At length it ceased, and the cautious and partial gleam of a lanthorn fell along the floor; another moment, and two men stood in the room.
"Hush, Jack!" whispered one: "hang out the glim, and let's look about us." The dark-lanthorn, now fairly unmuffled, presented to the gaze of the robbers nothing that could gratify their cupidity.
Books and music, chairs, tables, carpet, and fire-irons, though valuable enough in a house-agent's inventory, are worthless to the eyes of a housebreaker.

They muttered a mutual curse.
"Jack," said the former speaker, "we must make a dash at the spoons and forks, and then hey for the money.

The old girl had thirty shiners, besides flimsies." The accomplice nodded consent; the lanthorn was again partially shaded, and with noiseless and stealthy steps the men quitted the apartment.
Several minutes elapsed, when Alice was awakened from her slumber by a loud scream she started, all was again silent: she must have dreamt it: her little heart beat violently at first, but gradually regained its tenor.

She rose, however, and the kindness of her nature being more susceptible than her fear, she imagined Mrs.Jones might be ill--she would go to her.

With this idea she began partially dressing herself, when she distinctly heard heavy footsteps and a strange voice in the room beyond.