The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-03-16

fhs stairs Hnd af1t him " b. atfemfts
w. fsrapo W. fhat var tNuh hsfe he
siied mDfo %fafncstiY ~ hot MUD
gieiag y0u I've. w feh m even hfesH
d1llan mt ~ nv 0wn pocket, u geUN
only stand W. me- IN ibi' matter ltsH
thinr I've been particularly Wishing ~
and nov that 4 Yea thanCe I'm hound w.
de- ii. Tbey'fs accusing me " hshging
lsfel In The Eyaa burglary, and, " taa
sboN em their mistake and capture ihis
fellow without calling In professional a.
distance, it will w. worth ~ me more Than
the money t1l awe you"
In moment he had arranged hi plsn,
Aner gying carefully over the FIRST loof
and tacutnga all the doors soa1 10 prevent
e,eape in this direc i0n-all the Cine oh
aervinr the greatest silence and caution
Perrin posted Goodman at the foot ~
the stairs. directed me ~ take my posi-
ton On the half way landing, and then
himyeif quietly assembled to the second
floor. revolver In one hand and bis heavy
byots In the other. Both Goodman and
myself we're to fire ut the burglar II he
ATTEMPTED 10 escape in our direction.
Az the policeman disappeared in the
drakues. Of the upper hall, ] began 10
feel rather unpleasantly. pressed
closely into the darkest corner Of the
landing. and listened. AZ FIRST all was
a dead silence but presently distinctly
heard i'm one OF the rooms above q sound
as of a drawer being opened. Then there
was n sharp, metallic ring, and some OBJ
icct fell lightly to the floor. Here, then
the burglar was at work. Before had
time to recove from the creepy chill
which this thought evoked, there was a
sudden, stifcd cxamination-a scufilpg
aud trampliDg OF fcet-a chalr over
thrown-a crash of glass, and a heavy
fall. OH the floor. The next moment Fer
rims voice was heard shouting loudly; -.
"Hello, here! Saunders? Goodman !!
Quick Fve got him down.
rushed up and attemp I'd to open the
door. To my surprise, it was fastened.
"Break it in" cried Perrin, cor get
through the landing-windOw on the ROOT
ofthe porch, or he'll escape"
rushed to the Landing. The window
was too high to be easily scaled by one
Of NV short and rather pussy stature,
and | ran down into the hall, seized a
chair, called to Goodman-who, how
ever. made nc response, having doubtless
heat n retreat on nearing the noise above
and with difficulty and delay sue
ceeded in getting through the window
| wrenched opened the shutters OF the
room in which the struggle was going on
and throwing up the sash sprang to the
floor within.
All was pitch darkness and deer
silence. Not a sound, not a breathi
could be heard. A cold horror came
over me. The thief had murdered HI,
captor, left him dead ON the fioor' and
escaped.
still Iocked-nod doubt by the murderer 1T
his fight. | threw up the front WINDOW,
and yelled Justify for help.
n jIVbat'stbe matter ?" shouted a voice
from the street; ,,,,u
A crowd, including two policemen
rushed in. They told me they found the
front door open, though | had the key,
which Perrin had given me, still about
me. and, breaking in the chamber LOOT
dressed on with eager faces.
where's the burglar" inquired one
| of the officers, looking around as the ga'
was lighted. ou J.
Where's the murdered man." DE
manded the other, whilst a precociously
thoughtful boy pushed his way through
the crowd, ushering in a physician
whom he had hastily summoned from nj
office, a few doors OFT. =,
There was no mangled body on The
naor no blood. stain anywhere. a rokef
I cbair. an overturned table, a shattered
Rohemian.glass toilet-set-these alon'
testified to the struggle that had taker
place. un,o Iox,Iainsc
"The thief has escaped, and the pc,
liceman is after him. concluded
"Hadn't you better join IN the puFsui
at once" r..,o
said one of the officers, coolly.
The search revealed some burea,
drawers pried open, and several JeWel
cases and two understands lying emptle'
of their contents. Downstairs the plat
had vanished from the dining-room clos
ots and the doors Of my writing desI
stood omen, revealing the secret money
drawer minus the roll of bank note
which I had an hour before deposlte'
there.
How on earth could this have bee
lone % | exclaimed in tewilderment
The secretary was locked when W
went upstairs after the burglar. ii
could not have had time to do this wor
after his escape, and with Perrin in pun
suit and Goodman at the foot OF Tn
stairs"
81 rather think, sir, that your disir
tsrested friends, Perrin and Goodman
know more about this matter than yo
do" remarked a policeman, grimly, "P
90 and hunt 'em up now, and no doul
they'll be promoted for this nights wor
to the state-prison."
Slowly the light began to dawn upo
+, mvdazed and bewildered mind. llooke
around. | saw a grin broadening on ii
t faces of all present, and heard a murml
= in which i could distinguish only II
appalling m~onosyllable "sold!"
l One month thereafter | had the plea
ure of indentifying my friends, Goo
man and the s9i-disant policeman lie
} rim of the Third district" as they we
: led from the prisoners box, adornt
D with iron bracelets, each to serve
l second term in the state-prison, Goo
man nodded p%atronizing at me, while
c companion looked me full in the fac
a smiled .uavely, and-winked.
y may add that TIE plate and jewe
!, with most Of the money, were recovered
70 hut | have since been very particular
always closing the window-.hutters Al
curtains at Mighty Y. Clipper.