the little child with the
damp night winds blowing in upon it."

"Did you ever hear if it caught cold?" asked Aunt Martha.

"No," replied the burglar, "I never did. I mentioned the matter to my
father, and he said that he had great fears upon the subject, for
although he had written to Williamson Green, asking him to return the
instruments, he had not seen him or heard from him, and he was afraid
that the child had died or was dangerously sick. Shortly after that my
father sent me on a little trip to the Long Island coast to collect some
bills from people for whom he had done work. He gave me money to stay a
week or two at the seashore, saying that the change would do me good;
and it was while I was away on this delightful holiday that an event
occurred which had a most disastrous effect upon my future life. My
father was arrested for burglary!

"It appeared--and I cannot tell you how shocked I was when I discovered
the truth--that the box which I had carried away did not contain
nautical instruments, but was filled with valuable plate and jewels. My
unfortunate father heard from a man who had been discharged from the
service of the family whose house he had visited--whose name, by the
way, was not Green--where the box containing the valuables mentioned was
always placed at night, and he had also received accurate information in
regard to the situation of the rooms and the best method of gaining
access to them.

"I believe that some arrangement had been made between my father and
this discharged servant in regard to a division of the contents of the
box, and it was on account of a disagreement on this subject that the
man became very angry, and after pocketing what my father thought was
his fair share he departed to unknown regions, leaving behind a note to
the police which led to my father's arrest."

"That was a mean trick," said Aunt Martha.

The burglar looked at her gratefully.

"In the lower spheres of life, madam, such things often happen. Some of
the plate and jewels were found in my father's possession, and he was
speedily tried and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. And now,
can you imagine, ladies," said the tall burglar, apparently having
become satisfied to address himself to Aunt Martha, as well as my wife,
"the wretched position in which I found myself? I was upbraided as the
son of a thief. I soon found myself without home, without occupation,
and, alas! without good reputation. I was care