Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-08-12

bors were unaware A pane of glass had
been smashed in the window of the bedroom
to enable one of the assailants to slip back
the bolt. A few footprints had been traced
but there was nothing remarkable about their
appearance, and they had been lost at once
upon the high road, or street, upon which the
little courtyard opened.
One thing seemed alone certain amid the
maze of perplexity; the house breakers must
be sought from among neighbors, servants
friends or relations. Now, the neighbor theo'
ry, upon investigation, seemed utterly futile
and one glance at old. Frederick was enough
to make one dismiss all thoughts connected
with the second term in the list.
There remained the friends and relations
in the habit of visiting the villa. The widow
had not the fsintest suspicion of foul play IN
any of these; nevertheless, I made her de-
scribe and closely particularize them to me.
I took up half dozen imaginary scents; l
ran hither and thither. I telegraphed in va.
rous directions. I worked, in fact, in the
sweat of my brow; but, alas the result was
simply nothing, nothing, nothing. I never
before had been so utterly puzzled and hope.
lessly at fault.
On the. fourth day of my residence at
= went again to the villa, where the
widow greeted me with eyes full of expecta-
tion. "Frau Friedow," said, lit seems to
he hardly possible that you are without sus'
picion in every quarter. There must surely
be some one or other on whom your mind has
fixed, if it were but for second. Confess 1t
is so, and confde in me"
l assure you have not even shadowy
thought such as you describe" she replied,
in much disappointed tone.
"And has nothing more struck you about
these men you saw in your room than you
have already mentioned ? One remembers
things on due consideration which have been
often overlooked before. Did you notice no
popularity about any of the scoundrels? ? In
the voice, for instance, the way of standing,
the hands of him who held the axe? Had
he on ring? Did he look rough, like the
others?"
"There was one little thing I may not
have told BEFORE" she replied softly. ut
was scarce worth telling When the two
fellows ran off down the ladder with my
little case the window slapped down as they
disappeared.
The third man pushed it UP again to 60
after them, but in so doing think he must
have put his hand through the broken pane
and have hurt it with the glass in his haste
I certainly heard him mutter to himself as
if he was in distress" ..
"Was there no trace of blood left ?" l
asked, anxiously.
"None whatever"
began my investigation anew, and this
time with the doctor of the district. We got
into lively dissertation upon wounded
hands, and in particular upon hurts inflicted
by glass; By degrees acquired the, to me,
very interesting fact that some weeks since,
when the medco was riding home to break:
fast after an early call, strange man had
suddenly appeared in the middle of the high:
way and had implored his help. He COM
planned of having fallen upon heap of bro.
ken glass, and held out his right hand to ex.
hibit its condition. The doctor took out his
pocket case of instruments, and extracted FIVE
splinters from the inhamed palm. While he
did so the patient whimpered like wo-
man.
"How was the fellow dressed," I cried,
breathlessly.
"a blue blouse and black underclothes, as
far as can recall"
Gould you identify him again ?"
"Perhaps. His face made an impression
on me, rather, because it did not seem to
match the clothing, and yet, now I think Of
it, seem to see only an ordinary brow, nose
and mouth. I fancy it was the set of the
head on the shoulders which looked remarka'
ble Artisans and such folks usually look
otherwise. hat is all can say. But what
makes this 1 ,atter interesting to you?"
81 believe your complaining patient to be
the principa in the late robbery, concerning
which l hav, come down here" I replied in
low voice. "Can you give me any idea as
to what beca..,e of the man after you were
done with him?"
The doctor looked at me in amazement.
81 think he went to Ems" he replied.
lost no time in going in the same direc-
ton. An old tree, which forked at the top,
and carried bell in that division, stood on
height near the shore. Here those who
wanted to be ferried over the river must stop
and ring for the boatman, whose house stood
in sheltered nook at hand. shirked pre-
liminaries, and made at once for the dwell
ing. Here found a gigantic person, who
declared herself the daughter of the ferry.
man, and customer rover, when, as now, her
father was absent. I sought to gain the con-
6dence of this damsel
"a friend of mine went over here, think,
not long since," I said. "He was in great
haste, being on his way to London, in order to
escape serving in the army"
The popular antipathy to the enforced
military training loosened her tongue at once
eyes, yes" she replied; "a young man in
great haste did surely 60 over little time
back"
"He wore blue blouse and black hose ?"
MAYBE but it seems to me he had others
with him, OF of his party"
"Very probably. Two others, suppose ?"
"This was how it was. One man came to
me in the early dawning. put him across
An hour or two later there came q second,
and asked anxiously about the first. When
1 told him he was beyond he seemed content
enough, and followed. The third, your friend
with the blouse, asked if he were the first
who wanted me that day. He asked me
particularly about the two 1 had already
rowed over, and then seemed right gay, and
jumped into the boat himself"
"Ah One of the three carried tin box ?"
said slipping coin into my new acquaint-
ance's palm"
II never noticed" answered the girl. "But
I saw that the third man carried a round
bundle or parcel wrapped in a red handker-
chief u, Ter his arm"
"Did he sive you good reward for tax
ing him over?"
"Nothing more than all the world-ten