下载辰思小说免费APP
andscrambledsoftlyandswiftlyoverthesillintothehouse。Hisfeetfellnoiselesslyonamatofskin。Hewasaburglarindeed！
Hecrouchedforatime，allearsandpeeringeyes。Outsidewasascamperingandrustling，andforamomentherepentedofhisenterprise。Ashort“miaow，“aspitting，andarushintosilence，spokereassuringlyofcats。Hiscouragegrew。Hestoodup。Everyonewasabed，itseemed。Soeasyisittocommitaburglary，ifoneissominded。Hewasgladhehadputittothetest。Hedeterminedtotakesomepettytrophy，justtoprovehisfreedomfromanyabjectfearofthelaw，anddepartthewayhehadcome。
Hepeeredabouthim，andsuddenlythecriticalspiritaroseagain。
Burglarsdidfarmorethansuchmereelementaryentranceasthis:
theywentintorooms，theyforcedsafes。Well——hewasnotafraid。
Hecouldnotforcesafes，becausethatwouldbeastupidwantofconsiderationforhishosts。Buthewouldgointorooms——hewouldgoupstairs。More:hetoldhimselfthathewasperfectlysecure；
anemptyhousecouldnotbemorereassuringlystill。Hehadtoclenchhishands，nevertheless，andsummonallhisresolutionbeforehebeganverysoftlytoascendthedimstaircase，pausingforseveralsecondsbetweeneachstep。Abovewasasquarelandingwithoneopenandseveralcloseddoors；andallthehousewasstill。Foramomenthestoodwonderingwhatwouldhappenifsomesleeperwokesuddenlyandemerged。Theopendoorshowedamoonlitbedroom，thecoverletwhiteandundisturbed。Intothisroomhecreptinthreeinterminableminutesandtookapieceofsoapforhisplunder——
histrophy。Heturnedtodescendevenmoresoftlythanhehadascended。Itwasaseasyas——
Hist！
Footsteps！Onthegraveloutsidethehouse——andthenthenoiseofalatchkey，theyawnandbangofadoor，andthespittingofamatchinthehallbelow。Mr。Ledbetterstoodpetrifiedbythesuddendiscoveryofthefollyuponwhichhehadcome。“HowonearthamItogetoutofthis？“saidMr。Ledbetter。
Thehallgrewbrightwithacandleflame，someheavyobjectbumpedagainsttheumbrella-stand，andfeetwereascendingthestaircase。InaflashMr。Ledbetterrealisedthathisretreatwasclosed。Hestoodforamoment，apitifulfigureofpenitentconfusion。“Mygoodness！
WhataFOOLIhavebeen！“hewhispered，andthendartedswiftlyacrosstheshadowylandingintotheemptybedroomfromwhichhehadjustcome。Hestoodlistening——quivering。Thefootstepsreachedthefirst-floorlanding。
Horriblethought！Thiswaspossiblythelatecomer’sroom！Notamomentwastobelost！Mr。Ledbetterstoopedbesidethebed，thankedHeavenforavalance，andcrawledwithinitsprotectionnottensecondstoosoon。Hebecamemotionlessonhandsandknees。Theadvancingcandle-lightappearedthroughthethinnerstitchesofthefabric，theshadowsranwildlyabout，andbecamerigidasthecandlewasputdown。
“Lord，whataday！“saidthenewcomer，blowingnoisily，anditseemedhedepositedsomeheavyburthenonwhatMr。Ledbetter，judgingbythefeet，decidedtobeawriting-table。Theunseenthenwenttothedoorandlockedit，examinedthefasteningsofthewindowscarefullyandpulleddowntheblinds，andreturningsatdownuponthebedwithstartlingponderosity。
“WHATaday！“hesaid。“GoodLord！“andblewagain，andMr。Ledbetterinclinedtobelievethatthepersonwasmoppinghisface。Hisbootsweregoodstoutboots；theshadowsofhislegsuponthevalancesuggestedaformidablestoutnessofaspect。Afteratimeheremove
