Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-07-28
Missed Him,
BY A REAL DETECTIVE.

Well, Well perhaps it was my fault
nerhans it was not. He was clever fellow
-ah that he was. They asked me to
catch him; l said I'd try. / wouldn't
promise-no. only said I'd try.
I tried. His offense was nothing
merely what is commonly called "Rail-
way Plant" 1t succeeded though, and
my gentleman was wanted.
I made a grand hit when l nabbed his
companion. He told me his haunts and
habits, but he wouldn't aid me III catch
ing him. determined to do it myself. !
was green hand then. Nomatter, had
the will. | found the way. He WAS to
be at a ten party that Thursday night. /
was invited Shall l take two policemen
| in disguise and arrest him No; all his
| friends would rescue him. / will 90 alone
went. | left my little honse-a four.
room dwelIing-at six. locked the front
door. and off / went to Mrs. Jones' tea
party.
1t was the month of September. We had
great fun at -. There was a gentle
| man there that believed to be my man
despite the fact that, when l was intro
duced to him, was informed be had just
come from the Continent. We fell into
conversation. He began to pump me
This was what I wanted. / was deter
mined to play the simple, and tell him al
he asked.
| He stared hard at me- Perhaps he
knew me, perhaps be did not He was 8
peculiar man, with short black hair, 8
clean shaved face parish priests are alike
clean shaved-strsnge coincidence,} dress
ed in a suit of light grey. He looked
smart might safely have shouted "Al
hands to pump ship!' for he pumped il
the most barefaoed manner.
He asked me where I lived. tolc
him. I saw no use in deceiving him be
side I had little plan in view-I nigh
invite him to my house and pin him.
i Had l any company 2 None. ANY
one else in the house? No. was
bachelor; preferred to live alone. Ant
then, in the most quiet and insinuatins
way, he asked me did I shoot. He did
he had been shooting lately. Last weel
he was shooting in Suffolk. He wen
down there for day or two All 3! and
|, remarked in very innocent way. looking
up benignly at him, that / tbought-tha
was, / understandable had just come from
the continent.
He started. I pretended to be sui
prised, and he assured me, in fact, he ha
been to the continent since But abou
the shooting? No, [ didn't shoot; wa
timid about firearms. The sight only,
assured him, of loaded gun made. IN
tremble (pass me here, reader there is
loaded gun always hanging over M
chimney piece in the parlor). Had | n
9 firearms He had . beautiful gun. NJ
I had none. Then he returned to tn
house question. Did I sleep on th
ground fioor2 No. Where then ? A
the top of the house,-it was two storie
high. Oh back or front !? Back. Fl
was very inquisitive, | thought; but
: seemed to enjoy telling him all | coult
: He thought he was duping me. poe
> devil Then he asked me did approx
of keeping money at home, or did sen
it to the bank. l started. | began
: think this was too good. No matter;
would go through with it. [ had tol
him lies enough why not tell him al
other? Aye, why not? | kept m
t money at home. Banks were unsafe; br
l assured him I felt uneasy 'just then
= because happened to have more tina
: usual, and it wasn't mine. Five hundre
e pounds ready money, I think told hin
No, it was 'tfive hundred pounds in notes
.l-hal ha! hal Five pence in cope,