Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-04-13
:.
Miss Mayhew's
Burglar


Obeying sharp, premonitory click
from the direction Of the curtained al
cove where but a moment before all
had been quiet save for the steady,
sonorous breathing of human being
behind the heavy drapery, Mr.. Bill
Garlin dropped his black bag Of booty
to the floor and held his hands high
above his head. Experience had taught
Mr.. Garlin number of things, and
one was that the etiquette Of "the
drop" Is not always recognized by
peaceable householder awakened In the
dead hour of the night by a prowling
burglar. Therefore it was discretion
rather than cowardice that prompted
him, in the present instance, to assume
the formal position Of surrender With
out waiting for the verbal command.
A glance toward the alcove convinced
Mr.. Garlin that he had indeed acted
wisely. The shining weapon peeping
from the parted curtains was held with
disconcerting steadiness, and above and
beyond were two unwayering points OF
optic light which contained deadly
purpose not to lose the advantage held.
The marauder reassuringly spread his
fingers widely apart, realizing that the
very appearance Of evil was here a
menace to his physical wholeness, and
stood before his captor in the obscure
light more like the shadow of an elon-
gaeed statue than Bill Gariin, alias
"Crackey," alias "Bill the Brick"
"A pretty fellow!" came in q rasp-
fng voice from the curtains-"a pretty
fellow to rob a lone woman; and what
I'm going to do with you, that's the
question:
"a Teddy, by hockey" was Mr.. Gar
Inns inward comment. "Beggin your
poidon. Teddy, I'VE bloindered inty the
wrong room," he continued aloud.
"Hopin' you'll excuse me, I'll just take
myself off,"
"You villain, don't you dare to
moye!' said the voice. do you think
that kind of a subterfuge would de-
ceiye anyone? As if you didn't know
that I have the entire proceeds Of last
nights lecture here In my travelling
bag! Oh, this isn't the first attempt
that's been made to rob me in my tray-
els. but no brute of man ever en-
tered my room before. Mighty lucky
90 armed and know how to protect
myself. Now, I'm going 60 keep you
covered with this revolver while You
empty your pockets of everything In
them. Then you'll step into that ward
robe there and be locked in while call
the people Of the house"
"Your poidon again, loidy," said Mr..
csrlin in peculiar tone: -'are you
Miss Gertrude Mayhem that lectured
in the town hall here last night?"
.Yes." came the brisk answer. Now
YOU lay your coat on that chair-and
hurry!"
s.Then you'll remember me, Miss
Mayhew," pursued the burglar, losing
no time in complying with the sharp
command; "you'll remember little Will
lie Garlin, surely--why, you loined me
to read, you did, IN Sceneryville, Ohio,
sears and years ago."
A queer sound came from che lips
of Miss Gertrude Mayhem, temperance
advocate and -schoolma'am and the
revolver In her hand described nerv-
BUS semi-circle that brought to Mr.. Gar
lin a poignant fear Of Its accidental
discharge. Then the curtains were sep
arated to permit the protrusion of a
head and hand; In the latter held a
small night lamp, and the burglar saw
dimly the face OF his boyhood's In
structor-a face be would even yet
have recognized anywhere, though the
glrlish features he remembered were
shadowed by the hard lines of self
dependent woman Of the world, whose
fifty years were marked by straight,
iron-gray hair, which in youth had
been Of inky blackness.
"a Garlln-and burglar!" he heard
her rnurnur as If to herself. She re-
placed the lamp behind the curtains,
not forgetting her control OF the
weapon. I'D know q GarIin any
where" she continued raptly. The
harsh tone came back to her voice sud-
denly, and she went on: "Yes. you are
VIII Garlin, but you are dangerous
criminal Now. l want you to take
from each hip pocket revolver. muz-
xle down--and mind, one little move
tho wrong way and I'll shoot"
Honest. there's only one" be uro-