The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-04-25


acquired the to me, very interesting
fact that some three weeks since, when
the medicO was riding home to break
fast after an early call. strange man
had suddenly appeared in the middle of
the highway and had implOred his help.
He claimed of having fallen upon a heap
of broken glass, and held out his right
hand to exhibit its condition. The doc
tor took out his pocket case of inStTu-
ments, and extracted five Splinters from
the iniamed palm. While he did so the
patient whimpered like a woman.
''HOw was the fellow dressed - !
cried. breathlesSly.
"A blue blouse and black UnderclOthes,
as far as / can recall. -
Gould you identify him again -
Perhaps. His face made an impress
sion on me. rather because it did not
seem to match the clothing. and yet,
now | think of il. | seem to see only an
ordinary brow. nose and mouth. l fan
cy it was the set of the head on the
shoulders which looked remarkable
Artizans and such folk usually look
otherwise. That is all l can say. But
what makes this matter interesting to
yOn :"
Il believe your complaining patient
to be the principal in the late robbery,
concerning which [ have come down
here. -' | replied. in a low voice. Can
YOU give me any idea as to what became
of the man after you were done with
him -
The doctor looked at me in amaze
ment i think he went toward Ems, "
he replied,
| lost no time in going the same direc-
ton. An old tree. which forked at the
top. and carried bell in that division,
stood on a height near the shore. Here
those who wanted to be feTried over the
river must stop and ring for the boat
man. whose house stood in a sheltered
nook at hand. 1 shirked pTeliminaries,
and made at once for the dwelling
Here | found a gigantic person, who de-
claTed herself the daughter OF the ferry
man. and the customary rover. when.
as now, her father was absent. | sought
/ TO gain the confidence Of this damSel
a friend of mine went over here,
think. not long since" l said. He
was in great haste. being on his way to
Holland, in order to escape serving here
in the army"
The popular antipathy to the enforced
military training loosed her tongue at
once.
Yes. yes" she replied: "A young
man in great haste did surely go over a
little time back "
He wore a blue blouse and black
hose -
Maybe; but it seems to me he had
others with him. or of his party"
Very probably. Two others, sup
pose -
This was how it was. One man
came to me in the early dawning. I
put him across. An hour or 50 later
there came a-second and asked anxious
ly about the first. When l told him he
was beyond he seemed content enough.
and followed. The third, your friend
with the blouse asked if he were the
first who had wanted me that day. He
asked me particularly about the two L
had already TOWed over. and then seem
ed right gay, and jumped into the boat
himself. &c
All, One of the three carried a tin
box ?" | said. slipping a coin into my
new acquaintances' hand.
Il never noticed" ." answered the girl
But l saw that the third man carried
round bundle or parcel wrapped i'll a red
handkerchief under his arm. -
Did he give you a good reward for
taking him over p
.'Nothingmore than all the world-ten
pfennings.
with his right hand =
Why not -
Wasn't his right hand tied up =
Not that | saw. l only know he
kept one hand in his pocket. whether the
right or left | couldn say now.
l could have embraced the tall ferry
woman, i'm spite of her forty summers
and her uncertainty upon minor points.
It was plain that the three Tuffians for
better security had separated, and that
the last conner was the leader in and the
1. /
been committed. During his confab
with the doctor. no doubt he had hidden
the spoilS in some hedge, ! was upon
his track now.
But / had soon to cry lost - 1t was
a grieyOuS disappointment to me. Be
youd Ems the clue was nowhere to be
followed. / labOTed in vain in this
neighborhoOd for days. | made friends
with all sorts of -letter-carrieTs.
poTtcTS. WaiteTS-and walked many a
weary mile in the hot sun, but all to no
purpose. | was baflled and wholly at
fault as much as though l never had a
hint at all To follow.
Nine days had gone by since I had
come to T. I turned into a beer
garden in the neighborhood OF the town
one evening, and sat down near a we'll
lighted bOWling-alley, in which about
ten gentleman We're busy at a game
My seat was rather in the shade. ! paid
little attention To the players. but leaned
my head upon my hand and reviewed the
defeat | had sustained and the small es-
timatiOn in which | should be held. for
sake Of it, by my colleagues and chief at
home. feeling altogether extremely out
Of humor. suddenly an ill-throun ball
rolled almost to my feet.
"A miss. a miss '" shouted several
voices together. while one cried why.
BOttcheT, is your hand not even yet re-
covered You are not complaining of
il still :"
l felt like a huntsman in a forest who
sees the game at his gun ; end. | was
Oh the alert that second. l lost no time
in finding out all Herr Bottcher's ante
cedents. lie was a merchant. one OF
Frau FTiedOw'S connections. and an Oc-
casiOnal visitor at her house. He was a
continual guest at this place of enter
tainment. | brought the doctor here
next evening. and set him to work steal
thily considering my game. My discom-
future was great when he fatty refused
To identify Herr BOttcher and his patient
as one and the same person. They might
be one. he confessed but then-they
might not.
If the medicO turned rusty. like this
it seemed 10 me utterly useless 10 bring
hither the feTryWOman on a Ike errand
| must trust to myself alone. We Off
cialS have two methods of doing business
of this sort We use the long or Sh orr
line according as either seems most
likely To suit ! determined to try one