neither
of us had grown stout with advancing
years. and in a few minutes we had
both wormed through into the sink and
thence TO the floor. 1t was not an abb
solutely noiseless process, but once in
the pantry we were mice and no Ion
ger blind mice There was a gas brack-
ct, but we did not NEEDLE with that.
Raffies went armed these nights with
a better light than gas. If it were not
immoral / might recommend dark
lantern which was more or less his pat
ent. 1t was that handy invention, the
electric torch, fitted by Rallies with q
dark hood to fulfill the functions of
slide. 1 had held it through the bars
while he undid the screws, and now he
held it to the keynote, in which key
was turned upon the other side.
There was a pause for consideration,
and in the pause we put on our masks.
1t was never known that these Thames
valley robberies were all committed by
miscreants decked in the livery of
crime, but that was because until this
night we had never even shown our
masks. 1t was a point upon which
Rallies had insisted on all feasible oc-
casions since his furtive return to the
world. Tonight it twice nearly lost
us everything-bu you shall hear.
There is a forceps for turning keys
from the wrong side of the door, but
the implement is not so easy of manip- |
ulation as it might be. Raffies for one |
preferred sharp knife and the cor
ner of the panel. You go through the
panel because that is thinneSt, of |
course, in the corner nearest the key, |
and you use knife when you can be- |
cause it makes least noise. But 1t does |
Der shifting the electric torch from one |
hand to the other before the aperture |
was large enough to receive the hand |
and wrist of Raffles.
He had at such times a motto of |
which / might have made earlier use. |
but the fact is that 1 have only once |
before described a downright burglary |
in which 1 assisted and that without |
knowing it at the time. The most |
solemn student of these annals cannot |
affirm that he has cut through many |
doors in our company since what was |
to me the maiden effort to which al |
lude. i, however. have cracked only |
too many crib in conjunction with 4.
j. Raffies and at the crucial moment |
he would whisper, Victory or Worm
wood Scrubs. Bunny or instead of ,
Norwood Scrubs it might be Port |
land Bill This time If was naifbar ono |