For fully a minute neither of them moved. Then Samuel heard a voice
whispering: "Are you a burglar?"
He could not speak, but he nodded his head. And then again he heard
the child's voice: "Oh, I'm so glad!"
"I'm so glad!" she repeated again, and her tone was clear and sweet.
"I'd been praying for it! But I'd almost given up hope!"
Samuel found voice enough to gasp, "Why?"
"My mamma read me a story," said the child. "It was about a little
girl who met a burglar. And ever since I've been waiting for one to
come."
There was a pause. "Are you a really truly burglar?" the child
whispered.
"I--I think so," replied Samuel.
"You look very young," she said.
And the other bethought himself. "I'm only a beginner," he said. "This
is really my first time."
"Oh!" said the child with a faint touch of disappointment. "But still
you will do, won't you?"
"Do for what?" asked the boy in bewilderment.
"You must let me reform you," exclaimed the other. "That's what the
little girl did in the story. Will you?"
"Why--why, yes"--gasped Samuel. "I--I really meant to reform."
Then suddenly he thought he heard a sound in the hall above. He
glanced up, and for one instant he had a glimpse of the face of
Charlie peering down at him.
"What are you looking at?" asked the child.
"I thought--that is--there's some one with me," stammered Samuel,
forgetting his solemn vow.
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