The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-02-04

my iauilly tuJOy tueulSelNeS NIluOut
the pleasure of my society. But. say.
drop that gun, won't you? 1t makes
me nervous. Let's declare a truce and
talk this matter over. There's some
Of this silver that was given us when
we were married. and if l could only
persuade you to leave that-want it for
sentimental reasons, you know. But
we've got a few pictures and some al
legged masterpieces Of sculpture that
you might take along If you are de-
termined to carry off a piece of my
home. They never did come up to my
classic ideals anyway. Put down your
gun, say, and let's talk sensibly."
The burglar looked Crowley straight
In the eye and evidently was satisfied
with what he saw there and slowly
lowered the cooked revolver, where
upon Crowley gave sigh Of relief.
There, feel better" he said. DO
you drink?" he next asked.
"Sometimes-not now. though" an
swered the burglar.
AT any rate. have cigar" he next
urged. "These are unusually fine ones.
Wealthy friend of mine imports them
and gave me the whole box" And he
proffered the box of cigars.
Now, you just look here" the bur.
glar said. Perhaps you think you can
play with me, but you can't. l came
here to get a load Of swag, and don't
intend to go away without it or some.
fhfn,r inc
don't want your whisky nor your CT
gars. l want to know what you are
going to do and what you have got to
say to me before 1 lock you in that
bedroom until somebody comes to let
you out tomorrow"
Crowley laid aside the cigar he was
about to light and pulled back chair
and sat down, looking intently at the
other man.
II don't know just what to say to
man like YOU" he began slowly. Il
don't know as / ever before talked to
real burglar-to a man who sneaks
into the houses Of other people for the
purpose Of taking things that don't be-
long to him. No; my friends are all
honest; they are gentlemen. So II i
don't seem to go at this the right way
you will have to excuse me. Won't
you be seated tooY
The burglar sat down, still looking
across at Crowley and with the re-
volver clutched in his hand.
Put your revolver in your pocket"
commanded Crowley. II don't intend
to touch you, and probably would be
a very poor match for you at any rate.
| don't carry gun myself. ! don't
have to-"
The burglar slowly showed the gun
into his breast pocket and buttoned
his coat about it. While he did so
Crowley lighted his cigar.
How long have you been burglarT
he asked.
II amt no burglar" blurted the 9TH
er. 81 amt never robbed nobody be-
fore tonight, so help me God!'
well, then, how does it happen you
are here? This doesn't look like hon.
est work."
Its because l couldn't get honest
work. l tried to keep honest, but
things wouldn't let me- / had to steal
or starve, tell you, me and the old
woman and the kids. Was you ever
down and out. misterT
NO." answered Crowley.
well, i am, and just had to do
something A friend Of mine who does
q turn like this once in awhile put me
wise to this little place and said there
was no chance of getting caught, and
so l tried it. So help me God, L didn't
want to steal. But there's the old
woman and the kids and the rent ]
just had to do something"
And so you turned thief" said
Crowley scornfully. II presume you
were sorely tempted; but my good
man, would have preferred starva.
ton to this. Think of it! To your
dying day now you will be unable to
forget that you are thief, man to
be spurned aside and scorned by every
body as unclean. A thief, l say. one
who steals that which somebody else
has worked hard to earn. Why, my
friend, these things you see here cost
me days Of hard labor and nights of
worry. And then to think that some
body else crawls in here and tries to
take them away just because he claims
be has had bad luck and has been
forced into thieving. Shame on a man
like that, say"
Say, bossr' interrupted the other
II say amt no thief. I'm an honest
man."
IAN honest man! Boshl You're
thief from this hour forevermore.
The minute you go out Of that door
with something in your possession
that isn't rightfully yours you become
a thief. mean. despicable thief. I'M
able to look the rest Of the world
squarely In the eye because you know
deep down in your heart that you are
not honest, even though everybody else
may think you are.
"Ah, my good man, how much better
is clean conscience than worldly pos
sessions! How much more ! enjoy
these things which are mine because I
earned them by honest work than will