Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-02

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would leave the house, promising to
return, but would not return. Two of
| these predictions were already verified !;
but if Marie came back / could laugh at
his suspicious, and regard them as futile
But Marie did not return at five O'Clock !;
a telegram arrived in her stead from
Madame De Sturges, saying that she had
kept the girl, and would write at length
and explain. Next morning a letter was
| received from that lady. She told my
| wife she was i'll, yet obliged to travel :;
| homesick in strange land, without a
| familiar woman's face near ner, and that
! she had persuaded, almost forced, Marie
| to remain and set out with her and her
! husband for New Orleans that very even
| ing. An incoherent, tear blotted note from
| Marie accompanied this, filled with pro-
| testations of sorrow at the necessity of
| thus deserving US. She was torn by con-
| f1icting feelings Of love toward Mrs
| Powers and her sacred duty to the mother
| OF little Helene, the angel child whom
| she had so dearly loved, and whose voice
she now heard calling to her from the
| spirit world, bidding her remain and
comfort the lonely mother.
While my wife read this to me with
tears, l stood aghast at Belts predictions
instantly telegraphed to Belts that l
would meet him at my son-in-law's office
| at twelve O'Clock, then proposed to my
wife that she should go to town and
! spend a couple of days with our daughter,
and offered to drive her in myself. Weset
| OFT within an hour, and after leaving her
up town | hurried down, eager to see the
detective. 1t was on the stroke of twelve
| when l entered the office and l thought
at first that Belts had failed me, for no
one was there but ponderous old gentle
man with gold glasses and white side
| whiskers. l am not used to intrigues
and masquerades, and when | recognized
Belts in this disguise could hardly re-
frain from exclaiming at his cleverness;
| but his own GOODNESS kept me within
bounds, and I sat down beside him and
| began reading paper. Presently, with
| his eyes still fastened on his Herald, he
edged toward me, and dropped these SEN
! fences in my ear:
"It's all going beautifully. X
| followed the girl in yesterday.
Sturgeses booked there all straight. : X
Whole party left Jersey City at nine
o'clock last night, ticketed and luggage
| checked to Washington. x x Slipped
| out OF the car at Newark, all three in
mems dress, and were back here before
midnight. Met eight fellows I
know at a saloon in - street, and can
spot all eleven of 'em this very minute
They're at den in - street,
getting ready to play their little game
somewhere tonight
CAT my house?' | cried
He shook his head
Dunno" said he, looking straight
into the fire.
"Look here, Belts" l whispered, "this
may be fun to you, but, though I'm no
coward, it's death to me. Why not ar
rest 'em now?'
Yes, just So" ne returned, irritably-
"why not? Where's your evidence :?
Now, Mr.. Powers, just look at this mat
ter sensibly. You know as well as I do
that half the thieves we catch get off be-
cause no one will swear to their identity
at their examination. Now [ am anxious
to make sure thing of it for once, and
take my oath that [ caught them in the
act"
you mean to arrest them while they
are rObbing me?"
az do"
Cali right-only 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 disguised
his contempt, and went on to tell me that
he had dispatched one of his men, John
son by name, to my place to make re-
connoissance, under pretense of trimming
my evergreens. Upon this mans report,
and upon two or three other open ques-
tiOns which he did not think it worth
while to explain, depended his programme
for tonight. If by any possibility there
was a likelihood of my house being en-
tered at once, was to know it by dinner
time, that [ might be prepared for the
burglars. | was meantime to 90 home
quietly, and spend my time in my usual
manner, so as to excite no comment among
the servants, and receiving no word from
Belts | was to rest satisfied, and consider
my house safe for another tWentv-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, l found it impossi-
BILE to read, even to sit quietly in chair,
for more than five minutes at a time So
called the little dog, and set out for
walk about the grounds, feeling some
curiosity to get glimpse of the detective,
Johnson. 1t was black December after
noon, shivering wind in the tree-tops,
and leaden clouds promising snow before
midnight. The bare ground was frozen
! hard, and few dead leaves eddied about
| in gusts that rose and fell at uncertain in
tervals. | heard the sound of an ak
! through the somber stiffness, and Jingle
| frisked forward and barked at a man
| hacking at the frs in the shrubbery [
! addressed him regarding his work, and
| he winked back his appreciation of our
mutual sharpness; then | went on, re-
| connoitered few minutes longer, and
! again turned in. The day seemed end
| less, and [ was glad when Saunders lit
the gas and shut out the shivering land
scape and funeral clouds with the heavy
curtains. Dinner-time came, and brought
with it a semblance of occupation, and
when was half through my meal I sud
denly remembered Jingle, and sent
for him to keep me company. He was
not in the house. 1t flashed upon me
that | had not seen him after passing
Johnson in the thicket, and I 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 | dismissed the sub
ject from my mind, finished my dessert,
and went back to my library fire. No
word had come from Belts, hence l was
safe for tonight, at all events, and
breathed freer, and stretched my legs and
dozed until ten O'Clock in comparative
comfort. Then, rousing myself, [ lit a
lantern and went out the door and along
the side piaZZas to speak a word with
Johnson, who, Belts had arranged, was in
any case to keep a watch under the GOV.