was after, and especially what he
did with the books. So they left and took their stations outside
the door. The burglar left the building with the books in a satchel,
and, stepping outside, was confronted by the two men.

I believe every burglar of whom history or fiction has kept any
record, whether before or after this eventful night, when he broke
open a safe and, emerging with his booty, found himself confronted by
a policeman, took to his heels. Not so this burglar. He walked up
to the two men, and with the utmost unconcern asked if they could
tell him where Mr. Columbus Alexander lived. Mr. Alexander, it
should be said, was the head man in the prosecution. The desired
information being conveyed to the burglar, he went on his way
to Mr. Alexander's house, followed by the two agents of the law.
Arriving there, he rang the bell.

In the ordinary course of events, Mr. Alexander or some member of his
family would have come to the door and been informed that the caller
had a bundle for him. A man just awakened from a sound sleep and
coming downstairs rubbing his eyes, would not be likely to ask any
questions of such a messenger, but would accept the bundle and lock
the door again. Then what a mess the prosecution would have been in!
Its principal promoter detected in collusion with a burglar in order
to get possession of the documents necessary to carry on his case!

It happened, however, that Mr. Alexander and the members of his
household all slept the sleep of the just and did not hear the bell.
The patience of the policeman was exhausted and the burglar was
arrested and lodged in jail, where he was kept for several months.
Public curiosity to hear the burglar's story was brought to a
high pitch, but never gratified. Before the case came to trial
the prisoner was released on straw bail and never again found.
I do not think the bottom facts, especially those connected with
the anonymous letter, were ever brought to light. So every one
was left to form his own theory of what has since been known as the
"Safe Burglary Conspiracy."

What seems at present the fashionable way of looking at the facts
is this: Shepherd was the man who planned the beautiful Washington
of to-day, and who carried out his project with unexampled energy
until he was stopped through the clamor of citizens who did not
want to see things go ahead so fast. Other people took the work up,
but they only carried out Shepherd's ideas. Th