He found the top bolt had not been drawn home into its socket, and an aperture was disclosed sufficiently large for him to withdraw the bottom bolt with one of the instruments he had brought with him. The bolt was pulled back, and the door was flung wide open. All this had been done in so quick a manner that none of the inmates were disturbed. Peace entered the back parlour, and found therein a considerable amount of portable and valuable property. By the aid of one of his silent lucifers, he possessed himself of a number of articles, which he placed together on the table, with the intention of removing them upon his return from the other rooms, which it was his purpose to ransack in a similar manner. He went into the front parlour, and took from it a still richer booty, which he placed by the side of the first heap. This done, he crept cautiously upstairs, and entered the front drawing-room on the first floor. This was furnished with most costly articles. The burglar was quite charmed with the appearance of the apartment, still more so with its contents. He now for the first time made use of one of the long screws which he used so frequently in the after part of his lawless career. Closing the door, he bored a small hole in it with a bradawl; into this he inserted a long, pointed screw, which he turned with a screw-driver, and by this means fastened himself securely in the room. No one would be able to gain an entrance. With one of his lucifers he lighted a small wax taper, which he placed on one of the hobs of the grate. Then he proceeded to open all the drawers and cupboards, from which he abstracted a number of valuables. These he placed in his bag. He felicitated himself upon the successful nature of the expedition; the proceeds of his night’s work would undoubtedly realise a considerable sum of money, even at the Jew’s price. As may be supposed, he did not leave much behind that there was any possibility of carrying away. The examination of the room, the turning over the various articles, and abstraction of the same, took a longer time than he had expected; nevertheless, he deemed himself quite safe, as the door was securely fastened. When he had selected all that he intended to take away with him, he blew out his taper, and began to withdraw his long, thin screw. This done, he cautiously opened the door, and peeped out. No one was visible. Turning round to reach his bag, his coat-tail caught the branch of a candelabrum, which fell to the floor with a loud crash. In another moment he was alarmed by the barking of a dog, and in the next a fierce animal rushed into the room, and sprang at his throat. Peace was greatly alarmed. The whole household would, in all probability, be aroused. “Curse the hound!” he muttered; at the same time grasping the dog’s throat with both hands, so as to silence him, and at the same time, if possible, to throttle him.