bore a tray containing three very large cups of
tea and some biscuit.

"Now, then," said Aunt Martha to me, "if you will untie their hands, I
will give them some tea."

At these words each burglar turned his eyes on me with a quick glance. I
laughed.

"Hardly," said I. "I would not be willing to undertake the task of
tying them up again, unless, indeed, they will consent to drink some
more of my wine."

"Which we won't do," said the middle burglar, "and that's flat."

"Then they must drink this tea with their hands tied," said Aunt Martha,
in a tone of reproachful resignation, and, taking a cup from the tray,
she approached the stout man and held it up to his lips. At this act of
extreme kindness we were all amused, even the burglar's companions
smiled, and David so far forgot himself as to burst into a laugh, which,
however, he quickly checked. The stout burglar, however, saw nothing to
laugh at. He drank the tea, and never drew breath until the cup was
emptied.

"I forgot," said my aunt, as she removed the cup from his lips, "to ask
you whether you took much or little sugar."

"Don't make no difference to me," answered the man; "tea isn't malt
liquor; it's poor stuff any way, and it doesn't matter to me whether
it's got sugar in it or not, but it's moistenin', and that's what I
want. Now, madam, I'll just say to you, if ever I break into a room
where you're sleepin', I'll see that you don't come to no harm, even if
you sit up in bed and holler."

"Thank you," said Aunt Martha; "but I hope you will never again be
concerned in that sort of business."

He grinned. "That depends on circumstances," said he.

Aunt Martha now offered the tall man some tea, but he thanked her very
respectfully, and declined. The young man also said that he did not care
for tea, but that if the maid--looking at Alice--would give him a glass
of water he would be obliged. This was the first time he had spoken. His
voice was low and of a pleasing tone. David's face grew dark, and we
could see that he objected to this service from Alice.

"I will give him the water myself," said Aunt Martha. This she did, and
I noticed that the man's thirst was very soon satisfied. When David had
been refreshed, and biscuits refused by the burglars, who could not very
well eat them with their hands tied, we all sat down, and the stout man
began his story. I give it as he told it, omitting some coarse and rough
expressions, and a good deal of slang wh