The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-12-28
A SE, TIMENTAL BURGLAR
rs ..rnest Roescr.

no must have I'm prstood his busl-
ness. No amatv burglar could
have effected entil &c into the aouse
SO neatly and suis n.
And after he w.i In the room he
exercised the sane deliberate care,
the seeming lnsnncarn, and sat
down by smouldvring fire to warm
his nands. When he was comfort
able he surveyed the room with an
electric fash lamp. ana then calmly
ransacked the tall desa In the cor
ner One drawer Was lUSHpi. but lie
fooled this with ease ana then, for
the first time. evidenced excitement,
scooped ont Its contents.
| Seventeen dollars" he mut.erel
dlsdainfully, Hardly worth taxi
4 ing. But he had MO idea of lea ing
| II. evidently, Tor ne carefully stow
cd the bills In his vest pocket.
lie continued his search OF tts
room, picked M trinket here aa
something there, all of wnich ~,
\ placed In the middle OF the tai
preparatory to wrapping them
gether when his task was flnlsar i.
! LIZ one corner OF the room, MAI.
glow and mis- fash lamp glinted ~
the snlning, polished surface, NJ,
| reached into the shadow and lIftt
cello into the dim light OF tile
IRE. After examining the instrument
critically ne dropped its base to the
iloor and. as he idly swung ii to ana
fro. seemed specializing Then Ia
/ looked at the instrument long ana
intensely and sat down In medlta-
tom lie unconacionsly thumhed the
strings and tie touch evidenced j
knowledge OF the instrument.
II | had chance 10 run the bow
over the strings FOR minute Or
two, be muttered, n mignt be able
to tell it's worth It's too lie and
suspicious package to carry away
at this time ct the night, aud then.
after all, II may not be genuine"
After a short pause. he arose alb
ruptiy, like one with his mind made
up He walked softly and quickly
to the door leading out OF the room,
closed 1t. went to the corner and
the bow IN his aand
I'll chance 1t. he said below his
breath.
Softly very softly he drew the
bow across the strings, and then,
after tuning little. he tested. with
the anxiety OF purchaser, the quail
ties OF the cello. II it was d good
enc, he would take Tiff nor, 1t was
not worth the trouble and risk. Evi-
IDENTITY he was hard pressed for mo-
ney when he was quite willing TO
steal anything that might be con-
verified into cash.
AS he played, very low, note
seemed to catch vein OF song and
climbed sweerly until it swayed In
tender. sweet and trembling notes.
Sometimes 1t seemed that ne was
playing on the hegrt-strings Of Wo-
man, and she was weeping. more III
sorrow than pain Then again, he
was conversing with his soul, and
the melody ran on the strings until
it found mans voice and foated
In the air. He laughed and cried,
he sang and then moaned and all
the time ais lips parted. his head and
body swayed and he seemed to be
Of where he was, how
he came to be there, and Of every
thing else.
He did not hear the door softly
opened, nor did he see the figure of
a young girl. her dark hair falling
On the cloak she had thrown around
her, and her face expressed wonder
ment, fear and admiration all at
once. She stood lmmovably by the
doorway, listening, and she. too, be-
,ame lost in the wonderful melody
Produced by the burglar artist. And
hen
coal in the fire CRATE snapped
md, with nervous start, ne leaped
o his feet, turning about swiftly.
nstinctively he knew that he was
lot alone in the room. The girl
PRESSED her hands to her bosom, and
hrank against the wall. For fully
minute they surveyed each other
nd then. the girl, breaking tae spell.
made a movement toward the door
S If to fee. He quickly raised his
and.
"Stop." he said. You need have
% fear. IL am sorry that ! so far
orgot myself as to arouse you.
md ne seemed ashamed that he bad
cen so unprofessionaI.
who are you?" she cried. And
that are you doing here?"
'Who | am" he said bitterly,
makes no difference. As 90 why
m here, | was trying to better my
with anything | might
nd" Pointing toward the window.
e continued: Il came in there. I
as fortunate enough to find this
istrument In the corner and then
was fool enough to allow II to be-
-ay me. guess It's about time I'm
Ding"
ITS yours, isn't is?" ne asked.
IMPLY.
She nodded her head. too frighteh-
Z to speak.
81 guessed as much-otherwise |
ould take II with me. It's gDanl
lstrument. Do you play it?"
Arafu she nodded then with Of