The Yale expositor., 1907-11-08

Jul 6ltl NduNlOunlg aDDlOdN4Atu
window which stood partly within
shadow, and slipping a steel Jim
my" under the lower sill, pried first
gently, then with all the strength of
his hardened muscles. Again and again
he brought his strength and weight to
bear upon the slender steel; the win
dow refused to yield
Slowly and carefully he climbed up
until he could reach the middle sill.
When he had gained a secure foot
hold, he took from the pocket of his
tightly buttoned coat a small roll of
putty which he pressed against the
glass in tiny circle just opposite the
catch holding the window on the in
side. This much accomplished deity
and silently, he produced small
glass-cutter from the same capacious
pocket, and pressing it heavily against
the glass within the ring of putty,
soon sent that portion of the pane
tinkling softly to the ground. Quick
ly inserting his hand, he turned the
catch. raised the window, and climbed
in.
A clock in nearby tower struck
the hour, the tones pealing out full
and clear on the still night air.
mine o'clock" he muttered, "rath-
er early for a gentleman of my pro-
fessional standing and ability to begin
operations. but if get the sparklers,
now is the time!"
Once safely inside. there was no
special need of caution. He knew the
diamond necklace was in the house;
that the colonel and his wife were
spending the evening with a married
daughter and would not return home
for several hours yet, at least. The
servants had taken advantage OF cir
cumstances, and were having a little
social gathering back in the rear; he
knew all these things, because 1T was
his business to know them, because he
had spent several months studying
conditions and waiting for just such
an opportunity as now presented it.
self.
Quickly he made his way along the
hallway; he felt elated hilarious
even; a twenty thousand diamond
necklace right within his grasp.
Had it been the opera tonight
he mumbled to himself, she would
have worn the sparklers; but not to
just a little family gathering.
Guided by a slender CLEAN from his
lantern he headed straight for the
sumptuous sleeping apartments. where
stood the little hardwood case In
which the jewels were kept. Reaching
the spacious room he threw the Ian
terms yellow CLEAN hither and thither
on all sides; the little case was not
in it's accustomed place; no matter,
he would find it.
Silently and swiftly he passed from
one part of the room to another, care
fully examining every nook and cor
ner; now he was humminC a little
tune as he worked, a tune he had
not heard or thought of before since
childhood. He chucKled softly as he
thought how aptly the words of the
tune fitted In with the search for the
diamonds:
Joyful, joyful will the meeting be-"
He couldn't think OF the words to
the next line; but he didn't mind;
those same words were good enough
for any one, and surely they were
appropriate. so he sang them softly
DER and DER as he searched.
Suddenly the lanterns CLEAN fell
upon the polished surface of the jew
el-case.
He sprang forward eagerly and
opened it. there it lay. sparkling. scin-
tillating, in all its beauty-the dla-
mond necklace.
n moment he gazed at them covet-
ously, gloatingly. then secreted the
precious gems beneath his coat and
turned 10 leave. At that instant a
door behind him suddenly opened and
the electric lights flashed on.
With the snarl of wounded beast
at bay. he turned quickly. he graspeG
his revolver. and a look Of determine