The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-06-28
THE PRESS.
Why | Joined the Detectives.
Can | sit with you?"
. Certainly, SIR"
"Nice weather."

. Certainly, SIR"
mice weather."
Splendid, indeed"
"Crops growing finely"
''Yes; couldn't do better"
was sitting on car on the Wisconsin
railroad one day years ago, when good
looking, pleasant-spoken man came along.
stopped at my seat, and the above converse
ton took place, the latter part of it after l
had given him part of my seat.
Now am regarded as social man. 1
like joke; more so then than now. On en-
tering railway car always looked about
for laxative man, and then got as close
to him as possible and drained him dry, if
the journey was long enough.
And want to state one thing more. Left
an orphan before / could realize the sad
event which made me one, got kicked
here and cuffed there, and grew up between
the folds, as they say. ought to have had,
at the time of which write, pretty thor
ough knowledge of human nature, and have
been enabled to read evil in mans face if
he intended me evil. did not pride my
self on being over sharp, but the knocking
around among strangers ought to have given
any one good experience.
Well, the stranger and fell into an easy
train Of conversation as we rode together,
and in ten minutes | began to enjoy his
company. He was a well-made fellow, fine
ly dressed, and wore fine watch and ST.
mon-pure diamond ring. l never saw man
who could talk so easily and so pleasantly
ltsseemed that he had but toopen his mouth
and the words fell right out.
had travelled in the South; so had he;
had heard the roar of the Pacific; he knew
all about it. had been aup in balloon,
down in mine, been blown up, smashed up
and repaired again and again; my new
friend had experienced all these things, and
was wishing for something of a more start
ling nature. We agreed ON politics, neither
had any religion, and I never met such a
railroad companion.
Did you ever meet man who, though a
stranger to you ten minutes before, could
wrest from you your secrets which you had
sworn to yourself not to reveal? Well, he
was such ma :. 1t was not long before he
commenced ASKING me questions. He did not
seem trying to quiz or draw me out, but he
asked me questions in such sly, round
about way, that before knew it IL was Civ
ing him my history.
was at that time just on the point of be-
ing admitted to the bar of Wisconsin as
student of Law & Law, Of Briefville. The
firm were old lawyers with lucrative prac-
tice, and it had been talked over that in
about month should become the "Co."
VI VIC uIHl. IA year UctOre laTIner Named
Preston, down about four miles from Graf
ton, died and his matters had been put in
the hands of Law & Law for settlement.
Preston had died rich. He had money in
the bank, railroad stock and mortgages, ETC.,
and everything was settled to the satlsfac-
ton of the relict and fatherless. -
About year before his death, being
pinched for money, and not wishing to sell
anything at sacrifice, Preston had given a
mortgage on his own farm for 5000. While
the papers read "for one year from date,''
there was verbal agreement that it should
be lifted any day that Preston desired. A
month after, when, having the funds to clear
OF the paper, the "Old money bags' holding
it refused to discharge, wishing to secure his
interest for year.
l was on my way to learn the date of eX-
piration. A fire among our Office papers had
destroyed the memoranda, and [ must 60
down and get the date from old Scrip, who
lived south of Grafton, about five miles.
The stranger pumped this all out of me in
about ten minutes, and yet l never once
suspected he was receiving any information.
Il am not positive" 1 added, 'sbut / am
pretty sure that the time is the 18th, which
would be Tuesday next"
Sand then your folks will send YOU down
with the money and discharge the mortgage,
of course% he queried. h1.,7D
"Oh yes, | shall most likely bring il
down." replied. and it never occurred to
me how imprudent was.
lie turned the conversation into other
channels, and did not once attempt TO pump
me further. We got to Grafton at 1886, and
to my great surprise he announced that he
was to stop in the town on business for a
few days. had not asked his name or ayo-
cation while he knew everything about me.
fn fI,n 81 l.J i
then secured livery team and drove out,
getting through with business SO that was
back to take the 20 express east. NV friend
was on the porch of the hotel as drove up,
carrying the same honest, dignifed face,
"Well, did you find out?' he INQUIRED in
his pleasant way.
Yes, it was on the 18th, as expected
Ireplied.
We took lunch together, and when we
shook hands and parted had no more idea
OF ever meeting him again than 1 had of
knowing you. In fact, he told me that he
should sail for England in a week or ten
days, and should not return to America. AT
parting he gave me his card. 1t was mod
est piece of pasteboard, and bore the name
OF George Raleigh" in old English script.
everything at the Office went on as usual,
and the 18th came at length. Law & Law
had arranged with me to go down with the
money, and had looked upon it as a bust
ness Of special Importance. -, :
I'VE know you are all right" remarked
the senior partner, as was about to 60 :; s'but
l want to give you a word of warning, new
ertheiess. DON'T take any stranger into
your confidence until you have passed oui
the money, and look who sits next to YOU. :
1t was something new for him to caution
me, and could not but wonder at it: but in
the hustle OF getting aboard the train for
got what he said. Ordinary prudence had
induced me to place the money, which was
all in bank bills and divided into three pack
ages, under my shirt and next to nv skin
where the deft hand of pickpocket could
not reach it.
interested in newspaper time flew by az
the train flew past, and at length the hoarse
voice OF brakeman warned me THAT I had
reached Grafton. i leaped down. and was
making for livery stable, when I heard 4
familiar voice, and looked up to see Raleigh
he was seated in buggy, and had seeming
ly waited for me to come in.
Don't express your SURPRISE" he began
as stopped at the wheel. 81 did intend tC
go away. Ichanged my mind, and like this
section so well that am going out to-day to
look at farm with view of purchasing
come, ride up to the hotel" Us
We rode up, ordered lunch, and 1while We
were discussing it, Mr.. Raleigh discovered
that the farm he was going to see was jus,
beyond that of old Grips.
How fortunate! / could ride out with
him, see the farm, return in his company
and he was greatly pleased.
was also pleased. If any man had told
me as we got into the buggy that George Ra
leigh intended to return with nv money in
his pocket and my blood upon his hands,
should have believed him lunatic. And
yet George Raleigh had planned to do thai
very thing.
1t was lovely day in June, and the COO
breeze, and the sight of meadows and greer
groves made my heart grow larger. Ny
companion was very talkative, but he didn'i
even hint at my errand. He talked as fal
away as he could.
ooh! excuse mep' he exclaimed, after We