Show I THE ARCHITECT BURGLAR I No one who had happened lo observe the figure of Mr Bromley Brown wan derlng round his garden on a certain mild April morning would have Imagined Imag-ined him to ho suffering from an acute souse of regret for his wasted opportunities oppor-tunities From thotop of his bald head to the toes of his shiny boots he might have stood for a model of middleclass prosperity pros-perity His gray suit If It accentuated the round proportions of his llgure was of fashionable cut and he held a I panama hat oL finest straw In the square hunt on which a diamond gUt tend In the spring1 sunshine Behind the terrace over which figures of impossible im-possible animals In stone kept Watch at each corner stood his new and elaborately elabo-rately furnished bungalow aggressive and much decorated Mr Bromley Browns room in the tower overlooked a stretch oC pine woods a small lake which shone with ijtcoly brightness under un-der a fringe of larches and a faraway range of rising ground He did not often glance al the view but It pleased him to knots that It was undeniably liner than that commanded from the win flows of his neighbor Gen Compton whose family had owned acres of surrounding sur-rounding heather and firs for generations genera-tions post Mr Brown took one last stroll on the lawn and 93 he slowly ascended the steps of the terrace the parlor maid laid the newspapers on a table outside I figure leaned a 1 bow window A girls out and a young voice called to him Why do you look so solemn papa dear What a perfect day It Is Warm and sunny enough for Tune The lines on Mr Bromley Browns face relaxed l I I was thinking r1e said impressively impressive-ly of how very little material comfort com-fort signifies and how few of us are satisfied I dont In the least < agree with you there dear said Valentine who was eminently practical I have built this bungalow continued con-tinued JMr Bromley Brown as a place to rest In after a life spent in the dullest dull-est of all occupations moneymaking I 1 But I am aware that thousands of men j would both have enjoyed the occupation occupa-tion and welcomed the peace of this healthful spot I do neither I was j destined by nature for something widely wide-ly different You say that because you have done nothing lately but read those foolish novels here she pointed a small scornful finger at a book lying open on the table since you had Influenza papa dear I beg your pardon Valentine know I may not look it but since my 1 earliest days as I have often told you I have hud a curious wild craving for adventure for some excitement outside the deadly routine of a business life It Is hard and Mr Bromley Brown raised his voice in querulous expostulation that here am I a man who has made a considerable fortune In a special cough lozenge but who ail through his boyhood has vainly wished to be a pirate I pi-rate and who nowhe waved his I hand In the direction of the bungalow then toward the smoothshaven lawn I would most gladly give up all this I luxury to be a successful detective Valentine laughed and leaned still i further out of the window She for I her part was absolutely satisfied with i the fair face worn by the world around i her She watched a fat blackbird as he i shuflled I along by the golden border of I daffodils she rejoiced to know that the I air was musical with the voices oC I larks to see that the sun glittered on the pool below Gen Comptons house I and turned Its casements Into twinkling i diamonds A man went slowly down the green drive by the pool his arm I swaying to and fro as he sowed grass 1 seeds The earth seemed to sing a song i of renewal and hope of love and sunshine sun-shine How good It was only to breathe I and to live Other people might have i i thought that life would be none the less pleasant to Valentine because her eyes were large and gray and her cheeks rosy like the bloom on the boughs of a cherry tree But she did not take much account oC these advantages nor of the fact that she was the only child of the prosperous house of Bromley Brown Her father took oft his goldrimmed glassesand laid down his newspaper Ha this is moat curious said he What a splendid chance if I one could only light upon himthe plausible scoundrel The shrewd young villain Valentine turned her gray eyes on his shining crimson face Listen to me Val he cried you remember the General told us last week that the Mumbys and the Jelli coes had both had their pantry windows win-dows forced open I Did he I dont think I was listening listen-Ing The Mumbys lost a lot of plated things I know that he keeps his silver in the bunk and lets his friends use those horrible thick spoonsand poor old Jclllcoe had that hideous centerpiece center-piece given him by the cricket club taken Now It transpires that In all probability the burglar or the moving spirit of the gang Is a young man who has been sketching houses In the neighborhood neigh-borhood Ho professes to be making architectural drawings and by so doing finds out all manner of details That Is certainly 1 very original Original I should think so Infernally Infer-nally sharp I call it Mr Bromley Brown here proceeded to read aloud an extract from the newspaper 11 The ArchitectBurglar for by this soubriquet this accomplished criminal crim-inal is now known has been seen It Is believed not long ago In this neighborhood neighbor-hood although probably he is now many miles away from the scene of his late exploits He Is described as a young man of gentlemanlike and salutary salu-tary appearance with fair hair and mustache and wearing clothes of fashionable fash-ionable make Mr Bromley Brown was soon absorbed ab-sorbed In meditation He pictured himself him-self resolute terrible cunning hounding hound-Ing down this distinguished criminal bringing him to justice afterward In court replying with telling sarcasm to the crossexamination of the prisoners counsel and lastly complimented by the Judge on the lucid admirable way In which he had given his evidence LICe was no longer sordid and prosaic It was palpitating with romance He fell asleep to the a accompaniment of the larks song and dreamed that he was with the Chief of Police In Russia Waking up with a start he heard the clock strike 12 Gracious me he cried aloud With his waking eyes > he still seemed to seethe see-the female Nihilist of his vision pointing point-Ing a revolver at his head lie stretched himself and walked sadly across the lawn toward the hedge That bounded his garden Below him was the riband of white road pine bordered Mr Brom ley Brown started but much more violently vio-lently this time Then he rubbed his face and eyes with his handkerchief and uteered a low exclamation A few yards away in the road he saw the figure of a young man tall fair yes and of unmistakably soldierly appearance ap-pearance And he was sketching A thrill ran down Mr Browns spine He might not be the chief of the Russian police but was he not on the eve of a discovery an adventure the possible player In a great and dramatic case He coughed and unlocked the gate leading lead-ing to the road In one moment his mind had been made up He would invite In-vite this young man obviously no oilier than the ArchitectBurglar with friendly greeting Into his house A hurried word to the coachman would send him on swift feet for two of the local police Another messenger would hasten to Gen Compton the sternest of county magistrates and he would arrive In time to be a witness of the discomfiture of a notorious criminal and of the Ingenuity and promptitude of his old friend Brown Meanwhile the young man had looked up smilingly smiling-ly In answer to the remarks of the old Gentleman by the hedge he said that he had come a considerable distance tlhat and this with a very pleasant laugh well yes he was thirsty and that there would be plenty of time to finish his sketch after luncheon and that he thought It a most kind suggestion of his questioner to invite him to have some Mr Bromley Brown whose cheek had now lost much of Its usual ruddiness walked with pet lips and a curious enigmatic expression on his face up the atone steps on to the terrace and the young man smiling and unconcerned followed him Into the drawingroom For one instant Mr Brown glanced nervously ner-vously at a silver box and candlesticks on Valentines writing table Then murmuring an excuse he ran panting to the stables In a choking voice dispatched dis-patched the astonished coachman for the police and a helper with an Impressive Im-pressive message scribbled on a I card to Gen Compton On his return he found tho ArchitectBurglar laughing over a favorite book of Valentines the Diary of a Nobody and they two talked Mr Brown for his part with a curious absentmindedness of boSks and different forms of humor The parlor maid interrupted them lo say that some cold meat was ready and the two men adjourned to the diningroom The guest seemed duly grateful for a whisky and soda Thats a beautiful old cup he remarked re-marked pointing to tl piece of silver of Queen Anne date in the middle of the table Mr Bromley Browns J expression of I mingled triumph and snrcnsm passed unnoticed by the cheerful young visitor visi-tor who talked for some time with Intelligence In-telligence and knowledge on the subject sub-ject of old plate Mr Brown was be conning BO agitated that he began to walk up and down the loom And these arc lovely spoons observed ob-served the ArchitectBurglar with ap pnllng coolness The clock struck land l-and he rose quickly to his feet Thank you a thousand times for your hospitality he said pleasantly I am afraid I must be off You see I am sketching for duly not pleasure Mr Brown gazed at him aghast but not without admiration lie felt that this must indeed be one of the most remarkable re-markable criminals now atlarge Dont hurry pray he said nervously ner-vously Have a glass of green Chartreuse Char-treuse treusYou are too kind said his guest There was a sound of steps at the door and a voice outside which sounded sound-ed like a word of command said Where Is the man The door was flung open and a tail soldierly figure stepped quickly Into the diningroom Well Brown urinals all this about Gen Compton young and alert for his cars stared at his friend with a pair of very keen eyes under white eyebrows eye-brows You told me it was some very urgent business continued the General Gen-eral Then his eyes fell on the young man by the further window Bless my soul Estcourt I didnt see it was you In the corner l Yes and how are you General said the young man advancing with a cordial smile Mr Bromley Brown felt a sudden cold perspiration on his forehead He was entirely unable to utter a word lIrIr said the young man was so kind as to ask me to have a whisky and soda It is so wonderfully hot for April and Ive been out doing this blessed topography for the last four hours Ah then you dont know each other oth-er said tine General Brown this Is Lord ISstcourt son of my old friend whom I have often talked about you know He Is working like a nigger at the college and the speaker pointed toward to-ward a distant view of a large white building miles away beyond the grove of pines Estcourt this Is Mr Brom ley Brown one of my best neighbors Mr Brown felt as if some one had struck him a violent blow on the head He wag giddy as he stiffly extended an Icy hand toward the young man Papa papa A fresh young voice came acholng from the garden and In another moment a young girl ran Into the room Lord Estcourt was Just recalling re-calling to mind a well known advertisement advertise-ment mentBromley Bromley Browns Cough Lozenges are the Best They will cure a cough of long standing arising from no matter mat-ter what cause but the girls face caught his attention It was fair and flushed and the large gray eyes shone starlike under her broad black hat Papa there are two policemen here They say they have come for some one what does It mean Oh only about the chickens that were stolen my dear said her father miserably But there are no chickens You know you wouldnt have any because you said they spoil the garden Did I say chickens 1 Mr Bromley Browns dreary expression was that of a victim being led lo execution Of course I mean the forced strawberries Valentine my dear The young man was still gazing at t the lovely puzzled face of his hosts daughter Your father has been so kind to me Miss Brown said he f am struggling strug-gling over military drawing and In 1 dully terror of being ploughed Bu this morning I am going back to work Invigorated and rested and full oc courage She blushed as her eyes met his snail ing blue ones Oh You are stud inS at the col legeYes YesI wonder would you and your father care to come over and see it some day Oh that would be delightful papa dear wouldnt it Yes indeed indeed It would Mr Brown was still feeling half para lyzed l zedGoo Goodbye Estcourt my boy said Gen Compton Iff have got to have a word now with Brown on some most Important business about which I came down Lord Estcourt drew a little nearer t to Valentine You will drive over very soon then Miss Brown Thank 1o0u1 am sure we shall en joy It ever so much Then we wont say goodbye I think said he as he took her hand The King |