The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-09-24
aa . gsamimer
A"HERALD" PERSONAL.
BY A DETECTIVE.


20 1877 Uric hgirry.
There IL was, in italics, haiS way
down the "personal" column of the
Herald, conspicuous only for its sim
gular and most aggravating combin-
alton of letters and figures, the sole
clue to the whereabouts of the gem
had been after for over week,
scarcely resting, eating or sleeping
in my anxiety to secure the reward
offered in a heavy burglary cas- -
and something else.
That something else" All! my
heart sank within me as flung aside
the enigmatical puzzle before me, and
leaning back in my chair gave myself
up to the gloomy reveries of the past.
Edna. Dayton-how | loved her!
How fair and beautiful as sum-
mer's idyl had been the week in
which l had met her, had loved her,
and had been told that my affection
was returned ! How well | remem-
Der the bitter parting-a hopeless
one, ii seemed to mc-when | learn
ed my fate from her fathers lips, and
passed down the brown stone steps
of the Dayton mansion, wondering
If the inclination of moncyed men
toward stone residences was not
caused by the existence of a similar
hard material in that part of the hui
man anatomy known as the heart.
was n poor man, he said, and the
profession of detective was n pro-
carious one. His daughter loved INC
he could not deny that-but She was
his only child, and her wealth and
position demanded match with
some social equal. lie would not
break her heart by absolutely rcfus-
ing TO sanction our engagement; but
if within year could secure for
tune of twenty-five thousand dollars
and lucrative business, and Edna
was still of the Same mind-well, he
would consider ii,
Twenty-Five thousand dollars! |
grew sick at the thought of the con-
dition imposed, upon which L was
TO purchase my future happiness.
the reception of a meagrc salary, and
utterly unknown, where was l to
raise this amount. and what business
capacity had the son of parents who
had given me every luxury, and neg
lected a practical education, until a
crash came that left us homeless and
in penury.
Day and night for over n month |
brooded over my sorrows, and then
one day was aroused into renewed
life by the reception of a formal but
courteous note from Mr.. Dayton re-
quosting my immediate attendance
at the mansion.
My feet winged rs ] fastened TO
the house of my loved Edna. What
did il mean? Had he relented Was
Edna sick, or did business await me
at the pleasure of my hard-hearted
pensorP l was ushered into the Ii
brary, where found the old ,,entle-
man in an intense state of excite
ment pacing the floor, the window
broken in, papers and boxes scatter
ed about the apartment, and safe in
the Corner broken open.
stared at him In amazement.
"You seem agitated. Mr.. Dayton"
Iventured to suggest
"Agitated agitated, sir | am
wild. Late last night, or early this
morning, burglars entered this apart
ment by means of ypnder window
and broke open the safe. When
came down this morning, 1 found at,
fairs as they are now, and nearly one
hundred thousand dollars in money,
bonds aud jpwelry gone ~
! stared mutely, The immensely
of the robbery petriiied me-.
mo-" he Numbered, coming to Q
full stop. ~ have no confidence In q
police force which fails TO protect q
house from such an audacious bur
glary and expects one-half of the
booty for Its return. Here Is the
room, and yonder is list of tho
stolen property. l believe you are
honest, and leave the entire affair
IN your own hands, Call upon M
iiir Whatever money you reduire IL
an attempt TO recover the property
or to detect the thieves. If you sue
coed within n month will pay yol
thirty thousand dollars. If you iai
] viii pay your expenses for tn
month and place tho case In you
hands. Are you satisfiedW
! gasped systematically. Thirt.
thousand dollars A fortune-mor'
than the price of my happiness! An'
then the pride of my profession cam
to my aid, and L told him that
should succeed.
| examined the apartment. Tn
burglary had been effected very sim
ily;apparontly. Edward, tho foot
IliahLH tall, lank specimen of human
iiy had heard n noise in the night II
the library, but had paid no atten
ton to II, as Mr.. Dayton was in th
habit of writing very late, and Ia
thought 1t was his employer.
What puzzled me most was til
means of entrance and cgress adop'
cd by the burglar or burglars. III
library was fully fifteen feet from til
ground, had bay window, and, o.
gept the broken pane Of glass, ther
was not the slightest sign to shol
how the window had been gaiped
a ladder would have done II, but N
marks of a ladder, no signs of foot
steps exhibited themselves IN III
dampground, wet from recent rain'
" Wis sarely puzzled. ! examine
the servants one by one, but coul
find no clue to justify the slighte.
suspicion of completely in the ailai
on their part. The work had .ev
IDENTITY been dope by scientific bul
glars, and they had worked at thel
leisure,
inquired into the aptecedepts
Edward, the iootmm hut MI. VA.
ton ayerred that he would allow II
suspicion to rest on SO faithful Sc
want to the family. l resolved to II