Sharp County record., 1880-09-02


got that night-watchman yet"
Yes; some time ago"
"Well, he don't seem to do his duty
then, for I've passed this way at all
hours of the night and have never seen
him. Are you quite sure he's to be
trustedP'
"Wait and seer' replied the Doctor
oracularly.
And Everett waited but did not see.
The invisible watchman remained as in
visible as ever; and Harry, out OF pa
tience with his old friends seeming in
fatuation, had almost decided to take
some decisive step on his own author
ity, when new complication intro
duced itself into the drama This was
nothing less than the temporary retire
ment of the Doctors veteran man
servant-popularly known as "Old
Sam whose health had begun to give
way so manifestly that his master insist
ed on sending him into the country for
a three months holiday, replacing him
with another man who had volunteered
as promptly as if he had been keeping
his eye on the place for a year past.
The newcomer was a graVe-smooth-
faced, taciturn man, who moved as
noiselessly as a shadow and seemed a
living combination of the two proverbial
requisites of a good servant, silence and
obedience.
But although the Doctor and his
friends highly approved of this model
domestic, there was one man who did
not. That one was Harry Everett, who
lost no time in announcing his opinion.
"Look here, Doctor. / don't want to
be always bothering you about this rob-
berry idea; but it's fact that the new
fellow of yours is up to some mischief
1 was coming home pretty late last
night when I caught sight of him stand
ing at the garden-gate, talking to a
couple of men. One of them happened
to turn his face to the lamplight as l
passed and | knew him at once for a
noted thief who goes by the name of
Badger Bill"
"Indeed? Are you sure of that?"
"Quite sure. You know / never for
get a face I've once seem"
"Ah! In that case, it time for me
to act." The last word was so curious
ly emphasized that Harry, who was not
wanting in shrewdness, began to sus-
pect that his persistent warnings to the
Doctor had been superhuous, after all,
and that the old gentleman was quite
equal to the emergency.
This suspicion was confirmed one
evening about a week later, when the
Doctor dropped in upon him unexpect-
edly, saying: "Give me some dinner,
my boy. You've no engagement for
this evening, l know; so I'm going to
be very benevolent and find you some
amusement myself. Have you ever
read The Count of MonteC Cristo?' be-
cause you're going to see a chapter Of
il dramatized tonight and pretty efec-
lively too, l tiatter myself"
"What do you meanP" asked Ever,
ett, staring.
"Why, you see, 1 told my servants, a
few days ago, that l should be away
from home tonight and my cook natu-
rally seized the chance of getting leave
for an evening OUT consequently, the
houseWill be under the sole charge Of
that worthy man-servant of mine,
against whom you're so unaccountably
prejudiced. It's quite possible that the
two honest gentlemen with whom you
saw him talking the other night may be
kind enough to enliven his solitude with
a visit; and So"
Harry sprang to his feet, and cut a
caper worthy of dancing dervish,
swapping his fingers by way of accom-
paniment "Capital! first-ratel | see
it aid now! But come now, Doctor; why
on earth couldn't you tell me before
that you were up to the whole game,
instead of letting me make fool OF
myself by preaching to man ass smart
as any six of me?"
"Never mind, my boy" sad the
Doctor, laughing. "Your warning was
kindly meant, all the same. Eat your
dinner-you'lI aCant it before the even
ings over, L can promise you-and
then we'll have our talk"
Dinner over, the Doctor lit one of the
incompatible cigars which were his
sole luxury, and proceeded to expound
his plan of action. "Tve locked up the
outer room that opens into my mysueri-
Gus chamber, which puts two strong
doors between it and the robbers. My
estimable servant will warn them OF
this, and they'll try the window instead.
He'll let them in by the garden door,
and give them the old ladder that lies
beside it to mount by. We'U hide in the
stable, whch-thanks to my keeping
my brougham elsewhere-has been un-
used so long that no one would dream
of suspecting it; but | can open the door
easily enough. And then"
"And them broke in Harry eagerly,
1--WE Il 90 for them the minute they ap-
pear It'll be fine chance to try my
new revolver
"Better leave it at home" said the
Doctor quietly; 1--WE shall want no
weapons for this job"
"Why, are you going to mesmerize
the fellows?" asked Everett, completely
mystitied.
"Wait and see," chuckled the Doc
tor "We needn't be there till eleven,
for my honest domestic will make sure,