Show r Peggy and the Burglar I it II BY LINDSAY LINDY YOh Y Oh Miss 1158 P Peggy gS' gS wo we shall all bo be killed In our beds Nonsense Parker said Mid Miss Peggy Peggy Peggy Peg Peg- gy Maple Malle speaking a n. little more boldly boldly bold bold- ly Iy than she felt Youve been read read- inn those silly newspapers or hearing i some seine foolish h gossip There are arc hundreds hundreds hundreds hun hun- of bigger er houses than this around here and burglars dont don't break Into places so near nelll the main road PeS' PeS Peggy finally induced the lie girl to go o off ort to bed and then Peggy lowered the lights find and went vent to her hea own room It was ii 10 o'clock and her father would not be homo home till Uti nearly 1 She Sho was not inclined for sleep and she wanted to finish a a. rather fascinating book Eleven o'clock struck Then suddenly a sound smote her ears Surely there was someone downstairs She crept to th the staircase Sure enough there thero was wasn wasa n. n light downstairs It was streaming Into the passage from the dining room Cautiously she sho made mado her way downstairs downstairs downstairs down down- stairs At the coat rack she paused an idea ha had struck her She plunged her hand Into the pocket of or her f fa fathers father's ahers aher's a- a hers ther's thick winter Inter coat and brought out what out what she sho had hoped to a mind a silver mounted pipe pipe- case Then she crept to the dining room and looked in Horror There Thera was wasa a a. stranger there He lie was a young man sho she noticed and for and for a a. burglar quito burglar quito respectable looking She Sho entered the room Move a linger er and Ill I'll fire were her words ns na sho she covered him with tho the pipe case caso lie seemed taken by surprise c and so she thought cowered before her hor weapon How did you ou get el In 1 she a asked lcd He pointed to tho the French window 81 saw It was ajar ajai Youve forced It IL No he ho said calmly seeming to have havo made up his mind to mal make Q tho thu best of things It was open It would servo you right she sho fai raid iid with born newborn boldness It If I passed you ou over o to tho pollee police Oh Oh dont don't do that said ald the burg burg- I lar ar I I say it would servo you right The man 1 seemed something of a philosopher We e dont don't all get Jet what w we d deserve In this tills world 1 he said with an air of sadness Poor man maui she sho said aid slowly perhaps per Imps haps I misjudge you Ou You look hon cst est Tell me me have 11 you ou been driven Into this life liCe by misfortune Run nun of circumstances Miss the burglar replied laconically And have havo you never never- You were wert asking Miss 1 If you never tried to earn oarn an homiest honest honest hon hon- est living Jiving Ho Jau laughed he a little bitterly An honest living he repeated why I 1 started life In a stockbrokers stockbroker's onic v My IY father Is a stockbroker said mid Peggy with dignity offended attended at hI his Implication Ah h. Ja is he lie Then Theil I 1 expect ho Ito wouldn't blame me If It he were here Hed He'd understand A fellow feeling makes es us us- us My 1 father would uld have you sent to lo prison P Peggy gy declared an angrily TI 1 There Thore may be bo dishonest men on tho the stock exchange but I know mow my father Isn't one of them and it if you fOU dare daro to say another word against t him Ill I'll Ill I'll- Oh Ohi Im I'm sorry Miss the tho burglars burglar's voice showed allowed his contrition Im sure I meant no harm and I wouldn't sa say a a. word to hurt your feelings for tor worlds But lint But you see we look at nt life lite i through h our own glasses When a I Iman man mun has 1131 no friends no iio home anti and no noties I ties tiCs of lovo love and tenderness It t I lors tors era him hint I Poor fellow she said speaking slowly I am so o sorry for Ole youl roul It ItIs itis I Is easy for tor mo pie to blame you but I i understand now Of course once I started starlet on a n. downward path with no noone noone one to put out a helping hand or 01 speak I a word of or advice you OU Just drifted It Miss said the man eagerly cag cag- I erly youve put the whole thing tIming in lu a u. nutshell Oh Ohm I am so 50 sorry for tor you you Id I'd do 10 any anything thinS thinS' to hell help you declared Peggy You would Miss MIss There was a u catch In her oco as sho she answered himI himI him I 1 w would Indeed Do let me mo advise unit and counsel you ou Let me be your j I friend Rut But Its It's too late now nou Miss Ii ho he broke out almost lIe 1 you can bend tho thio twig twig- not the tho tree Dont say that she he pleaded its never novel too late What fascination can th there be In such a life Ufe I lIe He pointed to the sideboard She Site felt a It little thrill of or alarm again I Words arc are word words ho he saul sail deliberately I silver Is silver Sho She went on using 1 pleading words and earnest arguments She was vInning winning winning win win- I q ning on him Already hia head hung J forward on hi his br brat ast and she he could coult I I almost affirm that she he saw a a. tear teut glisten gusten gUs glis ten un on his eyelids I Ih Ali Ah h Miss lIss ho lie said saM In a 11 voice that camo canto slow un and seemed I broken with emotion things tImIngs would have been beon different with me rae If It there hull hud b been cn ono one like 1110 you ou to bo be a 0 sort ort of or ofa ofa a a. sister to me Poor fellow ellow No Im I'm really not a n. bad sort at heart But Dut supposing I 1 gave It up what whal then 1 Your conscience would reward you Ive had a a. conscience all aU my life but Ive I've only had you five minutes amid add see what youve you've lone done I feel wretched Miss Vh Why that silver sH cr he again pointed to tho the sideboard sideboard- seem seeni what it did 1 suppose I shall end by not taking it it- it he paused paused certainly certainly not tho plated goods he lie added thoughtfully Peggy persisted though thought his differentiation differ differ- of values troubled her hel- Sho She seemed to be le mal mal- making ln headway The burglar sank Into a Ll chair chah and his head fell forward on the tho table while she continued to 10 strengthen argument nt with entreaty Poor fellow sho said aid gently S touching his shoulder I r am so BO sorry Oil Ohm why has no one spoken to lo me mc like lIko this before he cried in a a. voice olce that seemed broken with sobs Id have havo been so o different I am sure suro you rou would said mid Peggy gently But nut who cares about me me His voice became almost fierce again What Vhal gentle sweet faced girl would care what I 1 am Twenty-eight Twenty years old oid he said bald It bitterly and find I have never OI known the tho compassion of a loving lov by- ing voice or been helped with a a. sisterly sister sister- ly by kiss What strange words But they thoy struck right home honc to her heart and made her realize his loneliness In tho the great greal world and amid Its t terrible effects upon him A bold idea came camo to her You shall never say that acain she said And And Impelled d by lofty her her lofty moth e. e. e she sho stoop stooped d and kissed his forehead At this moment which moment t shichi which ought to have been so solemn there solemn there was a n. terrible ter tor ter- ter l Interruption A S Aliens Ahem Peggy turned Her father was a stan standing in the tho doorway Thought you were In iii bed bcd Peggy he hc said I got back a little earl early you It sec see S And thou then she saw that his eyes traveled from her bet to the tIme visitor be behind behind be- be hind her It was a n moment for ac ac- ac tion She he spoke up quIck quickly Oh Its It's all right light father Its It's only a a. burglar But ho Is quite good now and Ive I've promised that ho lie should CO go- go Only a a. what A burglar father A A burglar What That man mami mall Yes It Ho ho hOe ho lie A burglar what an nn Idea That's Collier Frank Colli Collier cr my new partner rl lIe Ho came down with me inc to spend tho tim night We Te cau caught ht the l IS Instead oC ot the 1202 10 2 i Father Yes that window was open and aud we came In Iii that way Ive I've been up sorting out the time visitors visitor's room for him I did Id It alone thinking It better than rousing th house How dl did l you OU get set the Idea that he ho was a n burglar Peggy looked from one to tho other Her cheeks were crimson You You seem to get got on with burglar burg PCS Peggy Y went scent on her Lather father atha relent relent- lessl lessly A burglar Ila Ha ha ha And with a a. hearty roar of ot laughter h ho left heft the room again L Loft ft alone tho the two stood looking 2 at t teach each other oilier Collier demure Peggy In In In- Forgive m me ho he said You are a n wretch she sh-e replied How lIow low dared you Why did you say you were a a. bur burglar lar nut Emit I 1 didn't said Collier that was i. i as your our idea MY IY words were en entirely en en- Urel non-committal non arid and equivocal But nut you spoke of or stealing tho the allver sil silver all all- ver vcr On tho the contrary I said I h had bad d al almost almost almost al- al most mado made up my mind not to do so at at all events not riot to take the plated goods You You you are arc a wretch It was your own fault tault Mi Miss Misa Map 4 lo he You see that pI po caso case revolver revolve sa gave me the idea I saw you ou wanted anted a little HUlo romance so o I decided to you U some But you mado made out out out- Quit right I m mado do out that I ha hail n nol ol been Influenced for tor good gO by a a. really girl That's true I said n my life would bo different if it I had been been so so o It would And nd when you acted the sister to me and and and- Stop stop she cried her cheeks flaming You are aro a And she ahe quickly left the room Breakfast Cast next day was a 3 time The rhe little conver conversation Uon there thera was was maintained bv by Mr M uli- uli an and the burglar and PC Peggy sY seemed seamed relieved when the tho two set Jet ur ulf to tho city A fortnight later hater he called I 1 want a a. little moro influencing ho mo said Sho tried to protest You told mo Ino there tholo was wa-s a spark o oC of good In mo inc somewhere Dont Don't you think you rou could find It 1 On the tho whole sho she seemed to con cou- elude ciullo she sha could for tor a a. few months later Inter Mr Ir Maples Maple's young oung partner b became bs- bs came his son in |