About the Author
The story is written by Victor Canning. He was a British writer born in 1910. He wrote many books, stories, and books for kids. He liked to write about adventures, animals, and smart people. He passed away in 1986. His stories are easy to read and full of twists.
What’s the Story About?
This is a short story about a man who steals but gets caught in a funny way. Let me tell you in simple words.
Horace Danby is a 50-year-old man. He looks like a good person. He makes locks for a living. People like him. But he has a secret. He steals from rich houses once a year. He uses the money to buy rare books. He loves old books a lot. He is very careful. He wears gloves so no one finds his fingerprints. He plans everything well.
One day, he picks a big house called Shotover Grange. It is summer, and the owners are away. The house has a safe with jewels inside. Horace checks the house. He sees a woman there. She looks like the owner’s wife. She has a cold and is sneezing. She says she forgot the safe code. She asks Horace to open it for her. She promises to forgive him for breaking in.
Horace feels happy. He thinks she is kind. He opens the safe with his tools. He takes only a little – some jewels for his books. He puts them in his bag. The woman says she will call the police on him if he takes more. But she lets him go.
Horace leaves the house. He feels good. He thinks he met a nice lady.
But the next day, the police catch Horace. They find the jewels in his bag. They also find his fingerprints in the safe! How? Because the clever woman was not the owner. She was a thief too! She tricked Horace. She made him open the safe. Then she took all the jewels for herself. She left Horace’s prints so the police would catch him.
Horace goes to jail. He learns a hard lesson. The story ends with the idea that even thieves can trick other thieves.
The story is funny because Horace is smart but gets beaten by someone smarter.
Who’s Who in the Story
Here are the main people in the story:
- Horace Danby: The main man. He is 50, makes locks, steals for books. He is careful but gets tricked.
- The Young Woman: A clever thief. She dresses like a rich lady. She sneezes to act sick. She fools Horace and takes the jewels.
- The Real Owner (Mrs. Dorling): The woman who owns the house. She is not in the story much. Her jewels are stolen.
- The Police: They catch Horace. They are not named.
The story has no other big people. It is mostly about Horace and the tricky woman.
Themes and Moral
Themes
- Trust is Risky: Do not trust people too fast. Even good-looking people can lie.
- Crime Has Tricks: Thieves think they are smart, but someone can be smarter.
- Looks Can Fool: Horace thinks the woman is honest, but she is not.
- Greed for Things: Horace steals for books. It leads to trouble.
Moral
- Think Before You Trust: Always check if people are real.
- Honesty is Best: Stealing brings bad luck.
- Be Careful with Strangers: They may trick you.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are easy words from the story with simple meanings:
- Thief – Person who takes things that are not his. Example: Horace is a thief.
- Honest – Telling truth, not stealing. Example: People think Horace is honest.
- Locksmith – Man who makes or fixes locks. Example: Horace is a locksmith.
- Burglary – Breaking into a house to steal. Example: Horace plans a burglary.
- Safe – Strong box to keep jewels safe. Example: The safe has diamonds.
- Fingerprints – Marks left by fingers on things. Example: Police find Horace’s fingerprints.
- Trick – A smart way to fool someone. Example: The woman plays a trick.
- Forgive – Let go of anger, not punish. Example: The woman says she will forgive Horace.
- Rare – Not common, special. Example: Horace buys rare books.
- Sneeze – Sound when nose itches. Example: The woman sneezes a lot.
- Jewels – Pretty stones like diamonds. Example: The safe has jewels.
- Clever – Very smart. Example: The woman is clever.
Now read the story and see how trust can turn into a big mistake!