Year: 1870

engine kept in the kitchen "a thing nc


mansion should be without He rar


it up to the cupboard door, and seiz.


ing the hose in his left hand, he com.


menced to pump furiously with the


right, and the little lever handle was


almost invisible, with such speed did il


go up and down. The footman kicked


away the portmanteau that had been


left in the hall, and burst the cup


board door open, and then proceeded
to drag to light vast assortment of
rags. and brown paper, and damp
straw, all of which made a terrible
smoke, although no flame was visible.
1t was soon put out, and Sir William
returned to his room.


He found the door locked on the in
side upon his arrival; but this did not
startle him at first. He knocked, but
he got no answer; so, quietly stepping
back along the passage (being pow
erfal man he flung himself at the door,
and it gave way with crash. The
room was empty.


He looked everywhere, and found
two things-viz: that the window was
wide open, and that his FIVE hundred
pounds were missing


He was mortified in the extreme.
Had this man who wanted a situation
taken his money? If so, was it plot
to do so, or merely that, knowing there
was money there, he had availed him
self of the opportunity and taken it?
He thought the latter.


The man that was at the porter's
lodge said that he saw man come in
the morning of the fire with portman-
teau, and that soon afterward he saw
him running toward the gate, saying
he was going for the fire engines; so he
let him pass.


The next morning Sir William re-
ceiyed letter by the post which puz-
zled him not a little. 1t ran as fol-
lows:


"SIR:-Having seen your advertise
ment in the -, inviting burglars
to break in and steal, thought that as
it was hardly to be called & crime, this
housebreaking-being, in fact, an out
Ot-theway proof of the safety of your
own house-I might with safety VEN
ture to show you that 'forcible entry
is not the only way of robbing house.
And, moreover, as you specified so ac
curately where the rhino was, deter
mined to possess it.


81 accordingly took an old portman-
teau and filled it with some very smoky
and inhammable, but not dangerous
materials; and donning some old
clothes, l proceeded to your mansion.


GAS / had often visited it while it
was building, l knew it well; and so,
upon giving an elaborate message to
the footman, stayed in the hall while
he delivered it; but l was not idle.
knew of the cupboard under the stair,
and Immediately opening it, l emptied
my portmanteau and lighted a match
and applied it to the damp straw and
the bits of brown paper,> and then |
quietly closed the door and pocketed
the key, knowing it would be some
time before the smoke would ooze
through.


81 then palavered to your highness
till the alarm was given, whereupOn |
pretended to trip and fall while run
ming for the door; but picked myself
up, Immediately locked the door, forced
all the drawers of your writing-table,
pocketed the money, and lifting up
the window, leaped on the lawn-a
good jump, certainly; but | ran off to-
ward the gate. Here | was stopped.
| pointed to the smoke coming through
he hall door, said l was going for the
then quietly returned
home.


"It is my intention to indulge in a {
our to the United States with the five ,
hundred pounds l procured by my in !
,enuity.


"Pray remember they are not all
hieves that steal, and believe me, ,
yours truly,


ga VERY HANDY MAN"


Sir William never put any more ad- I
yertisements in the paper to say where '
lis money was.