CBSE Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet – A Question of Trust Summary

Chapter 4 of the Class 10 English Supplementary Reader ‘Footprints Without Feet’ consists of a prose titled – A Question of Trust. This story is about a thief named Horace Danby, who eventually fell victim to his fraudulent ways. Horace would occasionally indulge in theft, and during one such burglary at a grand mansion, he encountered a woman who cheated him. Trusting her blindly, Horace was misguided and ultimately found himself behind bars.
Here’s a simple summary of the prose–  A Question of Trust.

Summary of A Question of Trust

“A Question of Trust,” written by Victor Canning, tells the story of Horace Danby, a thief who maintained the appearance of a good citizen. Horace, an unmarried fifty-year-old locksmith, was a successful businessman with two assistants. Despite his respectable appearance, he wasn’t a sincere man. He had a passion for rare and fancy books, which he would purchase by any means necessary. To fund this expensive hobby, Horace would rob a safe once a year, purchasing the books sneakily through an agent. Horace carefully planned each burglary. This time, his target was a house at Shotover Grange. He spent two weeks carefully studying its rooms, electrical wiring, pathways, and garden to prepare for the theft.

The family residing in the house was away in London. One fine afternoon, the two caretakers went to watch a movie, and Horace realized it was the perfect opportunity to execute his plan. Emerging from behind a garden wall, he approached the house with his tools packed in his bag. He found a key hanging on a hook by the kitchen door. Quickly donning gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, he took the key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. There, he encountered the dog, Sherry, who greeted him with a wagging tail.