Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-09


he frequently causes me intense annoyance by be-
quilting my coachman into gossping with him over
the garden wall, and thus wasting his time-which
belongs to me.
L remained at the window for some time, for be-
came interested in observing the state of my neigh
Dor IS premises The shone so brightly that l
could see with great cearness the badly kept state of
his back yard and garden. Weeds running riot
everything the garden gate off its hinges the bricks
which should have marked the sides of the paths up
rooted and scattered Altogether, most disgraceful
condition of things I mentally compared it with my
well kept grounds, and thought how true it is
that the superiority of a highly intelligent shows
itself in all his belongings l had seated myself on
the window sill, and was beginning to feel sure was
right in thinking [ broken pane of glass in one
of the attic windows when my attention was attracted
by slight noise in the direction of the street. 1t
sounded like person gently fumbling with bunch
of keys or jngling instruments of some kind All
grew quiet again, and then, to my amazement L saw
a head slowly rising above the wall which separates
my neighbor s front yard from the street Then
leg was put slowly and cautiously over, and in mo-
ment the owner of these two articles stood safely
the ground leaned forward, keeping carefully in
the shadow, and watched for further proceedings.
The man looked all around him, then walked softly
toward the house, and appeared to be measuring with
his eye the height of the piazza. Apparently he was
satisfied with his observations for mounting upon the
lower railing he embraced one of the posts and
quickly cambered up to the second story.
1 considered what [ should do Here was clearly an
Individual who had nefarous designs upon my neigh
boris property. 1t my duty, as a man and a
fellow citizen, to prevent the carrying out of his vii
lanous schemes Ny first impulse was to give the
alarm and attract the attention of the police and
the point of putting this idea into execution
when the memory of that little conversation with
Emilia, which 1 have already repeated flashed into
my mind Here was an excellent chance to confute
how ond tira1x- baaU
1 would secure this person myself without calling
upon the aid of the law and thus prove that was as
fully capable of tracking and skifully overthrowlng
the designs of the wicked any detective of them
all, Sherlock Holmes into the bargain l, therefore,
remained motionless and observed with eagle eye
the movements of the burglar.
He walked slowly along the upper piazza until he
reached window opening into back room The
sash of this he noiselessly threw up and then lightly
vauted into the room and in the intense stiffness of
the night could hear him gently stepping across the
floor
I decided to allow him time to become little
fdent before I acted, in hopes that would be able
to take him by surprise I calculated that he must be
aware of the empty conditions of the house and would
therefore, fancy himself and take his time in
the selection of his spols strengthened in this
belief by the fact of his lighting the gas in the room
he had entered, turning it very low, and closing the
shutters Immediately afor to prevent the light being
from without.
L thought the time had now arrived for making my
own preparations 1 must first myself, and then
get out of one of my downstairs windows into my
neighbor IS yard, When there, my further proceed
ings must depend on circumstances I should either
follow him into the house be ready to confront him
his exit with loaded pistol. preferred the
latter plan, am not the sort of person to enjoy
climbing up piazza post.
First and foremost, must procure my pistol.
assembled the stairs on tptoe, hoping not to arouse
Emilia. She must know nothing till the feat was
actually accomplished and 1 could overwhelm her
with the evidence of my 'coup 'etat.
rejecting to whether should march my