A Girl Burglar.

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

A Girl Burglar.

I offered my ' Illustrated ' to him, and he refused it definitely without any hesitation. He said he didn't hold with newspapers, and didn't want to have no truck with them. They'd done kirn enough hum, he eaid, to last him a whole life-time. When I asked how that was, he only grunted and wiped the window of the compartment with his coat-sleeve. " Why don't you tell the gent, Watson ?' ' hia friend demanded. There were only three of us and the train would not Btop untill it reached King's Cross. "He ain't got the manners of a pig," Mr. Watson's friend explained to me. * ' That's what he ain't. Why don't you up and teU him, fathead?" Mr. Watson rubbed his chin and stared steadily into the night. He moved his lips and I think he was swearing silently. " Shall I tell him, then?" Mr. Watson said, with emphasis, that th > other could blanky well please his self. So the other told thin tale. • * * • * Mr. Watson turned into his club in Bethnal Green Road. It was not an expensive club— the subscription was but Bixpence a month; and it had a generous custom of selling beer at all hours, which endeared it to the heart of members. "What I want is some one who's not afraid," explained confidentially a girl at the counter. " It's a roughish job and I don't want " "You don't want no ank," suggested the stout lady hi her charge. The girl waspuzzled attheexpresaion, bnt Bhe nodded her head affirmatively. " Well, 'ere's the very man. Watson, come 'ere." Watson went there. " Oood afternoon,. miss," he said with much geniality. "Rum sort of weather for the time of the year, isn't it ?" " Thia young woman wants you to shift some furniture," explained the stout lady at the bar. The stout lady winked slowly at Watson. "I'm on," aaid Mr. Wataon, readily. " I waa looking for a job like this. What nime, may I ask ?" "My name is Smith." " And a good name too," said Watsod, with much politeness. "You might be a lump worse off than you are." "I mean to be better off," aaid Miss Smith. " Come over 'ere to this table." Miss Smith and Mr Wataon held a conference across the wooden table that lasted for half an hour. Mr. Watson, flushed almost to spottiness by excitement, leaned his elbow on the table and listened, and made now and then a suggestion. "How far from London, my girl ?" " Not more than fifteen mile," said Mils Smith. '• An' me 'avin' relatives at the mansion " "In service?" " Why, I've naturally got to know just where the plate and every thug's kept." "And I don't blame you for it," said Mr. Watson encouragingly. " We've all got to live, haven't we ? We weren't aent into this world not to do nothing." " And you are sure you are a man of experience?" "Well," said Mr. Wataon bashfully, " don't ast me that question. Ast anyone at knows me. The times Iv'e been np at one police court and another — ah, I wish I ha 1 as many sovereigns. Was they sisters of vourn at the mansion ?" " You've hit it," said Miss Smith agreeably. " They're siaters. of mine, and they know the thing'a going to 'appen." "And they re honest — I mean .to say «triteforward girls that can be trusted ?" "Look 'ere, mister," Miss Smith drew her trim little figure up with something of pride about her. "If you can trust me, you oan trust them." " All right, all right," said Mr. Watson Boothingly, " don't fly all to pieces directly your family's spoken of. You're like my missus for that. Now 'ark to me. Thia is what I suggest." Two hours later Mr. Watson met the young adventurous Miis iSmith at Liver-pool-street station. Mr. Watson with a bag and a silk hat, na? on the platform first. He rubbed his nose with a scarlet handkerchief aud stepped into a smoking compartment. The girl followed. " You oughtn't to have got in 'ere," growled Mr. Wataon. "You ought to have got in auothtr carriage." " I don't mind smoke," taid Miss Smith. " I fan take on a cigarette as well as any one." "Don't you go and make yourself too jolly conspicuous, tny girl. There's such a thing as overdoing- it. And whatever you do, do for 'Eaven's sake 'old your jor." "Right you are." " Yes, I know 7'mright," said Mr. Watson, gloomily. "It's you. I'm worrying about. Now keep quiet. Here's people coming hi, and you never know who's who in this world." The young woman obeyed. They got out at their destination, aud Mr. Watson, hia demure bag containing tho neceseary tools ia his hand, the wearied look of the average book canvasser on his faco, caught up with her along the country road at the moment he deemed opportune. " Now you can talk, mv dear." "Tnanki.." " Is thu the 'ouse ? This one laying back from the road?" " That's the one. Come round thia way and I'll show you the window. Let me see all your doin' of, mind." d "It's all right so long as you don't get in my way. , I don't mind you looking on bo long as. you don't interfere. Suppose you've never been mixed up in a job like this before ?" "Never." " Wel!,"eaidMr. Watson, withmore show of cheerfulness than he had. hitherto exhibited, "you're never too young to learn." "Thafemyidea." " It was a piece of rare good luck for you to 'appen on me just when you did. You might 'aye walked all over London and not found another man like me. Best of you is, you look like astritesortof girl, too. That's where you get the pull over some of 'em." "It is au advawntng-o," conceded Miss Smith, modestly " I always think it becomes us all to look as well as we can.' r " Eugigea, may I aak?" " Well, yus. In a sense." "Anybody l know?" "Don't fancy you know him," aaid the young person, thoughtfully. "He's a cousin of mine, and I don't think he 'angs about 'Oxton to any considerable extent.' I reckon you'd call him a pnergetio-Kort of chap if you was to meet him." • ' J -' " I may run aorost him some day." " It's aa likely as not," said Miss Smith. "Now, what shonld you reckon," asked Mr. Watson, with relish, "waa the inside value of the property in this 'ouse you're apeakin' of? I don't want you to put a fanoy figure on it. Jest give a rough gueaa." She whispered her reply. "Not bo dusty," he said, impartially, " but it' a nothing to 'aye a fit over, is it ?" "Truth of it ia the family ain't been getting in its rents quite reg'rly the last few years, and all that tells, you see. Why, as a matter of faot (confidentially), I did 'ear that one of the young lidies was going to try and work for her living." " 'Aid luck," aaid Mr. Wataon. "Ah, times isn't what they was," said Miss Smith, thoughtfully ; " you have to 'ustle nowadays if you want to get on." "It's the sime in every profession," agreed Mr. Watson . ' ' There's too many of us. That's what I put it down to. Overpopulation. Tike 'old of my 'and and lead me. It's dark 'ere." It was dark. So dark that the girl, in hei anxiety to see all that the ingenious Mr. Watson was doing, had trouble to satisfy herself. £' *What's thid 'ere arringement," she whispered. "You wite, my girl. You'll see whatit'i for very quick. Gimme some of them witei out of my kise." " That's artful," Bhe said, approvingly " Artful ain't the word for it," mutterei Mr. Watson. ' ' Did you say your sisters '* be on the look-out ?" " You may bet your boots on that," sbi Baid, confidently. "There ain't no flies oi them. Shall I toiler you?" "You stop 'ere and watch, my girl That's what you've got to in." "Thib ain't very fuuny," she complained "I want to see how much you take " " Can't we trust one another ?" protestei Mr. Watson, with an injured air. " Bue me if I'd a come out on this trip if I'< knowedyou was such a ono to argue. Not for the rope." In the third try Mr. Watson managed t fit tho rope ladder. He put his hand up a a warning to observe silence, and, haviu ( tugged hard at the ladder to test ita com petencei ascended carefully.' "What the are yon uptonah?'Wh; can't you behive like an or'nary girl ?" " I'm going to see-you do it," she saic deoidedly. " That's why I've como up th ladder after yen." "Well, you ore a nuisance," grumble Mr. Watson. "That's tho worst of womei They're too what I call inquisitive." Into the dark room the two safely clan bered. Miss Smith took the burglar's han and led him to a corner. Mr. Watson struc a safety match. "Here it is," she whispered; "here's O safe in the corner." Mr. Watson sat down and examined tl lock of tho huge safe with much care. The ' he produced his tools and knelt down on tl floor. Suddenly he started up. " Why,"heexolahned hi ahoaraewhispe " the blessed thing's open all the time. thia don't beat !— why, and it's empty toe Where the " He stopped. " What are you up to now may I kind ask, misa?" ho demanded, with forced con posure. "What are you liking your jack off for?" . " I am going to stay Here to-night."

She touched an ivory knob near the mantelpiece. " Oh, reely. I suppose, me lady, then, ' you live here P" Mr. Wataoir was trying to keep oalm and put the question under his breath, with forced politeness. " Yes," she said, quietly; "Ido. I'm the i youngest daughter, and we're not too well off, and I'm trying to get on in journalism. When my stories, 'The Experiences of a Lady Burglar,' come out I'll send you a copy." " Well, of all the " "And here's something for your trouble ; and please hnrry off at once. I think that , is my cousin Arthur coming." • •••*• I ventured to point out that in these matters there was always a certain amount of risk. Mr. Watson made a contemptuous click with his tongue, but did not speak. A newspaper slipped down on the floor, and he tricked it with some show of annoyance. "Ah," said Mr. Watson's colleague, morosely, "you're right. You're just about right, guvnor. It ain't all lavender."