Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-04-29
A RETIRED
BURGLARS STORY
By WILLARD c. IRVING.

I've had every avenue or escape cut
off. I've been chased over tin roofs,
I've been shot at, but | eve vas ap-
palled but once. and that was by ST.
lence.
I'd served a term for burglary, spent
what money I'd beer given on getting
u and was looking for a job-not a
job of honest work. I'd tried that or
getting out once before and found it
impracticable. When an ~ex-convict
knows that he's liable any moment to
be spotted and discharged 1t takes the
zest out of him for work. I'd made up
my mind there was nothing left for me
to do but stick to my business, which
was burglary. Well. as | was saying,
| was looking for a house to get into
and. walking on the outskirts of a city.
saw one that struck me as being very
inviting. 1t was In the center of a six
acre lot. with no neighbors near
enough TO make it unpleasant for the
burglar and a wood in the real af-
fording a safe retreat. | made a care
full survey of the premises. No one
happened to be visible In or about 1t at
the time. but there was plenty of evil
dence that it was occupied. Newly
washed clothes were hanging On the
lines; smoke was issuing from the
chimneys; children's sleds and wagons
were scattered about in the yard. The
only thing | didn't like about 1t vas
snow, but 1t was old snow.
The night was cold and blustery. AT
about 10 o'clock | took position In the
yard. shielded from the wind by a car
rage shed. with a view to determining
by the lights what rooms were occu-
pied. The whole house was lighted.
got into a vehicle and sat watching my
quarry. The seat was comfortable. and
some blankets and robes that had been
left In it kept me warm. The result
was that l fell asleep.
When | awoke every light In the
house was out. A distant clock struck
1. | got out. went to the house. took a
pane OF glass out of a kitchen window,
turned the "catch." raised the sash
softly. pulled myself up and crawled
inside. Striking a match, l lit my dark
lantern and surveyed the room. Every
thing had been put In order after the
the range. l went through a pantry to
the dining room. Here, too, all was in
order.
Passing through the parlors. l en-
tered the hall and went upstairs, TAX
ing every precaution against waking
the inmates. A bedroom door neal the
landing stood ajar. ! listened, but
could hear no n breathing. | went
in and felt of the bed. There was no
one in 1t. There being nothing of value
in the room. | passed on 10 the next
examined 1t and found it also empty.
Coming to m of the front bedrooms.
l certainly expected to find it occupied
and entered it with all possible stealth.
listening long for the sound of a Sleep
ing being. That | heard no such sound
began to affect my nerves An empty
room is a good find for a burglar. but
the advantage in this case was over
come by the unexpected vacancy. l
CROPPED my way to the bed, felt of 1t
and found it u~noccupied. Then, fash
ing my lantern about. | saw a woman's
clothing that had been evidently taken
off at bedtime lying on the chairs. The
woman had vanished.
l went to another room and another
with the same result. In some of them
I found clothing that had been laid
aside, but no n in the beds. None
of the beds showed signs of having
been occupied. l went on to every
story, and not a single living being
did l find. There was some plumber
on the dressers, but not very much.
l did not think Of taking it. My mind
was fixed upon the lights l had seen
in the house a few hours before and
the present absence of those whom
the lights had served.
There is no similarity between day
light and dark for weird impressions.
One human being, even If a policeman,
would have broken the spell. feared
a haunted house. but l feared more
that something in my brain had gone
wrong. Had that which | had seen in
the afternoon and evening been an
hallucination or did l now experience
something that was not? Coming to a
window overlooking the rear yard, |
flashed my lantern down into it. There
were the clothes still hanging on the
line. l walked back through the hall.
bringing my feet down heavily on the
floor that l might hear a sound. The
carpet was thick, and there was but
a faint response-a response that add
ed to my growing terror.
Suddenly the rays of my lantern
struck a living figure. At once my
instinct of preservation ordered me to
cover my light. l did SO and waited.
There was no sound. Believing l had
been mistaken, l mustered courage to
raise the lantern again. There was
the figure, but it was my own reflect
ed from a mirror.
I now had but one desire-to get out
and away. Descending to the main