Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-03

q thing worth knowing, should think"
When we got TO the house the old man came
to the door, closing IL after him. Being asked II
he would allow the gardener to see over his
collection of preserved animals, he at first
seemed perplexed. and saying, I'm ask my
SON y he went in. leaving us outside. Shortly he
returned, and said, at is not convenient to en-
ter the room tonight, as it is being cleaned and
the contents re-arranged; but II your friend will
come tomorrow night, and come Alone he shall
see over it,"
we agreed, and came away. | was at a
loss to account for the condition imposed; but
my companion was set up with the arrange
Next night came. and the gardener set Off on
his errand. l was all Impotence for his re-
turn. But when he came back he seemed I'M
willing to relate the result OF his adventure.
simply saying, I'm in no humor to talk to-
night; III relate what I've seen and said to-
morrow"
Ny friend had got on well with his gardening.
His potatoes and onions, his turnfos and carrots,
had been got in; and it was clear that ii the
next two days should prove fine, he would finish
the job on the saturday night.
On Friday night he came to me in the kitchen,
in cornerof which j was reading, and asked
me to take short walk with him. got up and
went. The night was fine but dark. We walked
in the direction of the museum. He asked me if
] could keep secret for day or two. Replying
in the affirmative, he said he had strong sus-
piciOn that the old naturalist or his son was no
better than he should be- that he was sure he or
they knew more about the late robberies than
other folks; and that he believed II he had few
SUiillISS "Il1tu Cdil HIS OWU, he cOulQ
come at the truth, and concluded by asking me
to lend him sovereign for n few days. | agreed,
for had begun to feel an unaccountable curl
osity growing within me.
We had not walked far before we met the nat
ural1stS son, apparently by appointment; for
my companion told him that / had promised
him loan, and that therefore he would be at
his fathers house next day and make pur-
chase. We parted and came home
About the middle of Saturday afternoon he set
off, and in less than an hour he came back,
ff1n Niyin
signal as he passed me, Joined him in the back
yard. He said: :; I'm on the track of the thieves,
! believe. Last night but one, on reaching the
house, and while looking over the museum, the
old man said that his son was rather short OF
money. but having exchanged frame of moths
and a few birds for a lot OF provisions, if would
buy some of the latter l might sell them at a
profit, or they would keep me in eatables for a
while, and the sale would relieve his son. I
agreed to buy if could raise the money. Now,
! am not without cash, but it would not have
done to say so; hence agreed to ask you for a
loan. Well, I've got a lot OF things to-day dirt
cheap, which l really believe belong to one of
the late rObberies. &C hence tomorrow on the
turn" Giving me playful dig in the side, he
left me. His absence during the night and the
day after surprised the landlord, but l said
nothing.
/ was all Impotence until Monday came. 1t
came at last. i was busy at my carving, when
heard well-known voice hail me from below.
On looking down from my stage, whom should
] see in the road beneath, smiling all the face
over, but my old friend the gardener in police
mans uniform! The truth flashed through me
in moment. went down. Grasping my hand,
he said, 1.-The secrets out, you see! Come along
with me and see the upShot."
was about to witness dpH0atpneent had
not looked for: U, the road were couple OF
policemen. My old companion was the chief,
being a sergeant of police. He led the way to
the museum, and was first to enter
Good morning. old friend" he said, on en-
counteling the naturalist. 1--we come to take
q more parcels or TOur ChPaO DrIl-
Visions"
saw that the old gardener was detected in
the speaker, and that the game was seen to be
up. The old mans son rushed to the door and
scrambled off, only, however, to fall into the
clutches of one of the officers who were on the
watch. The old man was utterly helpless and
almost beside himself. Sinking into his chair,
he cried out, Pm not the thief; the thieves are
there" pointing to the door, and meaning l
could see, his SOD and his cOnfederatcS, though
they were not present
We went into the museum. The first thing
the old gardener-as l shall still call him-did
was to take hold Of Bruce" While he desired
one of his comrades to lay hold Of ''WOnder."
On moving them, noise OF loose metal was
heard. A moments examination sufficed to re-
veal the secret. In the off side of each animal,
in the soft part an orifice had been made by
cutting the skin in such a way as to enable the
operator to replace 1t with little care. A part
OF the stuffng had been removed leaving a va
cancy just like throstle's nest. This was
filled with jewelry-WatcheS guards earrings,
and fnger-ringS. further examination OF the
museum reveased ether and as singular hiding
placeS-for example, game cock was found
put out of Sight on taking hold of it, a noise of
clinking metal was heard; on lifting up the fea-
theirs over the crop, small hole was seen, out
OF which rolled, when the bird was shaken,
number OF trinkets.
Nearly all the proceeds Of the two robberies of
the jeweiler We're recovered, one watch and a
few guards only being absent. And some of the
property OF the provision dealer was also found
slowed in the breeding-hoX though most of it
had been used or sold. / scarcely need say that
the parcel sold to the gardener was a part OF it,
and had to do with the detection. My friend, the
sergeant informed me that he had been induced
to assume the character which he had so well
enacted, entirely On speculation. While making
a survey OF the neighborhood, a few days before
he be gan to play his part, he had observed the
backward state of the landlords garden; and
believing that he would readily catch at chance
Of getting il finished Off in a cheap way, and
Icing good band at gardening, he had hit upon
the scheme which had answered so well. He had
believed that the robbers were not far from the
locality Of the public house, and might come
there now and again, and so, could he lodge
there without being known or suspected, he
might come at all he desired. And as he hoped,
so did ii come 10 pass
The naturalist, who, 1t came out, had long
been receiver of stolen property, and his son,
whose first DurglaTieS these were got each five
years penal serytude; one of the other men
who came from q distant town. and were Old
handS-was likewise convicted and punished:
but the fourth, for some forgotten reason, got
Off. My friend came in for the good reward Of
fered in this case; and for the part which had
taken in the affair the jeweller gave me gold
pencilholder, which Treasure as memento.-