Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1909-01-14
her BURGLAR ACQUAINTANCE
IN Wllllam Tiehont.

AS Published in the Womans World.
The man in the hedge took out
his watch, which bore initials other
than His own, and flashed his dark
lantern across its face to see the
time.
Nearly 10 O'clock" he said to
himself. "a little early to begin
operations of this kind, but this
place seems to hold such exceptional
opportunities and appears so de-
serted that think I'll take the risk.
Anyway, half this settlement seems
to hape gone to the masquerade at
the mansion up the road, and left
things just as though they expected
me- These summer cottages certain
ly are easy money, and as that's
what I'm looking for, why here
goes"
The girl came through the hall in
to the darkened room and sat down
in the moonlight which streamed
through the window. She was still
in her masquerade The nights rev.
elry apparently held no pleasure for
her and she had come home early.
Neither did her thoughts seem to Of
ter much relief, for the night the
tears that glistened in. her eyes
could be seen even through the
mask she wore.
The man at the other side of the
room Rugged the darkness closer
and watched her. For while she
sat thinking, and then as she arose
and turned up the light with flash.
For an instant both were blinded by
the contrast. When the girl recovered
herself. she saw the man standing
CD of tho with
his revolver leveled at her. She
could not suppress little cry OF
fright and amazement.
"Don't scream he said, "or l
shall be under the painful necessity
of putting you to death with this
revolver That's not very gentle
manly thing for me to say to LADY
l know, but then self-preservatlon
is the first law of man and I'm not
.of the celestial, not yet. Just De
seated and remain calm and this
ordeal will soon be over. Are you
alone, may l ask?"
yes" said the girl, as she mech,
:anically obeyed his instructions, y
am alone. But why are you mere
and how did you get inY'
"Oh, | had urgent business ane
couldn't wait for the family to come
home so l just thought l woult
transact it before they arrived pu
/ think you have interfered'
~ am sorry, to be sure, sir, tina
unwittingly spoiled your plans.
assure you / would nave muci
rather not done so, although yol
seem to be real gentleman Durg
lhr,' as they call them.
= Eyes. | belong to that class al
.v,obt I'm graduate of Yale and
law student, engaged Just at presen
IN smashing to smithereens the yer
laws / tried so hard to fathom. AM
must say you're a real sensiDl
Young lady. Much more so than TN
I,sual run. Painting and screamin
don't appear to be in your line, an
nerhaps it's Just as well, for II
unite possible that | may condesceh
TO leave your silverware and mar
cash alone if you affard a pieas
ant evenings chat. -,
The mans audacity angered IN
girl, but she was thinking las
Father and brother would soon D
home and then this burglar Wopi
not be quite so flippant. :,
"You are impertinent, sir, sn
said 'tBut since you have been S
kind as 10 suggest fair exchange
which is no robbery, I'll agree.
may save you doing penance for az
other sin. But you mustn't let IN
conversation lag. I'll not do all tn
talking a.. 80 81,
he said, suiting the action to tn
word "II put this curtain 'doWi
some one might take it into the
heads to spoil our little gossip
Judge from your rigging that 70