when policemen yawn and sneak-thieves prowl."

"How careless!" vouchsafed Bessie.

"Very," said Thaddeus. "But this time it worked for the good of all
concerned, although my personal appearance doesn't give any
indication that I gained anything by it. In fact, it would have
been better for me if the house had been hermetically sealed."

"Don't dally so much, Thaddeus," put in Bessie. "I'm anxious to
hear what happened."

"Well, of course Bradley was very much concerned," continued
Thaddeus. "It was bad enough not to be able to attract the maid's
attention by ringing, but when he noticed that the house was as dark
as pitch, and that despite the clanging of the bell, which could be
heard all over the neighborhood, even his wife didn't come to the
door, he was worried; and he was more worried than ever when he got
inside. We lit the gas in the hall, and walked back into the
dining-room, where we also lighted up, and such confusion as was
there you never saw! The table-cloth was in a heap on the floor;
Bradley's candelabra, of which he was always so proud, were bent and
twisted out of shape under the table; glasses broken beyond
redemption were strewn round about; and a mixture of pepper, salt,
and sugar was over everything."

"'I believe there have been thieves here,' said Bradley, his face
turning white. And then he went to the foot of the stairs and
called up to his wife, but there no answer.

"Then he started on a dead run up the stair. Above all was in
confusion, as in the dining-room. Vases were broken, pictures hung
awry on the walls; but nowhere was Mrs. Bradley or one of the
Bradley children to be seen.

"Then we began a systematic search of the house. Everywhere
everything was upside-down, and finally we came to a door on the
third story back, leading into the children's play-room, and as we
turned the knob and tried to open it we heard Mrs. Bradley's voice
from within.

"'Who's there?' she said, her voice all of a tremble.

"'It is I!' returned Bradley. 'Open the door. What is the meaning
of all this?'

"'Oh, I'm so glad you have come!' returned Mrs. Bradley, with a sob,
and then we heard sounds as of the moving of heavy furniture. Mrs.
Bradley, for some as yet unexplained reason, seemed to have
barricaded herself in.

"Finally the door was opened, and Mrs. Bradley buried her face on
her husband's shoulder and sobbed hysterically.

"'What on earth is the matter?' asked Bradley, as h