The shutters, however, were fastened, but very insecurely; Peace had therefore but little difficulty in throwing them back.
All this had not occupied the space of more than three or four minutes, and the movements of the burglar had not been seen by anyone, either from within or without.
Peace dropped gently on the floor of the apartment, which was covered with a thick Turkey carpet.
He had on at this time a pair of women’s boots, and his footsteps were almost as soft and noiseless as those of a cat.
The room in which he found himself was furnished in the best possible manner, but there were not many articles therein which were sufficiently portable to be transferred to the burglar’s bag, and Peace did not therefore waste much time in examining its contents.
He ignited one of his silent matches, and took a cursory but rapid review of its most noticable features.
Before leaving it, however, he drew back the shutters and opened the bottom window sufficiently wide to admit of his passing through in case of any surprise or alarm.
He crept downstairs and entered the front parlour. In this there were several articles of value, which he at once deposited safely in his bag.
He then proceeded towards the back parlour. This was fitted up as a library. To all appearance the owner of the habitation made use of it for business purposes, for on a library table there were spread out vast heaps of papers, tied up in bundles, with letters, ledger account books, and other objects usually found in a merchant’s counting house or a lawyer’s office.
In a recess at one corner of the room was a large iron safe; this at once attracted the burglar’s attention. Closing the door of the room softly Peace drew from his pocket a curled waxed taper, the end of which he ignited with one of his matches.