The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-12-25
HOW / cor PROMOTED.
4 DRrncrrvE's STORY.

1
.sTom," said the chief, ssthere has
been rather mysterious robbery at Bar.
rowtown, and it's likely to give the 10
calls some trouble. I wish you to go
down as soon as possible"
This order received one hot day in
August, on the day after the robbery
had taken place. OF course I did not
let much time pass before was at the
station and fairly started. Once there,
Barrowtown Is q quaint, picturesque
little town like many others in goodly
| England. It seemed almost too duh to
be able to boast the doubtful honor of
having had q full grown robbery. Still
I like the quiet little town, for it was
there that I had gained my first promo
ton.
I was met at the station by the local
| inspector, q stout, pompous excitable
little man, who looked doubtless as to
the prudence of the Scotland Yard au-
thorities in sending down such an ordi-
nary looking mortal as myself.
Oh, he remarked at last; so it's you,
young man, is It don't think we are
likely to trouble you much this time.
The fact is, ahemi we have caught the
culprit ourselves.
I merely bowed and expressed wish
to see the prisoner; and we both set of
for the county jail, perhaps mile or 50
away.
Well, it certainly seemed as plain as
day to me that the unhappy wretch on
whom Inspector Muggridge had laid his
fell grasp could easily have proved an
alibi, had not that worthy officer contin-
ually interrupted him with:
Better keep all that for your exami-
nation, my good fellow, or it'll all be
brought up against you, you know
told him seriously, as soon as could,
in private, tlat the man he had arrested
was no more guilty than was; but he
simply smiled incredulously, and asked
who else could be the culprit, as this was
the only really abandoned character of
the town, and it was plainly the work of
| some one who knew the place. Beside.
he added, lit isn't very likely that any
one could beat me on my own ground
where know everybody, you know; and
if he didn't do it, who did?" With
| which really unanswerable argument he
accompanied me to the scene of the rob-
berry, where we were shown over the
premises by the mistress Of the house.
When saw the ground floor window
by which access had been gained to the
house, quite agreed with the worthy
local that it was not the work of new
| hand, and that from the fact that his
| footprints, whenever we could trace
them, showed no hesitation, but rather
| thorough acquaintance with the grounds,
the culprit. whoever he was, must have
had some opportunity of visiting the
scene of operations, and probably lived
| somewhere in the neighborhood.
It seemed that the thief had entered
the hoxse by a window in the rear, and
carried of q small box of valuables from
the room of the master of the house, who
had been staying at q friends on that
night. Both these facts showed an init
mate knowledge of the premises on the
part of the culprit, and strengthened our
former belief. We were informed that
the lost casket-an ordinary tin cash-box
had been almost filled with various
articles of jewelry, and therefore the loss
was rather heavy. OF course the knowl-
edge that there wcuid be good reward
for the recovery of the missing prop rty
did not abate my zeal. Still, in spite Of my
eagerness to discover the culprit, could
make but little of the case, and even
have come over to the opinion OF the
local but for a very important fact,
namely, the footprints in the garden bed
were all smaller than those of the pris-
oner Now although man may wear
boots several sizes TOO large for him on
occasion, yet he can hardly walk with
comfort in shoes an inch or SO too short.
Very much annoyed at my want of
success, and dreading the chaff / would
81 <xak rr1 nnf,,raaiiaI n fIu
it up, should return to town, / was
not particularly delighted next morning
to see Mr. Muggrldge coming mp the
road to the house accompanied by the
editor of the Barrowton weekly Banner
who had determined, he said, to write
mp the account of the robbery himself.
But there was no escape; and so,
prepared for host of questions: I
was walking slowly to meet them
when my eye was caught by some
thing bright among the bushes by the
wayside. Yes, there could be no doubt
of It; there lay the lost box, empty of
| course. Without stopping, however,
| walked as calmly as possible on to the
inspector, and was introduced to Mr..
| Shears, the editor. It was simply won-
derful how obliging had become. I
even, when Mr. Muggridge limited that
| he was pressed for time, volunteered
| myself to give Mr.. Shears the informa-
| ton he wished, and to go over the prem
| ises with him. Once left alone with the
jealous representative Of the press, !
gave that gentleman all the points of the
case, and few more, as you shall see.
/ The next afternoon as soon as copy
of the Banner came to the house where
| the robbery occurred had for the last
two days spent from the forenoon until
dusk there-I turned to the end of the
! column devoted to the "Great Robbery
| and read, with chuckle, the announce
ment that sthe loss Of the jewels would
| be less felt had there not been between
the two bottoms OF the box almost two
| hundred pounds in bank notes, of which,
unfortunately, the numbers had not been
| taken"
Probably the intelligent reader sees
my plan; but certainly did not choose
to explain it to Mr.. Muggridge, when,
an hour later, that worthy but excitable
gentleman rode up, very hot and very
red, up the shadeless road, TO complain
of my having ssmade confounded mess
/ of the account, You know" ] simply
advised him to wait for o very few days,
and then I would be happy to explain
! everything knew.
That evening, as usual, left the
grounds ut dusk, after spending most of
| the day in watching though apparently
engaged in something else whether any
/ one went near the spot, q few hundred
yards from the grounds. where lay the
box on which I especially depended as 3
bait to hook the thief. By walking
slowly managed TO let the shades Of
evening close around me before was far
beyond the spot where had made mp
/ my mind to watch and watt
Eight Nine! We're they never com
ingg and was my trap laid and baitsd IN
vain? Teni Surely they shonld have
come by this time. Still Was that .
sound on the road? Yes, and coming
from the village. There were evidently
several Of them, and I began to regret
not having brought some help. Nearer
they came laughing and talking, as I
cautiously drew further back from the
road. And nov they were opposite the
spot where the box lay hid. But wIatl
They've gone BY, and in the hearty
| gHGaw Of man furthest away ob the
three, Z recognize Farmer Lobbins, an
honest fellow, whose acquaintance had
made during my short stay After this