"A Nervous Hand, White and Trembling As Her Own, Appeared Within the Circle of Light, Pointing a Small, Nickel-plated Revolver At Her Head"

"Her Ladyship's Burglar: A Story of a House Party."
By Andrew Merry (?-?).
Illustrations by Hal Hurst (1865-1938; HERE).
First appearance: The Harmsworth (London) Magazine, February 1901.
Short story (10 pages, 7 illos).
Online at Hathi Trust (HERE).

     "I don't want to commit murder, but if you move or attempt to wake him, I must shoot you both first, and myself afterwards."

Otherwise decent people sometimes do things in desperation that they would normally regard as awful; case in point, impulsive Eric Dundreckie and the small fortune he gambles away to Lady Kenilworth . . .

Resource:
- For the moment, "Her Ladyship's Burglar" is the only credit for the obscure "Andrew Merry" to be found on the FictionMags Index.

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