The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-02-12
A BURGLAR
EPISODE
BY ESTHER VANDEVEER

ing In order to have me disengaged
when he expected to need me for a spe-
cial case.
One day DR.. Fisher sent me TO nurse
nervous old lady who was very Ill.
She was very rich. and, although the
doctor was as diligent with a poor pa
tent as a rich one. he made his In
come out OF the latter. never charging
those whom he knew were very poor.
He told me that my patient, Miss Bar
| tow, must not meet with any shock,
| for there was heart complication in
her case, and even the violent slam
ming of door might cause her death.
Imagine my horror at having bur-
| glars In the house with my patient.
About midnight | was going from her
room to my own when dazzling light
was flashed in my eyes. was i'm
PEELED to run somewhere. but the MEN,
DRY that it was my duty to prevent any
one causing Miss Bartow's death pre-
vented me
stood still while this was passing
through my mind and when had
ntlfC NY Stit tpNath NbNAO
/ had seen the light, near the head OF
the staircase. leaned over the ban
lister and waited In another moment
the light was flashed again. Then I
said:
There is a sick lady up here at the
point of death Stay downstairs. and
will go down and turn over what val
uables | can find"
"All right" said mans voice.
"Come down."
He flashed his light on me. and |
went down the stairs. feeling that he
might shoot me as | walked or stab
me when | reached him. He went
down into the hall (backwardl and
when reached 1t ordered me to go
into the dining room. and there he
lighted the gas. saw a short. thick
set man, masked, who said to me:
NOW, what have you got?"
Miss Barlow had been used to taking
the silver upstairs. and ! had not been
able to quiet her before settling for
the night until | had brought it up to
her and put 1t in closet in her room,
where she was used to keeping 1t.
Had ii been in any other room | would
have turned it over to the burglar at
once. As it was, was obliged to plan.
To gain time I opened the sideboard
as though | expected to find it there,
then told the burglar that it was up
stairs in the sick chamber.
He didn't believe me and. placing
the cold muzzle of a revolver on my
ear, said that if didn't produce some
valuab les he would kill me I was SO
terrified that told him / would get
some jewelry at once. but since Miss
Barlow had both silver and jewelry in
her room ! could do nothing. Finally
desperation steadied me- and l reiter-
ated what I had said, telling him that
to remove anything from that room
would inform the sick woman that
here was a burglar in the house and
that would give her shock from
which she would die
go and get it." he said. but at once
where's your tele-
lhone?' be asked.
"In there" / said and pointed to an
instrument in the hall He went to 1t
,ring him the valuables, saying that il
was not back in four minutes he
rould get them himself and kill every
ne In the room.
A great hope sprang up in my breast.
iiss Barton. who was very timid. had
lways had a telephone instrument be-
Idle her bed. had begged her to per-
ait me TO move 1t into the closet. and
Yhen the doctor commanded she con-
ented | told the burglar that would
ring him the valuables If he would
My go away on getting them and
-ent upstairs. He followed me with
ashlight till had gone into the room,
ut could not very well follow me
Irther without going in with me.
went straight to the closet. shut
he door and called "Policew several
mes. giving the location.
As | came out Miss Barlow, who had
zen asleep. awakened and asked for
alter. | went out and found the bur-
ar waiting at the door. He had
sdTu lUe GILL iOT water. Uul, Seeing
e empty handed. seemed to be in
,ubt whether to order me back. go in
e room himself or let me get the
ater Perhaps he preferred not TO
AXE a disturbance: perhaps he be-
wed my story about the invalid's
ndition He ordered me to hurry
!" and. going into the bathroom.
ew glass of water and took 1t into
e sickroom.
dreaded for my patient the CON-
2 of the police and the disturbance
d what would follow. | must take
awful risk. Going out into the hall.
beckoned the man TO follow me
ort distance from the sickroom and
ID:
There's a telephone in the closet In
ere. and have called the police"
lie went down the stairs three or
IT steps at a time and out OF the
use When the police arrived told
IN OF the invalid and that the bird
flown
iiss Barlow got up again. but not
long. She died shortly after the
-glar episode and left me $4,000.
Fisher was so well pleased with
handling OF the case that he asked
TO become his permanent partner.
ccepted bis offer and was glad to