The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-06-15
BURGLAR in BOHEMIA


foor-double studios in the front ant
at the back, single studios in between
The middle studios had skylights anc
no windows. In the first was the
Spaniard. In the second was the bur
glar
At least that was what they called
him-the burglar. Nobody knew who
he was or where he came from, so the
other tenants concluded that that was
what he was.
He had had the studio for months
few had had peeps into 1t when II
was being cleaned, for he was rathei
a neat burglar and insisted upon
cleanliness. They were astonished al
the luxury of 1t, at the hangings, the
tapestries-there were even tapestries.
1t was astonishing to see a burglar
with so much taste.
"He must have about $500 worth
of stuff in there" whispered the Span
lard in awe, his studio being very
plain.
"He stole it, / reckon" said the
artist who occupied the studio in the
back. 1--WE might decorate ours In
the same way If we would" he added
with some moroseness.
It seemed rather interesting, having
burglar under the same roof. The
woman artist in the front studio lis
tened eagerly to tales of this mysteri.
GUS person told in whispers in the twi-
light or the candlelight and hid her
diamonds in a different place every
night. She double locked her doors
and felt her hair rise slowly at each
tootstep. 1t was lovely, she told her
| friends.
81 have never seen him." said the
Spaniard, "but l hear him come In
every night at about three in the
morning"
Sure enough, several nights at about
that hour the woman was Weakened by
the stealthy tread Of cautious feet
1.-THE burglar!" she whispered.
II have never seen him." said the
artist in the back room, "but | have
heard him cough. He sleeps all day,
l think. He never goes out until after
dark"
OF course you couldn't expect any
thing else of real burglar. Yet 1t
seemed strange that he should care
lessly give away his whereabouts by
cough. Still, the woman artist con-
cluded that, climbing over tin roofs
and up and down fire escapes, bur-
glar was as liable to colds as any
body, and let it go at that.
And then one night after four weeks
or so of living under the same roof
she came upon him.
1t happened in this wise. She was
often invited out to little parties
where they whooped it UP and stayed
until all hours. She had dressed her
self in her prettiest and gone to one
Of these. 1t was nearly three g. m.
when she got home.
1t was always too late for anybody
to gaze upon her when she came home
in a cab, she reflected modify as her
escort tremendously helped her out
Never in her society existence in New
York when she had been brought home
in cab or devil wagon had there been
a soul to stand admiringly to see her
alight.
She let herself in at the front door
and began to ascend the half dark
stairway. She had climbed up to the
second landing when she heard an
other night latchkey insert itself in
the front door.
1.-THE burglar!" she painted, hand to
heart.
She fell ON the top STEP picked her
self up and hurried along the hall all
in her white dress and slippers.
Footsteps sounded back of her.
stealthy footsteps that she seemed to
know.
"He is our own special burglar" she
thought to herself. Maybe he won't
rob a woman who lives on the same
floor with him."
Nevertheless she clasped her hand
to her only sunburst, and was very
glad that her gloves were on, so he
couldn't see her rings.
The last flight of stairs! The foot
steps following, following! Coming
nearer and nearer and nearer!
The last hall!
She took to running along this hall.
She inserted the key in her door and
looked wildly back over her shoulder
as she was about to open 1t.
She forgot to open it, looking back
over her shoulder. She stood perfect
ly still, her hand on the key, for there
coming quiVly up the last stairs and
advancing into the last hall was a
man in evening dress who wore white
gloves.
With a small white gloved hand he
fitted the key in the door to the bur-
glars studio. He flashed a broad ex-
panse of shirt front for moment
then entered.
"That burglar of yours" she told
the others disgustedly when morning
had come, rs nc burglar at all. He's
only a society MANN. Y Sun.