The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-08-13

their lair, he WnlSpeIeu, SeoA s0tIAoly
drowsy, Sergeant; always do about
this time. Five minutes nap will make
me 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. 80 r.
Nothing did happen requiring Mr.: ~Ba-
selton's presence either before Or after the
expiration of five minutes, although the
officer stealthily looked out a hundred
times during the night. At last the
darkness thinned away, and then, after 4
short gray twilight, dawn came. and the
sergeant shook Baselton by the shoulder.
Eyes, yes, I'm ready" stammered the
exhibitor, then he opened his eyes very
wide indeed: "Why, it's daylight! I
must have Slept
Yes of course you have, interrupted
the other, ''but let US 60. out quietly; I
don't mind our men seeing us. Of course
but others need not know Of our watch.'
II think the less your men or any body
else know about the way we kept our
watch, the BETTER" said Mr.. Baselton, a.
they left tho counter; in fact, I shall re-
gard it as +. friendly thing if you say moth.
ing about it, .,:I
The sergeant smiled, but kept his own
counsel; and it may be limited that Ba.
selton was,a 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 MIR. Glisser attributed
to the influence Of Mr.. Baselton's vigi.
lance. He took great interest in the ex.
hibitor's plans, and paid him several COM
pliments, which the latter received with
but Indifferent grace, having reasons that
the other knew nothing Of for thinking
but modcstly Of the same vigilance.
One morning, little while after the
fruitless watch, Mr.. Baselton was in q
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 ends of his
pencil case, when man spoke to him. He
looked round at the sound, and saw 20.
lice cons table, whom he very much dis
liked for his apathy and unbusincss.like
way, 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 Sc.
r'ous; but at any rate, should like a
word or two Wi tn you.''
"What for!' retorted Baselton. 81
have lost a gold watch, and as have not
breathed syllable about it to soul,
don't see how you could know anything
OF Ii, 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, 1 have my
opinion about these roberies, and think
have found out the order the thief
works in, and can pretty we'll guess in
what quarter he will try next. 1 believe
l can catch him."
"You F." exclaimed Baselton, with an
emphasis which was anything but COM
Elementary to the o fficer.
eyes, SIR" replied the man firmly; II
can. You have a good deal of influence
with the authorities, and if you will ask,
l shall be taken off regular duty and de-
tailed for special service, and I can then
catch him.
swell tell me your plans," said Basle-
ton land, in return, I will tell you this;
you know there arc ESQ offered on the
quiet for the apprehension Of the thief.
Find him, and will make it El00.''
The constable smiled, and, lowering his
voice, spoke to the exhibitor in whispers.
When he had finished, Baselton slapped
his hand on the counter with force that
Jared every article around, and exc!aim.
ed: ''You are right. Are you on
duty e.
':No. sir,'' said the man.
'Then you shall be-
The application for the eonstable's
change Of duty was doubtless made, for
he disappeared from his accustomed
patrol.
During the next day or two Basleton
became loquacious on the subject, and in
conversation with Mr.. Glisser, who took
a very kindly interest in the matter, own.
ed that he had changed his opinion about
the matter Of the robberies. He was
convinced, he said, that if the thief came
by night he would be caught long before,
but that everybody was on the wrong
scent. and that the theits were really
committed in the hustle of closing for the
evening, and then, not being found out
till the morning, it was naturally sup.
posed that the thief came In the night.
MIR. Glisser was very much struck by the
view. which he commended highly. and
urged an increased vigilance about the
time spoken of.
While this was going on there had been
no fresh depredations from the counters,
and Constable Lowchiffe had been absent
from duty, although no one seemed to
have noticed him. When the visitors
departed at the close of the day, all the
interior Of the building became depressing
enough as the light faded away, and there
were no places more spectral in their as.
pect than those where clustered most
closely the white statues, which were p|en.
tifully sprinkled about. Nvmphs,
Venuses, and Apollos, G1ecian hunters
scriptual and NEUROLOGICAL figures, all
looked equally ghostly in their dim white.
when the twilight of night has fallen upon
them. So, in the gray of the morning, all
the statuary looked mystic and unearth!y
enough, Us the stony figures looked down
'front.' heir pedestals; but none looked
more sepulchral than did tall sheeted
figure which occupied pedestal slightly
scrcened-come from which direction the
visitors might by two or three large
groups. This figure might have been taken
in the distance, and in the dim light, for
a Jewish priest, or Druid or an ything
Of the kind; but, had any one come near
enough to inspect, it would have seen that
the long rope was of linen, not stone, and
that the face was less that of any ancient
here than modern one, And, what was