“He had no time to carry off a thing,” said Mrs. Griffiths.
* * * * *
“I would like to set my eyes on him,” I remarked, when Miss Gwynne
had concluded her story. “You are a distinguished woman and are--I
believe--the very first one who ever received an offer of marriage from
a burglar.”
The lady smiled. “Do you not remember reading about the capture of
a notorious bank robber, several years ago? The case created quite a
sensation, owing partly to the difficulty in tracing the thief, who was
clever enough to puzzle the most expert detectives and evade the police,
and also to the respectability of his position. No one could believe him
guilty.”
“Indeed I do remember it,” I answered. “Not only that, but I _saw_ the
man after he was in prison. I happened to be going through Chester Jail
at the time and J------ was pointed out to me. He was quite
distinguished looking. In fact, I did not believe him guilty.”
“Nor would I,” said Miss Gwynne, “if I had not known.”
“You mean,” I said, “that he----
“I mean that you saw _my burglar_.”
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