Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-03-12
HONOR OF THIEVES.

stupefactIon when, having entered
| steaithlly, he found himself looking into
the terrified eyes of a woman. She was
on her knees by, an open safe, and the
| hight OF the candle she had placed on a
chair beside her showed him the ivory
| loneliness of her face, framed in its
streaming hair.
When she saw him she let fall little
chamois leather bag which she had lust
taken from the safe and clasped both
hands to her breast
! "Jm!" she gasped. "Jim!"
| The thief recovered his self control at
once, and coming forward, seated him
self IN an armchair opposite to her and
surveyed her with some amusement.
This is surprise party, ma cherie!"
| he said lightly, with a gay smile that
went well with his dare devil eyes and
| bold, sharply cut features. II did not
| know that you had taken to felonious
practices. But-by Jove, how the
| deuce" and he arched his eyebrows
and gave a low whistle of astonishment
as he gazed at the complicated machin-
cry OF the massive safe door. She rose
| from her knees and confronted him;
slim, girlish figure in her soft dressing
| gown, trembling from head to foot,
WHlIelIppeu ana aSnen-taced.
II knew how to open it." she faltered:
Il hid in here one day and watched
| Lord Mordon do it. Oh, Jim, for
heavens sake 90, or we shall be heard!
| Why did | do it? Oh, why did do it p.
A cynical smile played about the
| thief's clean-shaven lip.
Yes! why, indeed? | often see vour
name in the social columns of the daily
| no nd +Io4
| Wytham wore magnificent diamonds etc.
| And isn't your host. Lord Mordon. one
| of the wealthiest aristoerats in societyY
| If the state of your finances is desperate
| enough to warrant this dangerous game,
why do you come to these swell house
| parties ~
oh, I'm awfully in debit" she de-.
clared vehemently Indeed, it's terrible!
I've sold my diamonds long ago: the
things | wear are wretched limitations
And I've been losing money at bridge,
and-and horse racing. Oh, Jim. be
generous and go! Lord Mordon's bed
room is just above us and he will hear
US! Oh, | would kill myself rather than
be caught! For the sake of old times,
JIM"
The thief settled himself more com
| fortably in the chair and stretched his
muscular arms languidly.
"Old times, eh?" he said sitting
yawn. Dear me, how melodramatic we
are! Do you mean to tell me you ever
think of those old times ?"
Her white lips were trembling pit
eously.
Il would give the whole world to I'M
do the past!" she said passionately; "if
| it is any satisfaction to you to know
| that Oh, how cruel you are to torture
me so! 1t isn't like you-as you used to
| be, Jim'
He laughed grimly.
Il am not as l used to be; thanks to
you!" he said bitterly; then. rising and
speaking more briskly, but, of course,
I'm going | was only teasing YOU.
There is honor among members of my
l beg your pardon-our profession, and
this is clearly your show. But how in
the name of all that's wonderful do YOU
intend to dispose of the thng?"
nervous smile twitched her colorIess
! lips
Il have friends" she began, then
stopped. her face flaming and paling by
turns. "Oh, l heard someone coming!
Jim, Jim, what shall l do?"
They both stood listening; she with
tense face and parted lips, he in bored,
uninterested way that bespoke nerves
of steel. She ran to his side and chung
TO him. tremulous and hysterical The
touch of her clinging hands. the contact
OF her soft draperies and softer. family
| perfumed hair, coniured up a host of
| bitter-sweet memories that the thief
| had long ago considered dead and buried;
and for an instant the candleli2ht shone
upon sudden moisture in his eyes. But
! It was clearly no moment for sentiment
and already his resourceful brain had
mapped out the course of action he
meant to follow. He knew that escape
was impossible, but he knew that there
was only one thing for him to do. He
took the bag gently from her unresisting
fingers. thrust it into an inner pocket,
| and sprang away from her toward the
! open door. That which he had known
to be inevitable took place The room
clicked suddenly mAo a dazzling bril-
lance, and he found himself blinking
into the barrel of revolver. He had
little difficulty in recognizing the tall
blonde, pajama-clad leveler of the re-
yolver as Lord Mordon. whose portrait
he had frequently seen in the illustrated
papers.
Hands up said that young gentle
man quietly, for the thief's hand had
shot instantly and mstinctively to the
bullying side pocket of his overcoat.
that's it," as he was smilingly oheved
Now but-great Scott"
His eyes had fallen upon the woman
who had staggered down upon chair
and was regarding the thief with wide
bewiidered eyes,
Mrs Wytham:' he gasped; what
| ever
The thief's eyes telegraphed their mr..
gent message to her, and the thief him.
self addressed his captor.
The lady interrupted me-" he said
blandly; Il was threatening her with
my shooter as You arrived. intending N
tie her up and make tracks. Oh pm
not going to give You any trouble. I as
sure you. I'm not such a poor sports
man as all that"
The woman had reused herself with an