J. COLE. 59

sister heard them both rushing across the
garden, where they had a ladder against the
stable-wall. They must have pulled this up
after them, and tossed it into the next garden,
where it was found, to delay pursuit. The
park-keeper had, after sounding his whistle,
rushed to our house, got in at the window,
and ran to the door at the top of the kitchen
stairs, but it was quite impossible to open it;
the burglars had cleverly left something in
the lock when disturbed, and the key would
not turn. He then went through the drawing-
room into the conservatory, where a glass
door opened on the garden; but by the time
the heavy sliding glass panel was unfastened,
and the inner door unbolted, the men had
disappeared. They took with them much less
than they hoped to have done, for there were
parcels and packets of spoons, forks, and a
case of very handsome gold salt-cellars, a mar-
riage gift, always kept in a baize-lined chest
in the pantry, the key of which I retained,
and which chest was supposed until now to
be proof against burglars; the lock had been
burnt all round with some instrument, most