The Washington herald., 1921-08-07

Thsy went. and sftsrw.rds, who's Mrs.
Jessop preferred to 90 homo. he took her to
the Halt Moon. where they met their friends
the Parkes and the Holcombs Jsssop drank
. half dossn dollar highh.1is and f.lf better.
when he and Mrs, >Ssssop returned home
she went directly v bed. but he ut up. say.
Ing that he wa, Restless and would rad until
he felt that Ne could sleep. He eat In the
living room listening to the various sounds
which oscasionaliy broke the silence Of the
night and wondering apprshsnsiveiy when II
would be safe for him to fix the catch on the
entrance door % that snifry white m,sh.
snter.
He took several drinks from his decantm
Of bourbon. and at 1:so o'clock concluded
that AL the occupants Of fiats In his entrance
must b In and that the lock could be
adjusted without probability of its being
sprung again. -...
He thought the stairs crealsd alarminsIy
a. he went down. When he returned his
heart was humping a. II he had been badly
startled. and be took another drink to steady
himself. rheH. with a book. he went to bed.
adjusting a reading lamp % that II would
not disturb his wife. who slept soundly. but
would give q patch Of light to the room.
Then he prepared to lie awake.
He listened for sounds which would indi.
cate the approach Of White. but the breaks
in the night quiet became less frequent. He
had been certain that in his restlessness and
apprehension he would remain awake, but
him, and before he perceived the danger Of
the pleasant lassitude which came to relieve
him he had fallen asleep.
He was awakened by pistol shots and
shouting Mrs. Jessop. sitting up In bed, was
clutchins at him In fright.
"Burglars!" she cried.
Instinctively he tried to hold her, but sh.
sprang out Of bed and ran to her dresser.
turned on the dresser light, and took out her
Jewel box
IT'S here" she said In . tone Of relief 80
profound It was almost one Of awe. Il was
50 frightened"
She took out . diamond ring and slipped 1t
on her finger.
Jessop put on his robe and slippers and
hurried to the door. The door across the hall
was open. He could hear Mrs Drew, his
neighbor's wife. crying hystericaIly. All the
dwellers In the fats Of the entrance had been
aroused. The men from the third noor wers
coming down 49, >
"Mollie." Jessop called to his wife, go
into Mrs. DrewIs and see II there ID anything
you can do"
He went down 10 the entrance Drew, In
his pajamas. had Just been Joined by the
neighbors living on the ground floor. He
was standing outside the outer door. on the
nasstone. He carried . pistol.
whats the matterY" Jessop asked.
-Burgiars," said Drew. AT least one. I.
saw only one There may have been another.
think got him Look. here's . drop Of
blood. There's another"
Did he get anythingf- Jessop asked He
knew that II he revealed one-tenth Of what
he felt the first policeman who came would
take him in. He had not always been in
perfect accord with all his fellow men all his
life, but he never had been ashamed to look
one in the face before. and he was ashamed
to look at Drew.
"I do not know what they got" said his
neighbor. The man saw had the silver In
a bag, but he did not pick It up when he ran.
I'll go back and telephone the police, and
then III see what's missing. Ny wife's In
Mysteries, suppose"
Mrs. Jessop. in her wrapper, came out Of
the Drew fiat Just as Jessop and his neigh
Dor Joined the group at the door.
Come. Dom" she said. I'VE can't do any.
thing more. and Mrs Drew needs Mr.. Drew
alone to quiet down." :-,. .. .
She led him within their own fat ana
closed the door. Then she turned to him
with sympathetic pain in her eyes. -......
20. Don." she said. they got Mrs. Drew's
jewelry. They even got her engagement
ring. She Is crazy with grief. It's terrible
Her engagement ring is even more precious
to her than my anniversary ring II to me
maybe-I don't know how anything could be
more precious. It might have been my ring.
and should have died. Just think The
burglars may have stood hesitating at the
head Of the stairs. and they might have
turned our way instead Of the Drews' way.
I'm awfully, awfully sorry for Mra Drew,
but I'm awfully giad-and that's mean. I
know. but can't help it,
She was tc6 excited to 60 to sleep again.
and Jessop was too conscience stricken.
Later in the morning. as he was about to 20
downtown, his wife gave him a boz. "
"The rings in IT," she said you'll have