The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-04-30

little Helene, the angel child whom sh
had so dearly loved, and whose voie
she now heard calling to her from tn
spirit world, bidding her remain an,
comfort the lonely mother.
While my wife read this to me witt
tears, stood aghast at Belts predic
tiOns.
instantly telegraphed TO Belts tina
L would meet him at nv son-in-law'
Office at twelve o'clock, then proposed
to my wife that she should 60 to tow
and spend couple of days with oul
daughter, and offered to drive her Il
myself. We set off within an hour, anC
after leaving her up town I hurried
down, eager to see the detective. I
was on the stroke of twelve when I en-
tered the Office, and thought at frs
that Belts had failed me, for no one wa.
there but a ponderous old gentleman
with gold glasses and white side
| whiskers. / am not used to intrigues
and masquerades, and when recog
nized Belts in this disguise I could
hardly refrain from exclaiming at his
clCverness !; but his own GOODNESS kept
me within bounds, and L sat down be.
side him and began reading q paper
Presently, with bis eyes still fastened
on his Herald, he edged toward me,
and dropped these sentences in my ear
&c It's all going beautifully. !
I followed the girl in yesterday.
Went to - hotel. The
De Sturgeses booked there all straight.
Whole party left Jersey City
at nine o'clock last night, ticketed and
/ luggage checked to Washington. =
Slipped out of the car at Newark,
all three in mems dress, and we're back
/ here before midnight. Met
/ eight fellows know at a saloon in -
/ street, and I can spot all eleven of 'em
| this very minute. They're at
a den in street, getting ready to
play their little game somewhere to-
night"
"At my house ?" I cried.
He shook his head
Dunno" said he looking straight
into the fire.
"Look here, Belts" I whispered.
" this may be fun to you, but, though
I'm no coward, it's death to me. Why
not arrest 'em now ?"
=" Yes, just So" he returned, irritabIy
&c why not q? Where is your evidence
Now, Mr.. Powers, just look at this mat
ter sensibly. You know as well as do
that half the thieves we catch get of
because no one will swear to their iden-
dLLi
anxious to make a sure thing of it for
them in the act. :"
You mean to arrest them while they
are robbing me?"
81 10. J."
An right-only I should prefer to
have the row in another mans house. -
saw at once that Belts opinion of
me had gone down to zero /; but he dis
guised his contempt, and went on to
tell me that he had dispatched one Of
his men, johnson by name, to my place
TO make a reconnaissance, under pre-
tense of trimming my evergreens. Up
on this mans report, and upon two or
three other open questions which he did
not think it worth while to explain, de-
pended his programme for tonight. If
by any possibility there was a likeli-
hood of my house being entered at once,
I was to know it by dinner-time, that I
might be prepared for the burglars. I
was meantime to go home quietly, and
spend my time IN my usual manner, so
as to excite no comment among the ser
wants, and receiving no word from Belts
1 was to rest satisfied, and consider my
house safe for another twenty-four
hours.
went home according to directions,
and set about spending the day in my
usual way, but the house was so still,
and seemed so deserted, found it i'm
possible to read, even to sit quietly in a
chair, for more than five minutes at a
ime. So called the little dog, and
ct out for walk about the gardens,
<eeIing some curiosity to get a glimpse
of the detective, johnson. It was a
black December afternoon, a shivering
wind in the tree-tops, and leaden clouds
promising snow before midnight. The
bare ground was frozen hard, ana few
dead leaves eddied about in gusts that
rose and fell at uncertain intervals. I
heard the sound of an ak through the
somber stiffness, and Jingle frisked for
ward and barked at a man hacking at
the frs in the shrubbery. I addressed
him regarding his work, and he winked
back his appreciation of our mutual
sharpness then I went on, reconnOi-
tered few minutes longer, nd aga n
turned IN. The day seemed endless,
and I was glad when Saunders lit the
gas and shut ont the shivering land
scape and funeral clouds with the heavy
curtains. Dinner-time came, and brought
with 1t q semblance of occupation, and
when I was half through my meal
suddenly remembered Jingle, and sent
for him to keep me company. He was
not in the house. It flashed upon me
that had not seen him after passing
johnson in the thicket, and dispatched
the coachman to call him in but only
echoes answered the cry. He had evil
IDENTIFY remained out in the grounds
with the policeman, and I dismissed the
subject from my mind, finished my des
ssrt, and went back to my library fire.
No vuovI bo1 oov,oo from Rakta hanea I
was safe for tonight, at all events, and
I breathed freer, ami stretched my legs
and dozed until ten o'clock in compare
tive comfort. Then, rousing myself,
lit lantern and went out the door and
along the side piazzas to speak word
with Johnson, who, Belts had arranged,
was in any case to keep watch under
the covered carriage-way.
He sOas not there. I did not under
stand It. Had he got drunk, or had
Belts taken him away? Perhaps, how
ever, he was still lettering at the edge
of the grounds {; accordingly, I walked
out on the lawn and swung my lantern
two or three times. Then, as it was
bitter cold and was beginning to Snow,
I turned in, and, finding it was almost
eleven o'clock, 1 ordered Saunders to
close the house and send the servants
BGly hllNA W DGNA 4 M0tAI oIAAs
But as soon rs the light was out and
my head touched the pillow I was fresh
" impressed by the mystery of John
sons disappearance, and accordingly /
got up, opened my pistol-case, took out
two revolvers, and putting them and
sword-cane within easy reach I returned
to bed.
deuce take this suspense = I said,
as I again lay down. =" I sha'n't sleep
wink" But after tossing n few times
and assuring myself I could not close
my ewes 1 fell asieep-at least, after a
time L was awakened by a bright light
shining full in my face. g Good God -
I cried out loud, F" they've come to-
night" For three men, with black
eambric masks concealing their faces,
stood over me, each pointing a pistol at
my head
t'Please to get up, Mr.. Powers, said
one of them, in a cool, civil way !;
please to put on that dressing gown
and those slippers. You shall not be
harmed In the least if you viii only be
quiet and obey directions. I got up
and put on dressing gown and slippers.
Then one of the men paurht my arms