The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-11-29

or in the morning. and he fastened out
of the hall
People may talk of shipwrecks and
disasters at sea-of the solemn hour be-
fore q battle, or the breathless interval
before the word to fire is given in duel /;
but I'll be hanged if L believe 1 should
suffer the one-hundreth part so much in
any one of these situations as 1 did for
half an hour after Dick left me. Dinner
hour was fast approaching, and the crowd
rapidly dispersed, until there was not
twenty people in the hall That l might
not render myself conspicuous by wander
ing about with an evident want of pur-
pose, | bent over desk and pretended to
be reading, while 1 kept my eyes upon
the door, watching and drcading the en-
trance of the formidable detectives. o,
how long seemed the minutes that 1 stood
there waiting and and trembling hoping
every minute to see Dick returning, and
yet conscious that he had not been gone
long enough to accomplish anything!
" AT length, as l turned for the hun
dredth time before the door, l saw the
officers come in and walk up the room !;
they passed and repassed me several times,
and though [ did not raise my eyes from
the paper, was conscious that they were
examining me attentively. Presently one
of them came, and leaning over the desk
by my side, began carelessly turning the
papers while his searching gaze was bent
fixedly upon me. My heart was in my
mouth, and my breath came and went
with difficulty.
"' Can you give me small bills for
twenty 7" he asked abruptly laying his
hand upon my arm.
Mono, sir, l cannot; 1 haven't it
about me- stammered without raising
my eyes from the paper.
"'Haven't it about you Why, what's
that" and he raped his knuckles against
my pocket, which the fat wallet caused to
bulge as only rich mans pocket should
bulge.
That-that is only bundle of pa
pers."
"Papers, ch? Well, let's have look
at Them
"'What do you mean, sir = | exclaim-
ed, making a frantic effort to appear in
dignant, though not daring to raise my
eyes to his face.
You'll soon find out what | mean,"
he replied, seizing me firmly by the arm
and beckoning to his brother officer, who
appeared to be expecting the summons.
81 cast despairing glance towards
the door. Could it be that fate had at
last relented =? Yes-there was Dick and
the gentleman l had robbed coming up
the steps. They called the officers aside,
and long conversation ensued. Jen-
kins and Dick appearing to be urging
something upon the officers, with which
they seemed reluctant to comply, for they
occasionally looked at me and shook their
heads. But at length the arguments of
my friends seemed to prevail, for the off
GERS walked away toward the door and
the former approached the spot where l
was standing.
"'Give the gentleman his property
said Dick, very grayely.
"Sheepish and blushing | produced
the diabolical pocket-book, and returned
it to its owner.
"'Young man., said the gentleman,
very severely, I" am doing wroug-very
wrong in allowing you to go at large 1t
is my duty to deliver you up to justice
Your story Of the mistake and intended
joke is absurd, people have but one OBJ
ject in picking pockets But in consid-
Grafton Of this being your first offense,
and more in consequence of the entreat-
les of your friend, | have consented to
allow you to depart, and l sincerely hope
my mistaken kindness may not be the
means Of bringing you to the gallows'
And with bow to Dick, he left the
place.
"'There, Rob, said Dick, in a grave
and serious tone, let this be warning
to you. No one but myself knows what
a narrow escape you have had, another
time you may not be so Fortunate And
he, too, left the place.
" With the deepest sense Of humilia-
ton, skunk out of the room and sneak
ed home much wiser man than was
in the morning"