produced his skeleton keys, and after several
ineffective trials, opened the door softly and revealed the glittering
booty.

At sight of it the foreign gent could not suppress an ejaculation, but
the younger one clapped his hand before his mouth hurriedly.

The foreign gent unrolled a sort of green baize apron he had round him;
it was, in reality, a bag.

Into this receptacle the pair conveyed one piece of plate after another
with surprising dexterity, rapidity, and noiseless-ness. When it was
full, they began to fill the deep pockets of their shooting-jackets.

While thus employed, they heard a rapid footstep, and Richard Bassett
opened the door. He was in his trousers and shirt, and had a pistol in
his hand.

At sight of him Reginald uttered a cry of dismay; the foreign gent blew
out the light.

Richard Bassett, among whose faults want of personal courage was not
one, rushed forward and collared Reginald.

But the foreign gent had raised the crowbar to defend himself, and
struck him a blow on the head that made him stagger back.

The foreign gent seized this opportunity, and ran at once at the window
and jumped at it.

If Reginald had been first, he would have gone through like a cat, but
the foreign gent, older, and obstructed by the contents of his pocket,
higgled and stuck a few seconds in the window.

That brief delay was fatal; Richard Bassett leveled his pistol
deliberately at him, fired, and sent a ball through his shoulder; he
fell like a log upon the ground outside.

Richard then leveled another barrel at Reginald, but he howled out for
quarter, and was immediately captured, and with the assistance of the
brave Jessie, who now came boldly to her master's aid, his hands were
tied behind him and he was made prisoner, with the stolen articles in
his pocket.

When they were tying him, he whimpered, and said it was only a lark; he
never meant to keep anything. He offered a hundred pounds down if they
would let him off.

But there was no mercy for him.

Richard Bassett had a candle lighted, and inspected the prisoner. He
lifted his crape veil, and said "Oho!"

"You see it was only a lark," said Reginald, and shook in every limb.

Richard Bassett smiled grimly, and said nothing. He gave Jessie strict
orders to hold her tongue, and she and he between them took Reginald
and locked him up in a small room adjoining the kitchen.

They then went to look for the other burglar.

He had emptied his po