The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-08-20
How I Got Promoted.

ssTom," said the chief, s'there has been
a rather mysterious robbery at Barrow
town, and it's likely to give the locals
some trouble. So 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 sta
ton and fairly started. Once there, Bar
rowtown is a quaint, picturesque little
town, like many another in goodly Eng
land It seemed almost too dull to be
able to boast the doubtful honor of hav-
ing had full-grown robbery. Still,
like the quiet little town, for it was there
that I gained my first promotion.
was met at the station by the local in
spector; stout, pompous, excitable, lit
tie man, who looked doubtful as to the
prudence of the Scotland Yard authori-
ties in sending down such an ordinary
looking man as myself.
"Oh." he remarked at last, $50 it's you,
young man, is it? don't think we are
likely to trouble you much this time.
The fact is-ahem-we have caught the
culprit ourselves.
I merely bowed, and expressed wish
to see the prisoner, and we both set off
for the county jail, perhaps mile or SO
away.
Well, il 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 al
ibi had not that worthy officer continu-
ally interrupted him with:
stBetter keep all that for your examin-
alton, my good fellow, or it'll all be
brought up against you, my man, you
know"
I told him seriously, as soon as I
could, in private, that 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 char
acter of the town, and it was plainly the
work of some ono who knew the place.
Besides" he added, sit isn't very likely
that any one could beat me on my own
ground, where I know everybody, you
know; and if he didn't do it, who did?"
With which really unanswerable argu-
ment he accompanied me to the scene of
the robbery, where we were shown over
the premises by the mistress of the
house.
When saw the ground-foor window
by which access had been gained to the
house, quite agreed with the worthy
local" that it was the~work of "nsw
hand;;" and that from the fact that his
footprints, wherever 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 house by window in the rear, and
carried off small box of valuables from
the room of the master of the house, who
had been staying at 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 ksen almost filled with various ar
ticles of jewelry, and therefore the loss
was rather heavy. Ofcourse, the knowl-
edge that there would be good reward
for the recovery of the missing property
did not abate my zeal. Still, in spite of
my eagerness to discover the culpr1t, I
could make but little of the case, and
might even have come over to the opin-
ion of the local" but for one very i'm
portant fact, namely, the footprints in
the garden bed were all smaller than
those Of the prisoner. Now, although
man may wear boots several sizes too
large for him on occasion, yet he can
harly walk with comfort in shoes an inch
or so too short.
Very much annoyed at my want of
success and dreading the chaff weuld
be sure to get, when compelled to give it
oL Is
particularly delighted next morning to
see Mr.. Muggridge coming up the road
to the house, accompanied by the editor
of the Barrowtown Weekly Banner, who
had determined, he said. to write up
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 something bright among the
bushes by the roadside. 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 in
Produced to Mr.. Shears, the editor. It
was simply wonderful how obliging
had become. I, even when Mr.. Mugg-
ridge limited that he was pressed for
time, volunteered myself to give Mr..
Shears the information he wished, and to |
go over the premises with him. Once
left alone with the jealous representative
of the press, gave that gentleman all
the points of the case, and a few more, as
you shall see.
The next afternoon, as soon as a copy
of the Banner came to the house where
the robbery had occurred had for the
last few days spent from the forenoon
until dusk there-I turned to the end of
the column devoted to the "Great Rob-
berry" and read, with chuckle, the an
nouncement that "the loss of the Jewels |
would be less felt had there not been be-
tween 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 7 did not choose
to explain it to Mr.. Muggridge, when, AN
hour later, that worthy but excitable |
gentleman rode. very hot and very red,
up to the shadeless road, to complain of |
my having made . confounded mess Of