The Washington times., 1918-07-02

not ClOSeQs lne not
up, AMI there was feeble light in
the room; had It not been for It's
sudden fiickering she would not
have noticed the other circum-
stances. In a few seconds the light
had spent itself and died out. Bur-
glars-the thought came to her IN
e fiash-not infrequentiy made use
OF matches, and what she had seen
was undoubtedly the burning Of =
match.
She was not frightened. Her
quickly formed plan was to shut
the window and so trap the thief
The street was deserted, but some
one. 10 whom she could cry out for
assistance. must surely pass d.
rectly She extinguished her can
die and stole gently down the
veranda in the direction of the win
dow.
At first she could see nothing
within the rSom. Both windows
were open, and the difficulty pre-
sented itself that she could not
close one alone without alarming
the burglar. She decided to wait
in the shadow till some one passed
in the street The policeman on
his beat must appear before long.
By degrees, as her eyes got ae-
customed to the darkness, she
could dfmly discern the form OF a
man moving about within the room.
Soon, too, he lit another match. and
by its light she saw him bending
over the safe, the door of which
stood open So much. then, for Won
Geldenstein's cherished invention!
Lillian smiled to herself-she was
not afraid, and she was confident of
capturing her man.
He was clad In q long. loose over
coat. and he had a common tweed
cap pulled low over his eyes. She
could not see his face. A bundle
lay on the floor. and beside Il he
had stretched out a red hAndker-
chief or shawl, in which he had
placed some OF the articles removed
from the safe.
An UnprofessIOnaI Burglar.
But he was acting very curiously,
for a burglar most unprofession-
ally. He did not seem sure of his
actions He would throw himself
into q chair and remain there for a
few moments, then return to his
task at the safe. Once he removed
his cap and looked at IL curiously,
replacing It afterward upon his
head Once he lifted his bundle
and dropped II again. For awhile
he knelt on the hoor doing nothing.
Suddenly, as II acting on a sud
den impulse, he moved across the
room to the door, close to which
was the switch for the electric
light The next moment the room
was brilliantly illuminated. LII
lian shrank back still farther into
the shadow. What did it mean?
When she ventured to look again
the man was standing, as IL dazed
and frightened, before a mirror
which occupied one OF the walls Of
the room He had thrown his coat
open, and seemed TO be examining
his clothes with curiosity and dis
gust Lillian could see by the re-
Election that they were OF corduroy.
tattered and disreputabIe. Presently
he tore OF his cap and stood bare
headed.
-'Mein Gottr- Lillian scarcely
heard the muttered exclamation,
for In wild surprise she burst into
the room.
Mr.. Won GeIdenstefn!- she cried.
The man turned and faced her.
1t was indeed the millionaire in
rags and tatters. the master of the
house burgling his own safe.
Mrs. Willoughbyr' he faItered.
What-what is the meaning of
this? What are you doing here?
What am doing here myself"
4 don't know" she exclaimed.
gazing at him aghast. 'T took you
for burglar
"A burglar" His eyes wandered
around the room. taking in every
detail. Il don't know why or
where"-he raised his hand to his
brow, the hand that still held the
greasy, peaked cap. With a shud-
der he dropped IL TO the ground.
ugh the vile, filthy thingm he
muttered.
why have you dressed yourself
like this?" cried Lillian. Her won
der robbed her of all discretion.
Where have you been? You are
Mr.. Won GeldensteinE' For a mo
ment doubt had shot into her mind.
-Of course. I thought ! came
back from business this afternoon,
ana then-and then / don't remem-
49, NJ SdHh INTO a Cnalr ann
gazed helplessly around him. .I
suppose I've had another OF those
internal hts OF mine. but I've never
before found myself dressed dif-
ferently, like this. I've ALWAYS
found myself walking in the street
In my usual clothes. or in my pri-
vate office, or I've wakened up as
II nothing had happened. ] don't
understand why I am dressed like
this. or what ! was doing, or any
thing. Ny head Is m a whirl,
feel as il had been struck-it has
never hurt me before"
His Sad SIIsfortuns.
Suddenly he sprang to his feet.
Il remember now" he cried.
"Angela-my wedding-the dinner
party! l. il not tomorrow-my
wedding? Don't'-he lifted up his
voice as IL in an agony Of suppH-
cation-"don't say that days have
passed."
They have" said Lillian, with
keen sympathy. you have been
away a week. You know that
when this-this misfortune has
happened to you before you have
never been away for less than a
week"
a week" ne moaned. and An.
gela?"
IT is over" returned LILLIAN