New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-19

that very evening. An incoherent, teal
blotted note from Marie accompanied thi
| filed with protestations Ct sorrow at tn
necessity of thus deserving as. She va
torn by conflicting feelings of love towar
Mrs. Powers and her sacred duty to tn
mother of little Helene, the. angel chilli
| whom she had 60 dearly loved, and who's
voice she now heard calling to her from tn
| spirit world, bidding her remain and con
! fort the lonely mother.
| While my wife read this to me with tears
| / stood aghast at Belts predictions.
Theories are fascinating, but when specu
| lations turn into threatening certaintiet
and there stares you in the face conclusiv
proof that your house is to be robbed. 20
experience small pleasure in the accurat
foreknowledge of any prophet.
instantly telegraphed to Belts that
would meet him at my sOn-in-law's office a
twelve o'clock then proposed to my wit
that che should 60 to town and spend
couple of days with our daughter, an'
offered to drive her in myself. We set OF
within an hour, and after leaving her VI
town. hurried down, eager 10 see the de
tective. 1t was on the stroke of twelve
when entered the Office, and thought a
first that Belts had failed me, for 10 or,
was there but pOnderOus old gentleman
with gold glasses and white side whisk
ers. am not used to intriapes and mas
querades. and when recognized Belts II
the disguise could hardly refrain from ex
claiming at his cleverness; but his own cool
ness kept me within bounds, and l sal
down beside him and began reading a
paper. Presently, with his eyes still fast
ened on his Herald, he edged toward me,
and dropped these sentences into my ear:
"It's all going beautifully. . -. fol
lowed the girl in yesterday. -. WenI
to = hotel. !. :. The De Sturgesea
booked there all straight. Whole
party left Jersey City at nine o'clock last
night, ticketed and luggage checked to
Washington. i. Slipped out Of the
cars at Newark, all three in mems dress,
and were back here before midnight.
Met eight fellows know at saloon in -
street, and l can spot all eleven OF them
this very minute. They're at a den
in - street, getting ready to play their
little game somewhere tonight"
"At my housed" 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 arrest
'em powl"
Yes, just so," he returned irritably-
why not! Where's your evidence! Now,
Mr.. Powers, just look at this matter sensi-
bly,. You know as we'll as do that half of
the thieves We catch get off because no one
will swear to their identity at their exami-
nation. Now l 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 met"
II do"
GAN 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 be disguised
MS contempt, and went on to .ell me that
he had dispatched one Of his men, johnson
Dy name, to my place to make reconnois-
'ance, under pretense OF trimming my ever
green's. Upon this mans report, and upon
,wO or three other open questions which he
did not think it worth while to explain, de-
pended his programme for tonight. If, Dy
my possibility, there was a likelihood of
ny house being entered at once, Lwas TO
know 1t by dinner time, that l might be
prepared for the burglars. ! was mean
lime to go home quietly and spend my time
n NY usual manner, SO as to excite NO COM
nent among the servants, and receiving no
word from Belts was to rest satisfied and
consider my house safe for another twenty
our hours.
went home according to directions, and
ct about spending my day in my usual
way, but the house was SO STILL and seemed
o deserted, found it impossible to read,
ven to sit quietly in chair, for more than
we minutes at time. So called the lit
lie dog, Jingle, and set out for walk about |
he grounds, feeling some curiosity to get a |
limpse of the detective, johnson. 1t was
black December afternoon, shivering |
ND in In fnn
romising snow before midnight. The bare |
round was frozen hard, and few dead /
caves eddied about in gusts that rose and +
Ill at uncertain intervals. l heard the |
ound of an ak through the sombre stiffness, |
nd Jingle frisked forward and barked at a
ian hacking at the frs in the shrubberv. l |
him regarding his work. and he
linked back his appreciation of our mutual |
then went on, reconnoitred
" minutes longer, and again turned in.
The day seemed endless, and / was glad
hen Saunders Lit the gas and shut out the
ivering Landscape and funereal clouds with
e heavy curtains. Dinner time came,
I'd brought with it semblauce Of occuDa-
IN, and when was half through nv meal
remembered Jingle, and sent for
% TO keep me company. He was not in
e house. 1t flashed upon me that had
It seen him after passing johnson in the
icket, and l dispatched the coachman to
II him ia; but only echoes answered the
y. He had evidently remained out in the
ounds with the policeman, and dismissed |
3 subject from my MUD, finished nv
ssert, and went back to my library fire.
, word had come from Belts. hence / was
lie for tonight, at all events, and l |
eathed freer, and stretched my legs and
zed until ten o'clock in comparative COM
10 T.. I
d went out the door and along the side ;
lzzas to speak word with johnson. who,
it's had arranged, was in any case TO
ep watch under the covered carriage
lie was not there. did not understand ,
Had he got drunk, or had Belts taken
q away! Perhaps, however, he was still
tering at the edge Of the grounds; accord I
ly, walked out on the lawn, and swung G
lantern two OF three times. Then, as It G
s bitter cold, and was beginning to snow, =
lrned in, and, finding that it was almost
ven o'clock, ordered Saunders TO close >
bed l went myself.
'ut as soon as the light was out, and my y
ID touched the pillow / was freshly i'm :
ssed by the mystery of JOhnson's disep- 3
rance, and accordingly l got up, opened
piston case, took out two revolvers, and =
ting them and swordcane within easy =
Oh, returned to bed. .
Deuce take this suspense ~ said !. as :
In lay down. II shan't sleep wink q
after tossing few times, and assuring h
self l could not close my eyes, l fell -
'ep-at least, after a time, / was +,
'kened bright light shining tull in nv n
}. =
Good God y cried out loud, "they've c,
re tonight" For three men, with black Il
lbric masks concealing their faces, stood | o.
{ me, each pointing pistol at my head. 6,
Please 10 get up, Mr.. Powers" said one OF
hem, IN a cool, civil way; "please to put al
hat dressing-gOwn and those slippers Il
shall not be harmed in the least if you "a
ONLY he uuiet and nhev 1irac+;nnS ,, h,