lemanly burglar, whose expression of countenance on beholding
into whose hands he had fallen, may be conceived, but cannot be
described.

Dan Horsey, who had also been on the watch, suddenly appeared with three
pair of handcuffs, and applied them with a degree of prompt facility
that surprised himself and quite charmed the policeman.

Thereafter the three astounded burglars were led in triumph into Mr
Stuart's study, where that sceptical individual received them in his
dressing-gown and slippers, and had his unbelieving mind convinced.
Then they were conveyed to the lockup, where we shall now leave them in
peace--satisfied that they are safely in the hands of justice.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

DREADFUL SUSPICIONS AROUSED IN ANXIOUS BOSOMS.

When Miss Peppy came down to breakfast next morning she found that she
was the first of the household to make her appearance. This, however,
was the natural consequence of her commendable desire to be always in
good time--a desire which resulted in her being at least a quarter of an
hour too soon for everything, except on those occasions, of course, when
she over-slept, or was detained by unavoidable circumstances.

On the present occasion Miss Peppy, having had a remarkably good night's
rest, felt placid, and looked serene. She passed the spare quarter of
an hour in perambulating the room, looking at the books and pictures,
smoothing her cuffs, arranging her cap, and paying marked attention to a
beautiful little dog which was Bella's own particular pet, and the
colonel's particular abhorrence, because of its tendency to bark
suddenly, sharply, and continuously at every visitor who entered the
house.

Rosebud, (for thus was it misnamed), seemed to be, however, in no mood
to receive attentions that morning. It was evidently ill at ease,
without apparently knowing why.

"Did it growl, then?" said Miss Peppy in a reproachful tone, as she
stooped to pat the head of the spoiled creature. "Ah, it mustn't growl,
for that is naughty, you know, darling Rosebud. Eh! doing it again?
Oh! bad little snarley-warley, growly-wowly. Doesn't it know that the
poet says `dogs delight to bark and bite?' and that--that--he means that
they shouldn't delight to do such naughtinesses, although, after all,
why they shouldn't when it's natural to them _I_ don't know; and,
besides, how does _he_ know that they delight to do it? I never saw
them look delighted in my life; on the contrary, they'r