The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-27

being the only man present. ventured
to suggest to Mrs. Middleton that the
man would not be so gullible as to
trust himself in the hands OF a stran-
ger and nothing would come Of 1t, but
the lady declared that she believed !
many robberies were committed by
connivance Of the servants and this
was a case in point.
After the matter had been duly dis
cussed by all except its perpetrator.
who had maintained a modest silence, !
Georgia as soon as she got me alone
told me that she believed the man was
a iailbird who had escaped or had end !
ed his term and that she had completely !
deceived him. She asked me to assist |
/ her in CARRYING out her scheme. told
: her that the police would be only too
/ glad to be interested in 1t with view
to capturing the man red handed. 1
volunteered to sound them and learn
what they would prefer to do.
did so and was told. after giving
them Georgia's description of the man,
that he was probably Red Mike. who
had recently been discharged after do
ing term in state prison. They beg
ged me to secure them an opportunity
to trap him. l suggested that they put
guard around the Middleton grounds
and take him as he entered, but they
said that by this course they would
have no charge to make against him,
whereas If he were permitted to enter
the house and was caught there carry
ing away property he could be sent
back to prison for another term.
When l reported these facts to
, Georgia she asked me to grant the re-
J quest Of the police, but declared that
J the matter must be kept from her
r mother. | did not like to be mixed In
! n matter of discrimination. but Georgia
0 said It could be managed with her
r mothers knowledge Of it. I finally left
e her to do as she pleased. She deter
: mined to communicate with her father,
: who, returning from the city, after
t hearing the story and giving his daugh-
d ter the usual scolding upon one of her
S unusual pranks, decided to give the
8 police the opportunity, If 1t occurred
to get in a criminal who was bent on
making a dishonest living
u On the night Of the expected bur
~ glary we amused ourselves as usua
~ till about II o'clock, when we all wen
= to our rooms. agreeing that all light
10 should be turned off at II. The rob
'e berry was to be committed at l.
turned off my light at the appointe'
&c time and sat in the dark in my clothes
NV room overlooked the Outhous
40 where the ladder that the burglar wa
~ to use was kept. and the windO'
- through which he was to enter was
the same side Of the house. Shortl
-. before / o'clock l began a watch upo
the clubhouse, but when ten minute
;. after the appointed time had elapse
~ and all was quiet l made up my min
~ that 1t was Georgia who had bee
b. fooled instead Of the criminal.
a.. At seventeen minutes of 2. when
ON was about to give up the watch M
a., 20 to bed, saw figure stealing to Il
4ho clubhouse. The door had been purpos
tho ly left ajar by the police, who were
oh. room overlooking the Clubhouse.
,ol, saw. the figure carrying somethi
mr. which l presumed to be the ladd'
m, though It was too dark to discern VIII
1t was, and by his motions knew tn
Fix. he was raising one end against I
house. Then l saw him slowly mou
. In the rounds.
ken l had left my door open so that
could look into the hall and now W.
sn't to take position at the door. 1t
cry not minute. though it seemed long
after this change that the electric lig
nice on that floor were turned on, the
Ne lice sprang from the room they oc
pied into the hall and thence into
vent room the burglar had entered.
into to the door of the room they were
Ding reaching 1t just In time to see til
seize the man and take from hin
ce | box, which one Of them opened.
,nce was filed with pebbles.
The household was up and about.
ONE one had gone to bed, and as the burs
,lied was led out through the hall he pas
us all When he came to Georgi
saw him start, for he saw her, moi
I've cooks apparel, but dressed as Ii
:" He scowled at her, but with pol
man on either side of him and hf
crib cuffed he had no opportunity for
way proaches So he uttered no word.
With Georgia, having played her pr'
elper now regretted that she had been ms
mental in returning man to pr
face, and began to urge her father to
his influence to prevent the ra
Won't being prosecuted. But Mr.. Middle
:. told her that the matter was no
go In his hands. The police had caught
Gated robber red handed and had the II,
v his snry evidence to convict him.
Nevertheless. Georgia did not give
2" She hired u lawyer to defend the
thing she had trapped. and the thief
the off on the ground that he had been
suaded to rob the person who had
D put suaded him, which was conspirac
Georgia wound up her sum-
n get amusements by bringing me to a
laration and refusing me. | supp
maid should have condemned her. but
antee not. l pretended that had also
: mis- amusing myself, though l took
If the to show this by my bearing and nj
Of the words. The ruse was successful, a
She time married her.
and 1 am happy to say that since our