The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29
THE MAN IN
THE OVERCOAT
By EDITH MORGAN WlLLETT.

The burglar opened the front door with
n, latch key-or something that closely
resembled it-und entered the hall.
It was very DIM. as HE anticipated,
BETSY. the lousemaid, having been sent
on a sudden GRAND to the grocer's just
as she was about to light the gas
The burglar had watched her exit from
an opposite area, and on seeing her
pause ut the corner of the avenue ior
a henrt-to- heart talk with the big police.
nan concluded the coast was clear and
slipped In.
lie gave himself q good half hour fo7
operations before the maid would be
back.
Softly the front door closed, almost 81
lently, hut there must have been Keen
ears listening upstairs. for q womans
voice called down.
It's that you, John 2?
This was exasperating! a,,43fst iis
The mistress of the house had been
safely and distantly located in the base
mont only five minutes before
The burglar began to whistle.
lle was n good mimic and had not
walked downtown behind her husband
that morning for nothing.
A Tho notes of eel Captain rose on
tho air he noIsclessly extracted an
ebony handled umbrella from the hat
stand and tried on Johns overcoat, which
he sorely needed ~
It was perfect fit
IT don't think you're very polite" re-
marked the voice upstairs. 1t was
sweet voice with a suspicion of tears IN
It ) "A-er't you coming to apologize for
all the unknd things you said this morn
lng?''
The burglar paused warily, considering
tho situation. lg
'Thcres row on" he decided. "and
Johns been behaving bad. Well, we'll, |
guess he'll have to keep 1t up, poor fel-
low"
Still whlstllng unconccrnedly. he seized
his curiously shaped black bag, and go
ing into the dining room slammed the
door.
CHATS to nut her on her ear-brow,
he prophcsled shrewdly If nelegantly
as he set to work on tho buffet silver
aided by the elcstyic light in the street
below. a.
mo more good soft soldering row for
a good WHILE you bet!'
The Burglar was married man ana
knew the ways of the sex
Into the b1nck1 bag, which possessed
strangely elastic proprieties, went coffee
urn, cream pitcher. and sugar bowl cach
article slowed away with the utmost
dizziness and Clerlt!.
Then The Burglar cast dubious eye
on the small silver.
Poor quality and not much of IT. he
pronounced disappontedy. "Bnt what
can Won expect of the cashier OF little
one-horsc bank? Well, well, 1t can't be
helped. You have to take things as you
find them in this world, ;"
1t was his favoritc motto and not IN
annronria.c under the circumstances.
K al nj hapata nlilOSODnV
with great care and dispatch two dozen
knives forks and spoons were packed
away In the depths OF the black bag
n paIr of rcpousse candcsticks followed
in their wake, while the Burglar hastily
concealed n motley collection or coiise
spoons, salt cellars and pepper potH IN
the pockcts OF the newly acquired over
coat
.,Now for them cutglass things" nc
reminded himself, and turned his atten-
ton upward.
The lock of the hanging cabinet was
hard to pick. but he had Eot IT OH ana
was inspecting certain dccanters on isln
shelves with the assistance OF his small
dark lantern whom there came soft, SIP
nernd FOOTBALLS in the hall without
The Burglar faced about In utter aston
ishmcnt
So size had actually come down. had
humblcd her pride In Ave minutes, when
he. with his knowledge of woman, mad
given her fifteen at least to get over that
impairment slam of the door.
What a fool he had been!
But even as he swore at himself under
his breath 4; line OF light sprhns up
beneath the door,
She had lit the hall gas.
Thc burglar vnlllicd TO the nearest WIN
dow and paused for reflection.
The sash had to be lifted, and there was
mi
below. ~
ono instant he hesitated, and tho
next he heard her steps at the door
rho handle was being softly turned
But even in this pvedcament the EUR
g!ar did not lose his nerve. Out went
his lantern and down came the heaPy
window curtains while he rapidly summed
'~up his chances, -
There was Just "a bare possibility that
he could keep up the delusion l'tt'o
longer; the master OF the mouse whs
about his own build and had the same
clOsc.cropprd. fair hair
Perhaps IN the dlmness, win ms pach
turned
quick as thought he wheeled into posi-
ton lust as the door swung open,
There was n moments silence
I'm tho stream Of light that flowed from
the hall the tall -shouldered figure
could be distinctly seen, standing mo,
tlonlcss, with head bowed and hands
clasped behind him, every fold of me
well-ftting overcoat expressing lhelnn-
choly and deep contritlon
II was an effective and touching PC
ture
The steps paused on the threshold
Holding his breath, the Bnrglar walled,
his senses lSccnly alive to the soft rustic OF
feminine draperlcs behind nm, Inc rant
seen, Of orris that filled The air,
One minute pasesd. two then
There's no need 70 look 80 tragic,