THE ST. JOHN'S WOOD BURGLARY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 43, 14 February 1890, Page 21

THE ST. JOHN'S WOOD BURGLARY.

(From Truth.)

The Misses Briggs were two elderly maiden ladies who resided in the country, and who were rich enough to be tbe subjects of considerable attention and politeness from their nephew Bob, a briefless young barrister, with a wife and more children than he could comfortably provide for. They were rather crotchety and hypochondriacal old ladies, and, though fairly well-disposed to their nephew, they were very uncertain whether to leave their money to him or to the Society for Protecting Homeless Cats. But when the astute Bob, hearing that they contemplated a visit to town in order to consult a fashionable physician about their nerves, offered to lend them his cottßge at Regent's Park, while he took his family for their annual holiday to the seaside, he made a distinct advance in his relatives' favour.

" It is really very considerate of Robert," said Mies Briggs, after reading Bob's letter.

" He is quite right in saying that an hotel would be trying for U9 in our present state of health," said Miss Priscilla.

" If, too, we accept Robert's offer, we shall be able to take our own servants, and be properly attended to," said Miss Briggs. " And it would be cheap," remarked Miss Priscilla, who had a frugal mind.

v The only question is," said Miss Briggs, adjusting her spectacles, and assuming an air of judicial severity, " whether, by making use of Robert's bouse, we should be condoning his extravagance. I was always of opinion that Robert bad no right whatever, with his email income, to marry and hare a large family, much less to keep up an establishment."

" Of course not," acquiesced Miss Priscilla.

The very thought of their nephew's rashness always caused the old ladiet a thrill ot virtuous indignation, and for several years they had indulged in the gloomiest predictions concerning Bob's worldly future, In their Becret hearts they probably considered that the reckless young man aggravated his offence by not going through the Bankruptcy Court. How he contrived to steer clear of it, and to support his numerous offspring, was, to the anxious aunts, a source of unfailing wonder. They bad the grim satisfaction of knowing that at least he received no substantial contribution to his expenses from them. The truth was that Master Bob either from motives of policy or from a not unnatural preference to keep his private affairs to himself, had never revealed to his aunts tuat he supplemented his small privato income and his precarious professional earnings by literary pursuits. But the old ladies would not have been easy in their minds in any case, and perhaps, on the whole, they were better satisfied to believe that their nephew was every day getting more 'hopelessly and inextricably involved.

This consideration, however, was so inconvenient at the moment that the Misses Briggs decided to ignore it, as it interfered with their plans. Nothing more was said upon the subject, and the old ladies, no doubt, suddenly discovered— though oddly enough for the first time — that, after all, Bob's extravagance was no concern of theirs. Their nephew's suggestion suited their convenience, and the result was that, after much discussion, a polite reply was despatched, graciously accepting his hospitality.

On the appointed day, therefore, the two old ladies, accompanied by a retinue consisting of a deaf old cook, a wooden-faced attendant, an ancient parrot, a small aviary, a bowl of goldfish, and a Persian cat, arrived in London, and were dutifully met at the station by their nephew, who escorted them to his suburban abode. Bob had despatched his family and household to their destination a few hours earlier, and consequently the house was empty, ready swept and garnished for the reception of the honoured guests. It was one of those picturesque little villas, poeucdly described by housj agentp as •' bijou residencep," which are not uncommon in the St. John's Wood district. The house was roomy and convenient, though compact ; it stood in the midst of a leafy garden surrounded by a high wall ; and •one might have imagined ( neself miles away in the country, save for the occasional showers of blacks from adjacent chimneys which somewhat destroyed tbe illusion.

Bob conducted his aunts over the house, and pointed out the attractions of the Liliputian conservatory an i the surrounding domain with conscious pride. The old ladies, stimulated by a cup of tea, which they had found awaiting them on their arrival, were charmed with everything. But when Bob rose to take hi* departure, leaving his aunts in possession, the elder of them said, somewhat abruptly. " You recollect that J told you we would not be responsible for the plate, Robert ? "

"Any enterprising burglar is welcome to the plate-basket," said Bob, lightly.

" Burglar ! There is no danger of thieves, I hope ? " exclaimed Miss PrisciJla, turning pale. " Thieves I my dear aunt—there is nothing to steal 1 " replied Bob. " The spoons and forks are base metal."

" I shouldn't have an easy minute if I thought, there were any valuables about," said Mihs Briggs, aggressively. " You may make yourself quite easy on that score, auDt," replied Bob, with a somewhat constrained laugo, as he bade farewell to his relatives.

" I hope Robert is speaking the truth," eald Miss Brigga to her Bister, glancing uneasily around when Bob had disappeared . " 1 thought his manner a little strange when he replied to my question.' '■ So «iid I ; but I think I can accouut for it," said Miss Pmcilla' " I fancy he was rather embarrassed by your referring to tbe plate. He had some v«luable presents when he married, and his wife had her mother's jewellery. But I should not be surprised if they bad disappeared long ago." added the lady, with a significant glance. "Ah 1 you think he has bold the things 1 " said Miss Briggs with interest. '

" Or— or pawned them," replied Miss Priscilla, in an ominous tone. " Think what Robert's expenses must be."

"I believe you are right, Paiscilla," said Miss Briggs, quite cheerfully. " The idea had never occurred to me ; but, now yon suggest it, I have very little doubt that Robert has been compelled to part with his plate and his wife's jewellery." " I feel sure of it, He winced and looked quite startled when you spoke. Foolish fellow I" said Miss Priscilla, staking her head. "He is worse than foolish, Priscilla. I very much fear the worst will come true, and that Robert and his family will end their days in the workhouse," returned Miss Briggs, with an air of complacent conviction. This dismal anticipation, far from depressing the old ladies, seemed to raise their spirits, and they proceeded to make a tour of inspection on their own account, minutely examining everything the house contained and criticising the domestic arrangements. The result of this occupation was eminently satisfactory , for while they found everything exactly suited to their requirements they discovered abundant evidence of what they considered extravagance and lavishnesa. The house was well and tastefully furnished throughout, the table linen was ridiculously plentiful and superfine, the china and glass department left nothing to be desired, and the batterie de cuisine was as complete as their own. It really looked as though their nephew was in more flourishing circumstances than they had given him credit for, but the Misses Briggs flattered themselves that they were too shrewd to be taken in by appearances, and they came to the comforting conclusion that either Bob's domestic effects were not paid for, or else that there must be a bill of sale over everything.

However this might be, the old ladies settled down very comfortably in their temporary quarters, and abandoned themselves with morbid zest to medical dissipation. They consulted several physicians of eminence about their nerves, and at length discovered one who either believed that they were both in a very bad way, or at least said co. At all events, this distinguished authority succeeded in thoroughly frightening his patients, who, being in a chronicallydyspeptic state from good-living and idleness, speedily developed symptoms of real illness. The elder sister ha 1 an attack which looked suspiciously like a fore-warning of apoplexy, while Miss Priscilla became impressed with the conviction that a passing twinge of lumbagro was a malignant type of spinal paralysis.

It was while the Misseß Briggs were in this critical condition of miDd and body which threatened the most serious consequences. Naturally, they were both pretty much pre-occapied with themselves and their respective ailments, but they still found leisure for speculations about their nephew and his affairs, and were never weary of prosecuting inquiries and researches concerning him. They were considerably mystified at learning that Bob had the reputation of paying his tradesmen's bills with praiseworthy regularity, and that nobody had ever heard of his having had bailiffs in the house. This was so diametrically opposed to the old ladies' pre-conceived notions that they continued to be incredulous and full of suspicion. They amused themselves by ransacking every drawer and cupboard in the place, with the confident expectation of coming across the grisly skeleton which they believed to exist ; but their ardent investigations resulted in nothing but irritating failure, until, on one memorable afternoon, Miss Priscilla found that one of the keys on her keyring happened to fit the lock of a quaint old oak-chest which, covered with a plush cushion, served as a window-seat in Bob's study, and the discovery they then made was totally unexpected. But for Miss Priscilla's enterprising curiosity, this chest might well have escaped observation, for it fitted exactly into the embrasure of the window, and the plush cover made it look like what it purported to be, namely a comfortable little lounge, half chair, half sofa. Indeed, it was such an unobtrusive and innocent object that the old ladies paid no attention to it for some time, until, their researches becoming keener, Miss Priscilla felt impelled to raise the plush cover, when it transpired that the chest had a lid which lifted up, and that this lid was securely locked. Being the only receptacle in the house which Bob had not left freely open to their inspection, the old ladies weie instantly seized with a devouring curiosity to know what it contained, and Miss Priscilla never rested until, by dint of patient experiments, she unlocktdit. The result, at first sight, was disappointing, for the chest seemed to reveal nothing but small articles of lumber of no importance whatever ; but from a snug corner Miss Priseilla presently unearthed a somewhat bulky and awkward-shaped brown-paper parcel, clumsily tied round with string. While being lifted, the parcel came unfastened and then suddenly, without, as it were, a moment's warning, the whole of Bob's collection of silver plate, jewellery, and valuables were exposed to the old lady's startled gaze. "Good gracious 1" exclaimed Miss Priscilla, breathlessly " Robert has deceived üb. He led us to believe that he had removed everything of value." " I knew it, Priacilla," said the elder sister. " I mentiontd my suspicions at the time." " You did, Maria, but I could not believe that Robert would be so culpably thoughtless and careless as to leave valuable property in our charge," said Miss Priscilla, conveniently forgetting her former theory " Why, the house will be broken into, and we shall be murdered in our beds," she added, with a shudder. 11 1 can't allow the things to remain here," said Miss Briggs with nervous energy. " Robert must take them away at once. I will telegraph to him to come by the next train to fetch them. ' " But. Maria ! " exclaimed Misa Priscilla, as her sister seated herself at Bob's desk and seized a pen in an agitated manner, " what can we say to Robert ? How can we account for having discovered the tbings?" , , " What do you mean ? " inquired Miss Briggs sharply. " It is really very awkward, but the fact is that-tnat the chest was certainly locked. I suppose Robert-and especially hie wifewould say we had no business to open it. It would be extremely unpleasant to be accused of-of prying," said Miss Priscilla with increasing confusion. „ " Don't be a fool, Priscilla," exclaimed her siater. How could any one accuse us of such a thing 1 "

Monstrous as the notion appeared, however, a moment's reflection convinced Miss Briggs that there was some ground for Miss Priscilla's apprehensions, and the two ladies Btared at one another in dismay. If there was one virtue more than another on which they prided themselves, it was their punctilious sense of honour ; and nothing but detection would have convinced them of fallibility in this respect. They suddenly became conscious of the disagreeabie fact that they bad been guilty of an act of meanness ; or, at least, they realised that, if found out, their couduct would be open to this construction. They were too self-righteous to condemn themselves, but they instinctively shrank from confesiing what they had done, and the project of communicating with their nephew was abandoned by tacit consent.

" I suppose I had better put the things away again," said Miss Priscilla, involuntarily lowering her voice.

The elder sister hurredly acquiesced, and Bob's valuables were huddled back into their hiding place, and carefully locked up. But the old ladies were dreadfully upset by the incident, for the knowledge of there being such a bait for thieves in the house filled them with morbid apprehensions. To their excited imaginations a burglary seemed inevitable, and they were so terrifisd at the prospect that they took instant steps to avert the danger. The only expedient, in fact, which occurred to them was to vacate the premises instantly ; bat this they considered impracticable, owing to their state of health

Beyond, therefore, indulging in indignant denunciations of their nephew's culpable thoughtlessness, the old ladies tremulously kept their discovery secret, but all sense of comfort and security had deserted them. They could hardly sleep at night for fear of thieves, and each morning they paid a visit to the chest to assure themselves that the property was still there. A few days afterwards, Miss Priscilla, who generally undertook this unpleasant duty, rejoined her sister with a very white and scared face, and whispered : " Maria, the things have been stolen 1 "

" Nonsense 1" exclaimed Mies Briggs, excitedly; "I don't believe it."

" Come and see," said Miss Priacilla, who was trembling in every

The two ladies, with stealthy steps, crept into Bob's study, and there, sure enough, Miss Priscilla'a words were verified ; for the oak chest, though the lock was unbroken, and it did not appear to have been disturbed, contained only the worthless lumber, the brown paper parcel having mysteriously disappeared.

" Good gracious 1 " cried Miss Briggs, frantically wringing her hands ; '' what Bhall we do ? The bouse must have been broken into."

"The things were there yesterday morning," said Miss Priacilla, " the thieves must have came in the night."

" I heard them, Priscilla. I did not awake you, for I hoped that it was my fancy ; but I heard a noise about three oclock in the morning." said Miss Briggs, subsiding into the nearest chair, in a half-fainting condition.

" We must send for the police ! " exclaimed Priscilla.

" And telegraph to Robert," added Miss Briggs. " Ahem ! But, Maria, you remember that you agreed that — that we should not let Robert know we had been to the chest, As for sending for the police, think of all the scandal and unpleasantness I After all, we are not supposed to know the things are missing. It is really a most dreadful situation 1 " cried Miss Friscilla, hysterically. " Robert deserves to lose his things," said Miss Briggs. "It's no fault of ours," said Miss Priscilla, beginning to cry. " Let us take time for consideration before doing anything," returned Miss Briggs. "As you say, there 18 ro reason why we should have discovered the robbery, Ido not see why Robert should not discover it for himself."

•' But I will not remain in the house, Maria," said Miss Priscilla, emphatically.

"No, we will go home at once. Meanwhile, lock the chest up again, and leave it as we found it," said Miss Briggs.

Bo the two ladies retired to their sitting-room, and deliberated in secret as to the couise they should pursue. They interrogated the servants, not because they doubted their honesty, but in order to ascertain whether the domestics had discovered whether a robbery had been committed. They became convinced that their attendants were not only entirely innocent of the affair, but aiso that they were ignorant of the existence of the valuables. How the thieves had contrived to effect an entrance was a subject which the oid ladies did not trouble to investigate too closely. HaviDg satisfied themselves that there were no conspicuous traces of the burglary likely to arouse the suspicions of the servants, the Misses Briggs were content to accept the inevitable fact that Bob's property had been stjlen, without further inquiry.

For the truth was that the old ladies came to the conclusion that it was necessary, for their credit's cake, to adhere to their resolution not to reveal to am one that they had surreptitiously discovered Bob's treasure. If they had found their nephew's study in disorder, the lock of the chest forced, or other outward tokens of a robbery having taken place, they would have had a legitimate excuse for summoning the police aud rising an alarm. But the thieves bad done their work so cleverly, by means, apparently, of a duplicate key, that the Misses Briqgs were compelled either to assume ignorance or to confess their illicit investigations. The former plan commended itself so strongly to their agitated minds that, in spite of serious qualms of conscience, they determined to udout it, consoling themselves wiih the reflection that they were not in any way responsible for what had happened.

This decision, however, appeared to them to involve the unpleasant necessity of continuing to be their nephew's guests until the termination of the period originally fixed for their visit. Thtir first impulse had been to return home by the next train, but the very fact of so doing tieemed likely to arouse suspicion as to their motive, and might l'Md to disagreeable complications. Between a guilty conscience and a panic-stricken condition of mind, tho poor ladies Boon began to entertain grave doubts whether, by their silence,

they were not rendering themselves amenable to the law of the land. This dreadful thought almost reconciled them to the prospect of remaining where they were, lest by taking an abrupt departure they might give a clue to their secret. They, therefore, did not communicate to their nephew the slightest hint that anything had gone wrong, and were most careful not to disclose to the servants or to anybody else that they had any caase for uneasinesß.

But the effect of this severe self-restraint, coupled with abject terror at living in a house which wai, apparently, a happy huntingground for burglars, was that the two ladies became really ill. Misa Brigga had a fit which very nearly proved fatal, and Mite Priscilla'a nerves were completely shattered by the course of events. It was with heartfelt gratitude, therefore, that they at length hailed the near approach of the day when they could legitimately escape from the scene of so much misery and discomfort ; and the prospect afforded them such unspeakable joy and relief that their sentiments towards their nephew underwent a marked change.

" I really believe, Maria,'' said Miss Priscilla one day, with unaccustomed frankness, " that Robert cannot be so much in debt as we feared. All the neighbours speak well of him."

" I always hoped for the best," acquiesced Misa Briggs.

" So did I ; and considering what Robert's expenses mast be, there can be no doubt that be is making progress in his profession," eaid Miss Priscilla.

" I am glal to learn, at all events, that he is by all accounts a steady young man," said Miss Briggs, quite benignly.

" It is creditable to him that he has not parted with his plate and his wife's jewellery," added Mies Priscilla. '• lam not excusing his thoughtlessness in leaving the things here, of course."

" They are not here — now," Baid Miss Briggs, with an unmirthful smile."

"No, and I have been thinking, Maria." added Miss Priscilla " whether, under the circumstances, we ought not to make Robert Borne compensation for nis loss. Though nobody is to blame bat himself, it is just possible that if we bad called in the police at once the property might have been recovered.

•' That is quite true. We need not tell him the reason we are sending him the money. It would appear to be a gift by way of payment for the nse of the house," said Visa. Briggs, eagerly adopting the suggestion, as a salve to her conscience.

"We shall then have the satisfaction of feeling," added Misa Priscilla, " that Robert will not have suffered to any great extent by the robbeiy."

" Though he deserves to do so," said Miss Briggs, glaring throagh her spectacles .

" Certainly be does ; and depend upon it, he will not feel his loas the less, said Misa Priscilla, shrewdly. "It will not occur to him to associate our cheque with hiß miasing property ; but we shall know, however much he may complain, he ia not a loser."

The consequence of this conversation waa that on the morning after Bob's return home he received from his aunts, who had departed the previous day, a somewhat stiff and formal letter of thanks for the loan of his house, enclosing a cheque for £200 as a donation towards the expenses of his holid ay, Th s wholly unexpected bounty delighted Bob beyond measure, not only because the money waa particularly welcome at the moment, but because it seemed to augur well for the f ature ; and being in a boisterous good humour he was moved to make confession of a little piece of conjugal duplicity. " By Jove ! Annie, I can't help telling you now," he said, chuckling as he fingered his aunts' cheque, " you remember that day I ran up to town 1 " "On business 1 " said Mrs. Bob, a little quickly. " Yes, on business ; but I had a little private affair on hand also," replied Bob. " The fact is, I had omitted to take the plate and your jewellery to the bank."

" Oh, Bob I How careless of you 1 " said his wife. " I was very busy just before we came away, and I shoved the thingß in the oak chest in my study and locked 'em up. They would have been all right there," said Bob, rather avoiding his wife's eye, " the chest was locked and nobody knew. But, on reflection, I began to feel uneasy lest my auats should find out, so I thought I had better remove 'em."

" Where are they ? " inquired his wife, anxiously. "At my bank, as safe aa ninepence. Well, I took a cab and drove up here in the afternoon," said Bob, continuing his narrative, " but I couldn't make anyone hear. My aunts were fortumtely out, and I suppose they hnd taken Marshall with them."

" Their old cook is as deaf as a post," said his wife. " Yes ; I remembered that, so I let myself in with my latch-key, took the things, and came away again without having been seen. If I hadn't done so, there is no knowing what might have happened. — but perhaps I should never have got this," laughed Bob, gazing admiringly at the cheque. Many a true word is spoken in jest, and Bob little realised how singularly near the mark his haphazard conjecture was. He sat down and wrote a grateful letter to his aunts, thanking them effusively for their welcome gift, and naturally making no allusion to his plate and jewellery. His reticence in this respect caused him no effort whatever, but it was so highly appreciated by the old ladies — who could only imagine that he suppressed all allusion to the supposed burglary out of delicate consideration for their feelings— that they immediately communicated with their solicitor, from whom their nephew will, doubtless, some day " hear of something to his advantage,"

It is expected that the great Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Montmartre will be entirely roofed in by next June.

The Queen has been please! to intimate to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children her wish to become its patron, and an annual subscriber of ten guineas to its funds. Her Majesty communicated her pleasure to his Eminence Cardinal Manning.