National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-11-10

caught my eye.
a little in the widgoose-chasc way
thought ], as ] nearet them" going tc
catch feathers from pucked bird"
Notwithstanding proceeded, and just
a. ! got within their eye-shot-my own
was discharged farther down-onc of the
two made oifup Pitt Street, but not before
discovered he was no other than one o
my suspected at Stockbridee. The coat
less one sunk in, and leaving him safe
enough, | made of after the fugitive.
traced him TO the turn of lIeriot Row, and
saw him running west at full speed. II
was Sabbath morning, and Il was not .or
a decent person like me TO be pursuing
thieves on the Lords day, though ! was
sure they were not running to church.
So | turned my steps back To the tailor's
shop, where my wbite-sleeved gentleman
was now likely completing his toilet, to
appear as gay as possible in presence OF his
Sunday-out housemaid who would be ready
for him as usual. about the time when her
mistress would be thinking her devout
Jenny would be walking churchward to
the sound Of the Sabbath-bells.
On getting down stairs ] knocked at a
door, and straightway there appeared before
me my coatless customer, still uncoated,
and holding in his hand Dig knife. The
| appartion startled me little, but did not
drive away my wits. must get the kniIe
out of his hand He looked fierce, but
that was no reason why | should not look
the very opposite.
Put on your coat said and come
out and speak to mc"-a process he could
not very well have gone through with the
gully in his hand.
Obedience to a soft request is natural,
which. after all, he had perhaps been cut
ting his breakfast loaf donned his coat
and came ont TO me- leaving the knife
behind.
who was the lad you We're speaking
to a little while ago at the door p inquired
Il was speaking to nobody" replied he:
with a very determined air-a denial which
resolved me at once. How much more
often have drawn out denial, where the
denied fact was clear. than | ever did out
of an affirmation, though clenehed with an
oath
tion which may appear unauthorized, il
not iool-hardy, but which ! took my risk
of-ior with me 1t has always been no
risk, no reward take your hat,
While | keep hold of you," remembering
the knife, "and then | will take you where
you may e,t some help to your memory"
And having kept hold of him i'll he was
covered, took him up the outside stair
and committed him 70 one of my brethren,
who quietly led him to the office
Having dispatched this worthy, ] kept
watch at the door until the officer returned,
then betook myself to examine the nest
from which had taken my bird. At the
foot of the stairs | met an old man, the
master of the youth, and, as | afterwards
learned, his uncle. Though he had not
formerly appeared, he had heard enough to
satisfy him of what had been doing, and
was clearly prepared for me.
Though you have not often customers
on Sunday morning" said ], g have
commission for three ,opsoats, and want
them upon the instant"
IL sell nothing on the Lords day."
replied my devout gentleman "neither
do | work on that dav."
But you are not forbidden to answer a
plain question on that day" l rejoined
/" and | ask you if you have about you
three topcoats and as you don't traffic
to-day, shall take them from you for
nothing, to relieve your conscience"
81 have nothing OF the kind" (sulkily);
. do you take me for thief"
" Not Just yet" said ; "but wait there
/, little, and perhaps | may do you that
avor when come up stairs"
And without waiting for ali answer, |
shot down very tempting inner stair,
eading to an underground kitchen at the
bottom, and below the back of which, ,,
where there was a recess, found the very
.hings | was in search Of In all which
though there was a dash OF
there were not wanting proba
Diities, where were at least sufficient to :
ne. and in the following of which ] was
hus rewarded
81 will take you for thief now" said
, as | came up tie stair with the three !
oats over my arm. "Though you could
rot sell clothes on the Lords day to :
nan, you could sell yourself to the devil
" telling me lie. These are the coats"
~, tHCN luusl Dt pHNN :, 'phu
inderson,' he cried
"No matter; they have been found in I,
our house, and you go with me-"
And the devout little old man was so /;
ar cured of his devotion, that he neither y
reached nor prayed, probably because he .
ad not willing audience, and hypocrisy o
oses its cant before justice. He went 8
uietly to where his nephew was; and now +
t was necessary to catch the other birds, II
rho suspected were those who brought n
he prey home There was no difficulty o
bout them; William Ferguson had seen ~
n the morning talking to Anderson we II
OF him on the same night at the house OF +,
is father. But there was another spoken "
" John Anderson, as having been &,
ctivelv engaged in the robbery - the
rother of William Ferguson, called John. a.
had always such a desire to see my a
iends together, that it vexed me when b
nv one was absent from a meeting, where
he sympathy was generally so complete, Il
hat no one contradicted another, but all a,
ere bound together in the bonds of friend m
hip, rendered tighter by cause of com $,
ION interest If ] had got none of the n
theirs, would probably have been less
Dlicitous about John but John ] must II
ct or my peace was not of that kind 81
-hich consists in duty done. There was a
ifficulty about this John. | had never G,
cen him. neither had any of my detective h,
ret hren; and that he had nade desper- n,
te bolt, there could be no doubt, having
, all likelihood heard of the capture of h,
anderson in the tore-part of the day. A
\notner officer considered he had got a,
tring in the direction of Leith, because al
G had heard at the house of the father is
hat they had friends in that quarter.