I lowered the case until it
was exactly between the ceiling of the dining-room and the floor
of the hall above--and turned out the electric light. I then tied
the steel cable securely to the head of my bed, turned over, and
went to sleep, lulled by the shaking of the house as the burglar
dashed up and down the stairs.
Just how long this continued I do not know, for my sleep was
deep and dreamless, but I should judge that the burglar ran
himself to death sometime between half-past three and a quarter
after four. So great had been his efforts that when I went to
remove him I did not recognize him at all. When I had seen him
last in the glow of the glass silver case he had been a stout,
chunky fellow, and now his remains were those of an emaciated
man. He must have run off one hundred and twenty pounds of flesh
before he gave out.
Only one thing clouded my triumph. Our silver consisted of but
half a dozen each of knives, forks, and spoons, a butter knife,
and a sugar spoon, all plated, and worth probably five dollars,
and to save this I had made the burglar wear to rags a Wilton
stair carpet worth twenty-nine dollars.
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