The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-03-04

were generally the last to be CXtin-
guished in Blancombc. IL suppose
it's about twelve O'clock said to
myself Very dark, aud wonderful
ly quiet"
just then a slight noise made me
start. II came upon me 50 uuex poct-
cdly aud suddenly, just after had
quito made up my mind that there
wasn't so much rs mouse stirring
as Francisco Gays in tho play
throughout Blancombe.
halted. Ii seemed TO me- that
Just under the afchway, leading to
the stables of the George, | could
dimly perceive the figure Of man
standing as much in the shadow as
possible. The moon cleaned out for
a minute, as though tearing from her
face the black cloak aud mask in
which the clouds seemed trying to
muille aud hide her Then | became
convinced that there was man
standing under the archway.
"Hullo |" | said. lie moved the
light fell upon him, aud perceived
the glimmor of a policemaus oil.skin
covered hat.
"Ohl it's YOU" l said. "Good
night, policeman.
"Good night, sir"
wont on my way. | had been
rather astonishod than frightened.-
1t was so very rarely that | euoouu-
tered any one so late in Blancombe-
even a policeman. Tho town did not
boast of many constables, and had
always supposed that they retired to
rest puuctually at the moment the gas
was turned of, Twas somewhat graft
flied that so much interest in the wei.
fare of Blancombe existed, as the
fact of the presence Of the policeman
ia the High street manifested. i
knew the constables by sight. some
of thom-their wives aud families |
had attended professionally. The
man under the archway Of the George
| had failed to recognize, however.
passed on toward my house. !
heard the policeman following me-
But found nothing remarkable in
that. Condemned to many hours of
the dreariness and solitude Of Blan-
combo by night, it was only natural
that be should like to keep in sight,
as long as possible, another human
being. He wasn't quite severed from
the world SO long as another man in
Blaucombe hadn't gone to bed. You
cant get love of gregariousness out
of people---evon out Of policemen -
Bes dcs, might have been Of service
to the man, or he might think | had.
| might have seen his children thro'
the scarlatina, or aided his wife when
the troubles to which maternity is
liable came thickly upon her. And
this following me, aud seoiug me to
the door of my house, might be this
constable's mute way Of evincing
gratitude aud respect.
(Which constable was it?' | asked
myself. Not Purkis nor Mobbs, |
felt pretty sure. should surely
have recognized either of those two
men. Was it Hoskins ? or Wheeler
l couldn't be sure. 1t wasn't Ser
geant Binks, I was satisfied, | knew
Binks well. He wouldn't have been
content to say "good night merely.
Biuks would have availed himself Of
the opportunity. He was fluent
mana wordy eyeu-and would have
forthwith drawn me into converse,
especially about the state of Mrs.
Binks' health, which certainly wanted
heodlul watching and consideration
Just at that time,
| didn't know the voice that had
said "good- night" 1t was huskily
spoken the man perhaps had worn a
comforter or handkerchief over his
mouth, for it was very cold night.
Aud then the utterance was of
limited kind, and did not furnish
much Of clue to the identity of the
speaker,
The man followed me, without ex,
citing my interest or surprise much,
therefore. But what struck me as GU
rious was something strange about
the sound of his footsteps. Every
one knows the heavy tread and regu-
lar march Of a policeman. There was
nothing of this about the footsteps
following me, The man behind me
shuffled as he walked. There was
something stealthS about his walk
There seemed to possess him, rs |
fancied, a desire to avoid the raising
of echocs--to proceed upon his way
as noiselessly as might be. Now, as
a rule, / have noticed the constable
likes to make the night resound with
the beat of his feet upon the pave.
ment. The noise signals his presence
and soares away evil>doers aud sus-
picious characters, whose absence
much more than arrest is the desire
of the consummato constable. 1t is
perhaps a comfort to the policeman
to hear himself walk, as it is to oth-
err mcn to hear themselves talk.
The man followed quietly, ,furtively
as though he were walking in slippers.
Yet a peculiar jingling souud-as of
metal ringing upon stone-accompa.
MED his progress. 1t was just as
though-so it struck me-be wore
slippers, upon one Of which was
loosely affixed an iron heel.
AS | opened my door with my latch
key, the mAn was close beside me.
"The doctor ?" lie said this half
intarrogativoly. halt assertively.
He was clearly a policeman. I
could see now not only his consta ble's
hat bat also his long Overooat, and the
formal row Of buttons down the front
of it. Still L could not identify him
as one of the Blaucombe police.
''What is it, my man p
l. 4 \