The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-04-21

tnere was nothing in the safe even If
the burglar opened it, but the burglar
was a bungler. All in vain he ratified
the handle and twisted the knob and
hnaiy he rose to his feet, apparently
disguised.
the doctor saw him clearly outlined
In the moonlight. He was slight
hgure and the doctor felt that there
was not much to fear in trial of
strength. Still he waited till his OPP
portunlty was sure, and then leaping
from his concealment, he brought the
burglar to the floor with bang.
"Lemme up he gasped, L quit"
If you move" said the doctor saw
age, III put bullet through YOU
A shudder ran through the bold bur-
glar and the doctor rose to his feet.
The burglar, too, started to rise, but
the doctor roughly, commanded
Don't move till l get you or III
shoot
Obediently the burglar lay stretch
ed on the floor of the Office till the
doctor switched on the electric light.
He then gaZed at his prize and his
first feeling was one of keen disap-
pointment. He had hoped to have
captured one of the gentlemen of the
profession, a prize he could boast
about; but instead of that he had CAP
tured mere boy who lay fiat on the
floor trembling with fright. The lads
face was chastity pale in the electric
light. He was thin and starved look
ing, a little waif of the street. The
doctors heart, which we have already
said was as big as all outdoors, was
moved to quick pity at the wretched
figure the poor lad presented, but his
tongue was as caustic as ever.
Stand up now, you young villain
and murderer he roared.
The lad rose to his feet and covered
his face with his hands. Great sobs
burst forth from him and tears
trickled through his grimy hands.
Il amt no murderer" he cried, I'm
gentleman burglar, l am, like
Raffles and Arsene Lupin."
"a common thief" scolded the doc
tor, though he was tempted to laugh
at the gentleman burglar. How dare
you enter this house at night? What
did you do it for?'
Il was hungry" sobbed the lad,
and | had been reading of the adven-
lures of Arsene Lupin and Raffles,
and | wanted an adventure, too, be-
sides getting feed"
How many times have you been on
these midnight adventures" ques-
toned the doctor sternly.
Once before walled the lad q
got three two-cent postage stamps and
1ashlight. l got nothing at all here
Honest to God, mister, | didn't find
thing"
'Of course you didn't said the doc
tor. you should have known better
than to have come to doctors office
looking for money. If you had been
a real gentleman burglar you would
have tackled plumber or plasterer
or someone among the wealthy and
privileged classes, and left the poor
alone. I'm going to telephone to the
police. You'll have to go to jail"
20, please don't mister. I'll never
steal any more if you let me go"
"Bosh," snapped the DOCTOR You
don't expect me to take the word of a
dishonest boy, thief, do you?"
"Arsene Lupin and Raffles never
broke their words" said the boy
proudly, and he looked the doctor in
the eye, land | won't either. If |
give you my word, I'll keep it. Cross
the cross over his throat with his
thumb.
Where do you live?" asked the
doctor.
"Nowheres, sir. My father is dead,
and my mother is dead, and | ran
away from the home where they put
me when my mother died. That was
month ago, | guess, and | have been
living on the streets ever since. I've
been selling papers and shining shoes
and I clean Sidewalks nd-Oh, don't
make me go back he walled. Il
don't like the home They're all kids
| there and I'm man. I'd rather go to
jail"
The doctor walked up and down in
perpleXity. This was the most aggra-
waiting case he had had to diagnose
for long time He was good Judge
of human nature-what city doctor is
not-and he believed every word the
unfortunate lad had told him. There
was pair of very honest blue eyes
watching him from out that grimy and
| tear-stained face which bore the
marks of starvation. The whole I'M
kempt and neglected appearance of
the lad was a witness of the truth of
| what he said
The doctor took up the transmitter.
If he telephoned to the police, there
was a simple solution of the difficulty.
| He laid it down again. He could not.
He knew that the lad would be put
| in a cell, thrown into contact with
criminals, and he dreaded the result
even of night. Too often he had
witnessed the failure of reformatories
to reform, too often had he seen boys
| like this emerge from the institutions
that were supposed to reform them,
worse than when they went in, with
the stain of record forever against