Louisiana capitolian., 1880-09-02
A DETECTIVES STORY.

"roup.'' said the chief, "tl'crc has been
a rather mysterious robbery nj Barrow
town, and It's likely to give tho locals
,one trouble. SO wish you to 90 down
a. soon as possible"
This order received one hot day III
August, ,on tho day after tho robbery 'ao
taken place. OF course l did not ie'
much time pass before l was "1 'ho
station aud fairly started. Once there
Rarrowtown Is IL quaint, picturesque
little town, like many another in good'y
England. 1t seemed almost too dull TO
he able TO boast tho doubtful honor OF
having bad full grown robbery s'i'''
I liked tho quiet littlo town. for 't was
there that gained my frat promotion
WAS met at tho station by tho local
inspector, q stout, pompous exc't"b'e
little man, who looked doubtful rs &"
tho prudence of tho Scotland Yard
authorities in sending down snch o"
ordinary. looking mortal as myself
"Oh," he remarked at last, $50 'tsyo"'
young man, is sit' ldon't think We arc
likely TO trouble you much this time
rho ti,ct is-nhem-we have caught the
culprit onrselves."
I merely bowed, and expressed wish
TO geo the prisoner, and We both set OIL
for tho county Jail, perhaps mile or 80
away.
We'll 10 certainly seemed rs plain as
day to me-, that tho unhappy wretch on
whom Inspector Muggridse had laid bis
fell grasp could easily have proved an
olibi, had not that worthy officer coat'n-
uslly interrupted him with:
"Better keep all that for your examln-
alton, my good fellow, or It'll all he
brought up against you, my man. you
know
told him seriously, as soon ~ could
in privatc, that the man he had arrested
was no more guilty than was; but '''
simply smiled incrcdnlous'y' and ASKED
who else could bc the culprit, as tins
was the only really abnn1gprd character
Of the town, and it was plaid|y the wor'
of some ono who knew tho place.
"Bssidcs," he added, "it isn't vcr!
likely that any one could beat mo OF
my own ground, where ] know ov'r'
body, you know; and if hc dtdn't III
it, WHO did :"
With which really unanswcrable arg''
ment he accompanied me to tho seen
of tho robbery, where wo wore snow
over the premises by the mistress OF I'll
house. When | saw the gro"nd-i'oo
window by which access had been gan
oil to tho house, I quite agreed with I'll
worthy local, that it was not tho wor
Of new hand, and that from the fax
that his footprints wherever we con'
trace them, showing no hesitation, ~
rather u thorough acquaintance wit
tho grounds, the cnlprit, whoever Il
was, must have had some opport''nIt
VI visiting the scene of operations, al
probably lived somewhere in the nelsl
borhOOd.
Il seemed that the thief had cntcr'
tho house by " window in the rear, al
carried off "A box Of vaiuables from ii
rooru Of the master of the house, vi
had been staying Mt u friends on TIL
night. Both these facts showed an i
innate knowledge of the premises
the part Of the culprit, and strcngthc
cl ,ur former belief. We were inform
that tho lost Caskct--an ordinary
cash box-had been almost filled wi
various articles Of jewclry, and thereto
the loss was rather heavy. OF coul
the knowledge that there would be
good reward for the recovery OF t
missing property did not abatc my ze
Still, in spite Of my easerness t" disco
or the culprit, could make but little
the case, and might even have col
over to tho opinion of the local. i
for one very important fact, name
the footprints in the garden bed w
all smaller than those of the prison'
Now, although man may wear bo
several sizes too large for him on oc
sions, vet he can hardly work with co
fort in shoes an inch or two too short
Very much annoyed at my want
success, and dreading the chaft wo'
be sure to get, when, compelled by
verse circumstances, to give it up
should return to town, was not I
ticularly delighted next morning to
Mr.. Muggridsc coming up the road
the house, accompanied by the eai
of the Barrowtown Weekly Banner, v
had determined, he said, to write
the occurrence himself. But there '
no escape; and so, prepared for a L
of fuurstiOuS. | was walking slowly