58 J. COLE.

ment. The fender-stool caught my eye; that
might do, it was strong, and more than long
enough. In an instant we had it across, and
I was out of the window and down the front
steps.

As I turned the handle of the heavy iron
gate, I looked down at the front kitchen
window. A man stood in the kitchen, and
he looked up and saw me—such a horrible-
looking ruffian, too. Fear lent wings to my
feet, and I flew up the road. The watchman
was just entering the park from the opposite
end; he saw me, and sounded his whistle ;
the policeman turned and ran towards me.
I was too exhausted to speak, and he caught
me, just as, having gasped “Thieves at 50!”
(the number of our house), I fell forward in
a dead swoon.

When I recovered, I was lying on my own
bed, my sister, the scared servants, and the
policeman, all around me. From them I
heard that directly the man in the kitchen
caught sight of me, he warned his companion,
who was busy forcing the lock of the door
at the head of the kitchen stairs, and my