The Morning herald., 1876-10-30
Curtis, arms. aided by Miss Gibbod, whils

the big safe, huddled something that they
found there into bag, and turned out one
gas jet, while Miss Gibbon produced tin
pail from concealed corner, and carefully
adjusted it over the remaining gas jet.
The boy had to make himself Scarce"
at this juncture Of affairs, fearing that the
men were coming out, and so could tell no
llore. 81, s+. a... ,nfJI
"What kind of looking men were they?"
asked Eta, eagerly.
81 couldn't tell one Of them," he an
swered, flor I didn't see his face 1t all; but
the otherAwas regular stelf3 with black
moustache, and diamond shirt-studs."
II know" cried the girl, frightening up,
"Now you must come with me to the
police.station, and repeat all this before "a
magistrate"
mo you don't~ cried the young vaga-
bond, drawing off. you'll never catch
me near reever--they hate boys"
"But why should you be afraid, when
your conduct has been upright? ms
"A policeman never see an upright boy"
swell, nevermind," J" said Eta, shrewdly
concluding that to press this sullen witness
further than he desired to be pressed, was
to irrecoverably lose his evidence altogetb-
err but while she uttered the words, she
had already formed a plan whereby she
would suddenly spring a trap under tile
very feet of the conspirators. The boy
lounged away, not half satisfied with him
self for various reasons; but he had no
sooner turned the corner, than Eta was on
his track, displaying i'll her apparent inno-
cent scrutiny of the neighborhood, all the
willy attributes Of an old detective.
After devious windipgs through dirty
streets, Eta traced the enemy of police
men to his home, and learned from another
boy that his name was Billy Stephens AND
that he was the son of a washwoman.
BilIy's father was 80 continually either on
'the Island" or drinking himself there,
that no one ever thought of counting him,
in mentioning the boys genealogy.
Learning SO much, Eta brought up at
the nearest police-statio.l, told her story,
and had an officer detailed to arrest the
boy, who proved himself-I won't say as
obstinate as that much abused animal, the
mule-but as obstinate as only suIlen HUI
man being can be. ,.
He cast malignant glance on Eta on
being brought into her presence.
"Come! comep cried the arresting officer,
shaking him as he might a refractory
puppy; I'VE want none o that here" III
"Ob, you get outv' cried Billy, angrily,
wriggling his coat collar free. '''Who are
you--and who stole Peter Nulligan's ham?'
The officer became red in the face, and
Billy relaxing from his sullenness- in the
success OF his insinuation, actually smiled,
which smile being reproduced on the faces
Of the other officers present, SO exasperated
policeman No. l, that he could not for a
moment speak for rage, and Billy grew up
roarous in his mirth. .tt.t.
"You young thiefw he cried, coming at
length, to his voice; "I'll teach you to in
suit an officer to his face! I've wanted you
for long time, and you know what for"
This latter significantly.
Eta painfully awoke to all this, and
fearing an entire overthrow to all her plans,
begged leave to speak in private TO the en-
ragged policeman, and being accorded her
request, retired with him to an inner room,
In five minutes they returned, the officer
largely magnanimous, and Eta again
beaming with hope. She took seat near
the boy, and said:
"Now, Billy, we are going to make a
bargain with you, and give you your choice
between two courses, and these are the two.
Either tell these gentlemen all you know
about the robbery at Messrs. Lamb q Press
er's, or go to Jail for robbing the orchard
in Dorchester, last autumn. If you tell all
you know, they promise never to prosecute
you. Which will you do?'
Billy looked at the wall, then shifted
from one foot to another, before he said:
"You needn't think you can take me in,
for know very we'll if l told, I'd be sent
to the Island as soon as they'd done with
me-" here Billy's tears rose in his eyes,
and humanized him-"or maybe to the
school-ship, N don't deserve that. There
was only thirteen apples in them as took
from the orchard, an half % them was rot
ten; an 1 never did nothing else, except to
save an old fellow from drowaing, when
he fell off the wharf, ? fishing. An when
l picked up his pocket-book for him, the
old hummer snatched at it like a cat, for
fear I'd want anything, an sed get out you
young thief, or I'll have you arrested!"
"He did," cried Billy, now overcome by
his woes, and sobbing heartily, yet not
very clear in his reasoning powers; "an
it's no wonder officers an me hate each
other"
Billy was reassured Of the fidelity OF the
official promise, and in his softened state,
persuaded and coaxed, till he told The whole
story over again; was again interrsgated re.
garding the burglars appearance, and still
described the only one he could recognize,
bv the black moustache and the diamond
PIN.
As the officers were unable to fix on any