Litchfield enquirer., 1873-01-09

deal more than it did Mrs. Markby, for, would you believe it ?-she told the story down below to. the whole company; with psntomimic action-and when showed myself at the door of the drawing room, I was received with shouts of inextinguish- able laughter as9 9sfs
 think called the Yorkshire people dense just now, didn't I? We'll, I'll add another epithet- -coarse-dense and coarse. told 'em so; but they only laughed the more. ,.., =.
 The guests were gone, the lights were out, slumber had just visited my eyes, when right into my brain, starting me up as if I'd been shot, came 8 noise, sort of dull bursting noise. wasn't really certain at first whether had heard a noise or only dreamed of it. sat up in bed and listened intently. Was it only my pulse humping into my ears, or were those regular beats, the tramp of some body's muffied feet? Then I heard an unmistakable sound creak, creak, creak "a door being opened slowly and eau- tious!y. All in moment the idea flashed into my head 3toe,aty-tVo MotsG1ad pounds. You see, all this dancing and junketing, and laughing and chafing, had completely driven out of my mind all thought of the large sum 1 had in my possession. had left it in my great coat pocket, which was hanging up in the hall, downstairs. --...-aa- z. 5 &
 Puff gust of wind came through the house, rattGng the doors and windows; and then I heard door slam, and foot step outside of some one stealing eau tiously away. ya # ss
 Away downstairs I went like mad man, my one thought to put my hand on that great-coat. It was brown great coat with long tails, and two pockets be-. hind, and little cash-pocket on the left hand side in front, and this breast pocket in which had put the bag of money. This pocket wasn't, as is usual, on the left-hand side, but on the right. There was no other coat hanging on those rails, only my wife's waterproof. What 8 swoop made to get hold of that coat {! Great heavens it was gone
 had carefully barred and chained the front door before went to bed-now it was unfastened. ran out into the street, and looked up and down, hopeless and bewildered. It was dark, damp night; the lamp at the corner threw long, sick ly ray down the streaming pavement, but there wasn't soul to be seen. Every thing was still, cold and dark.
 The moon was clean gone-yes, it was 1 gone. I repeated these words mechanic ally to myself, as crawled upstairs; All the results of this loss pictured them selves clearly before me-dismissal from the bank, ruin of all my prospects, utter turn? The blow that had fallen upon me was so heavy and sudden, that it had benumbed my faculties. My chief desire l was to crawl into bed, and fall asleep, hoping never to wake. But morning would come, surely enough-morning and | its attendant miseries. <, Then the thought came to me: Should go to bed and say nothing at all about that money, not 8 soul but Blaek, the Hs'r fio rreceipt I T for ' #, no Acknowledgment. Black had gone to America-a hundred things might happen-he might never re- turn; at all events, here was respite, inn mediate relief. I could go to the bank next morning. hang up nay hat as usual. everything would go on as before. Ii Black returned, my word was as good as his. The notes and checks could never | be traced home. But don't think T0- tained this thought long. Do you ever consider how much resolution and force O1 VIII 1b tdhcS t0 1uAtA6VC O SOoACO OA crime and deception? I'd neither the one nor the other; I should have broken down at once. I couldn't have met that 1 fellows eve and told him had never had his money. woke my wife-she'd slept through all the trouble, siMary."I l said, "we're ruined-there's been robbery"
 "A robbery!' cried she, clasping her l hands. ssand are the men Qone?'
 "Yes," said.
 ooh, thank Heayen," she said, ''then we're safe! Never mind the rest, Jack, as long as our lives are safe. But there's s my waterproof, Jack-oh! do run and see if they've taken that"
 Then told her the story of the twenty two thousand pounds. She wouldn't be. lieve me at first; but when she heard the whole story she was frightened enough Yet she had wits about her more than 1 had.
 "You must run of to the town-hall Jack" she said, "and set the police t. work. They must telegraph to all the stations, to London, and everywhere! Oh, do go at once, Jack, this very mo- ment. Every second lost may be ruin D us." ..
 Away went to the town hall. This was a big, classic place, with an in- mense portico and huge flight of steps; but you didn't go into the portico to get to the police office, but to the side, which wasn't classical at all, but of the rudimen- tary style of architecture, and you went along a number of echoing stone passa- 1 ges before you reached the superintem, ent's office. 7ss .e-
 When I told the superintendent the story-'Ah," he said, q think know who did that job" ....
 "Oh," said I, show thankful I sm! Then you can put your hands upon him and get back the money. l want the money back, Mir. Superintendent, never mind him. I wouldn't mind, indeed, re- warding him for his trouble, if could only get the money back. .-. 5:
 ''Sir," said the superintendent severely, "the police ain't sent into the world to get peoples money back, nothing of inc sort; we aren't going to encourage com position of felony; and as for putting cur hands on FlashylJoe, for he did the job, mark you-wel1, what do you think he liberty of the subject is for? Where's your evidenceY ,--c- n-f t@# -is7sst ~
 Twas obliged to confess hadn't any; whereat the superintendent looked at me contemptuously. .-
 "Now, let's see into this matter" said he, after he'd made some notes on q bf of paper. 'sHow came they to know you'd got the money in your coat rs+s. l I said didn't know. 9'- | ''Ah, but Iknow, "said the superintsnd- ent. ''You went to get glass of ale af- ter you left the bank, young man?"
 was obliged to confess I had done SO.
 That's how property gets stolen, " said he, looking at me severely. stAnd what's more, you had glass with a E friend?-Ah! knew you had. And per- 1 haps you got talking to this friend oi I yours?" s4 tssS@ si@i4s~+ Il ! "Yes, indeed, had" sts3 a ''Very we'll; and mentioned about the money you'd just took?'
 Il s'Yery likely" si 5s ss--s p. I .'Then this Joe, depend upon it, was in the crib at the time, and he heard you; and he followed you back to the bank and you haven't got blinds. but Q wire netting over the window, and anybody