Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-01-21

whispered: al feel terribly drowsy. Ser
geant; ! always do about this time. Five
minutes nap will make me feel as fresh
as daisy. Rouse me up if you hear
anything before that time"
His companion smiled, and in the
same subdued tone gave the promise.
Nothing did happen requiring Mr. Bas-
elton's presence either before or after
the expiration of five minutes, although
the officer stealthily looked out hun
dred times during the night. At last the
darkness thinned away. and then, after a
short, gray twilight, dawn came, and
the Sergeant shook Baselton by TIE
shoulder.
Yes, yes; I'm ready" stammered the
exhibitor, then opened his eyes very wide
indeed, why, it's daylight 1 must
Yes, of course you have, interrupted
the other; "but let US get out quietly. l
don't mind our men seeing us, of course;
but others need know nothing of our
watch"
u think the less your men or ANYBODY
else know about the way we kept our
watch, the better" said Mr.. Baselton, as
they left the counter; "in fact, | shall
regard it as friendly thing if you say
nothing about it."
The Sergeant smiled, but kept his own
counsel; and it may be limited that Bas-
elton was very liberal fellow, although
somewhat hasty. 1t turned out that no
pilfering had taken place that night; nor
did any occur for two or three nights
after, fact which Mr. Glisser attribut-
ed to the influence of Mr.. Baselton's
vigilance. He took great interest in the
exhibitors plans, and paid him several
compliments, which the latter received
with but Indifferent grace, having rea-
sons that the other knew not of for
thinking but modestly of this same vigi-
lance.
One morning little while after the
fruitless watch Mr.. Baselton was in
very bad temper, for he had sustained a
fresh loss. He was leaning against a
pillar some short distance from his coun-
ter, thoughtfully biting the end of his
pencil-case, when man spoke to him.
He looked round at the sound, and saw a
police constable, whom he very much
disliked for his apathy and unbusine S.
like ways, standing close by him. He
growled out some hardly civil words, and
turned from the man, but the latter was
not to be daunted.
81 am afraid you have had loss, sir"
said the man, and hope it is not very
serious; but at any rate / should like a
word or two with you"
"Whst forg" retorted Baselton. 81
have lost gold watch, and as / have
not breathed a syllable about it to soul
l don't see how you could know any
thing of it unless some of your lively
force have"
You are too severe, Mr.. Baselton,"
said the other, finding he stopped; you
are indeed, sir. Now, sir, ] have my
opinion about these robberies, and
think | have found out the order the
thief works in, and can pretty well guess
la what quarter he will next try. | be-
lieve can catch him."
"Youm exclaimed Baselton, with an
emphasis which was anything but COM
plimen.ary to the officer.
"Yes, SIR" replied the man firmly
81 can. You have good deal of infiu-
ence with the authorities, and if you will
ask shall be taken off regular duty and
detailed for special service; and / can
then catch him."
"Well, tell me your plans" said Basel
ton, Z" and in return will tell you this
You know there are ESQ offered on the
Quiet for the apprehension of the thief.
Find him, and | will make it e100."
The constable smiled, and, lowering
his voice, spoke to the exhibitor in whis-
pers When he had finished Baselton
slapped his hand on the counter with a
force that Jared every article around,
and exclaimed: You are right. Are
| you on duty?"
No, SIR" said the man.
"Then you shall be-"
The application for the constable's
| change of duty was doubtless made, for
he disappeared from his accustomed
patrol.
During the next day or two Baselton
became loquacious on the subject, and In
conversation with Mr. Glisscr, who took
very kindly interest in the matter,
owned that he had changed his opinion
about the matter of the robberies. He
was convinced, he said, that II the thief
came by night he would have been
caught long before, but that everybody
was on the wrong scent, and that the
thefts were really committed in the
hustle of closing for the evening, and
then, not being found out till the morn
ing, it was naturally supposed that the
thief came in the night. Mr.. Glisser
was much struck by this view, which he
commended highly, and urged increased
vigilance about the time spoken Of.
While this was going on there had been
no fresh depredations from the counters,
and Constable Lowcliffe had been absent
from duty, although no one seemed to
have noticed it. When the visitors de-
parted at the close of the day all the in
terror of the building became depressing
enough, as the light faded away, and
there were no places more spectral In
their aspect than those where clustered
most closely the white statues, which were
sprinkled about Nymphs, Venuses,
Bacchuses and Apollos, Grecian hunters,
scriptural and neurological figures. all
looked equally ghostly in their dim white,
when the twilight or night had fallen
upon them. So, in the gray of the even
ing, all the statuary looked dim and IN.
earthly enough, as the stony hgures
looked down from their pedestals; but
none looked more sepulchral than did a
tall. sheeted figure which occupied q
pedestal slightly screened-come from
which direction the visitor mignt-Dy two
or three large groups. This figure might
have been taken in the distance, and In
the dim light, for Jewish priest, or
| 49, . of tho lind. Int had