Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-03

llC otlSdlu VI luuUHllSuI luIOuSu luc
open window and skyward to its
source. Yes, l am something of a
poet-but with a practical bent"
So saying, he turned and followed
the luminous stream in its path
through the darkness of the room. AT
the table, polished top aglow in the
light, he selected a cigarette, stepped
then to the buffet, and poured out a
sip of brandy.
Still without a light, he drew a chair
to the edge of the streaming moon
beams, and seating himself, smiled
into the night, enjoying his moon-fan-
cies. His smoke rings shimmered in
the glowing vapor, dissolved lazily,
and, like winding ribbons of silver,
reeled %sinuously into the darkness.
Not SO much as the 1utter of a
leaf" he thought. 81 a almost hear
the flowing stream of moonlight. ST.
lence seems to have drugged the
He strained forward and listened.
From some Understandable part of the
house came a low tapping, as of
blCCLS-oW dySu DOuSH Ou WtluOW pane.
The sound continued only a moment,
however, and Hadley's interest sank
to a ~listless curiosity, and thence to
forgetfulness. The moonbeams crept
down from the buffet, crept past the
table, past Hadley, through the open
window, and up, slowly higher and
higher, till the upper easement MD
the last of them.
A little longer the glow of the Gig
arctic ~palpitated in the darkness, then
flashed, comet-like, through the win
dow; and Hadley, with a satisfied ex-
halation of the last puff of smoke,
rose and stood a moment, refilling his
lungs from the sweet night air.
What a night" he thought.
In a nearby chamber a door creaked,
and quickly, noiselessly, he darted into
the folds of a heavy portiere. Peer,
ing cautiously from his hiding place,
he smiled and exclaimed, silently:
by Jove! A burelar!"
For a thin shaft Of light, crossing
the doorway leading into the hall,
darted left, right, Zip, down, like a fur
tive glance, then vanished. The pat,
pat of a cat-like tread drew nearer and
paused, and Hadley, with excited
amusement, could almost feel the fin
ger of light exploring his hiding
place. A moment later he saw it on
the wall near him, and then it darted
through the doorway into the library,
followed by the cat-like tread.
Warily the watcher stepped from the
curtain, the thick carpet yielding ST.
lently to the pressure of his feet. To
the library door he advanced, and,
scarcely breathing, peered into the
room, ready to draw back his head if
the fitting light should turn toward
his direction.
Curiously he followed the shaft of
light, which, like a long, slender and
incredibly nimble proboscis, guided by
a dimly and grotesquely outlined mon
ster, was exploring every nook and
Granny of the large room.
On a desk, which filled a corner with
Its oaken bulk, the light had settled;
from top to bottom, from side to side,
lingering drawer after drawer, 1t
moved. Apparently interested, the
monster behind the light advanced to
the table and placed his keen-eyed as
sistant on the top, and then followed
the low ring of metal on metal.
The burglar turned with a snarl,
his right hand flying toward a side
pocket, but he stiffened suddenly into
a rigid, crouching statue at sight of a
revolver cleaning in the path of the
light-a revolver, a hand, and part of
an arm-back of which doomed a dim
shadow.
Sorry, old mani" the taunting
voice repeated. The revolver. hand
and arm We're unwavering-madden.
ingly SC.
What the h"
Hands in front-up!"
The burglars hands went up.
Now lower them just enough to
take off your coat-Be CAREFUL
There, toss 1t to me. Now turn around
all the way. Good--no projections
about the hips. Sit down on that
desk stool. And raised your mask a
trifie-raise it, say!-Horrors! Low
er it-quick!" The taunt In Had
ley's voice brought the unlattered bur.
glar to his feet, but the revolver mo.
toned him back.
The captor laughed softly, then
placed the coat on the table and be-
gan to tumble through the opckets,
careful all the time, however, to keep
at least n eye on the captive. A
revolver came from one side pocket,
followed by a bunch of keys. Hadley
gave these articles hardly a glance,
and sought another pocket.
"Ah, here we are!"
First came a necklace, and, in spite
Of himself, Hadley's eyes were drawn
to the string of flashing gems, before
which the lantern light became pale
and lusterless. Again the scowling
spectator sprang to his feet, and again
the revolver motioned him back.
My" Hadley exclaimed. "You are
a painstaking burglar to prowl through
a desk with a fortune like this in your
pocket" He dropped the fortune into
his W pocket, and again prospected
the coat.
"A pendant. 'Tinsel beside the neck.
lace, but a beauty" The pendant fol.
lowed the fortune.
"A watch. Pretty-Yes, set with d.
Almonds, but a trifle." The trife Joined
necklace and pendant.
Another pendant. Pearls-very
pretty. have a weakness for pearls.
And rings, rings, rings! Dear me!