The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-01-23

our house-warmlng partyi ! think not.
Did tell you our landlord had altered
the house for US, making our bedroom
larger by adding . slip that had formed
separated roomf ! think not. And
yet l ought to have told you all these
circumstances, TO enable you to under
stand the catastrophe that followed.
In word, the door opened outward.
Id forgotten that popularity, never
having had room 20 constituted be.
fore, and never will again. The door
went open with q crash, and bounded
backward into Mrs. Markby's arms.
Smelling salts and sal volatile, was there
ever such an outward affair.
The music struck up for the dance m
| hoped bat K into my room. hid NV
head among the holsters and mufis and
almost cried; for Pm such q delicate.
minded man. Yes, II hurt me q great
deal more than 1t did Mrs. Markby, for,
would you believe itf-she told the story
down below TO the whole company, with
pantomimie action, and when I showed
myself at the Door of the drawing room,
was received with shouts OF inextin.
guishsble laughter.
think ! called the Yorkshire people
dense just now, didn'tI? Well, I'll add
another epithet-coarse-d and
coarse. told 'em 30, but they only
laughed the more.
The guests were gone, the lights were
out, slumber had just Waited my eyes,
when right into my brain, starting me
up rs II I'd been shot, came Q noise.
wasn't really certain at first whether l
had heard noise or only dreamed.
Was II only my pulse humping into my
care or were those regular beats the
tramp Of somebody's muiiled feetH
Then ! heard su unmistakable sound
cresk, creak, cresk-a door opened
slowly and cautiously. All In q moment
the idea flashed into my head-f22, 900.
You see, all this dancing and junketing,
and laughing and chatting had complete.
ly driven out Of my mind all thought Of
the large sum ] had in my possession. I
had left 1t In great coat pocket, which
Was hanged up in the hall down stairs.
Puff, gust OF wind came through
the house, rafting the doors and win.
dows, and then heard door slam, and
footstep outside OF some one cautiously
stealing away.
Away down stairs l went like q mad.
man, my one thought 10 put my hand on
that great coat, with long tails, and two
pockets behind, and little cash pocket
on the left hand side In front, and this
breast pocket in which ! had put the bag
81 money. This pocket wasn't ~ usual,
on the left.hsnd side, but on the right.
There was no other coat hanging on
those rails, only my wife's waterproof.
What q swoop made 10 get hold Of that
coat! Great heavens, 1t was gone.
i had carefully barred and chained the
front door before went to bed-now 1t
was unfsstened. ! ran out into the
street, and looked up rnd down, hopeless
and bewildered. 1t was a damp, dark
night; the lamp At the corner threw O
long, silky ray down the streaming pave.
ment, but there wasn't q soul 70 be seen.
Everything was still and cold and dark.
The money was clean gone-yes II was
gone. ] repeated these words mechani.
cally 10 myself as / crawled up stairs.
All the results Of this loss pictured
themselves clearly before mechanical
from the bank, ruin Of all my prospects,
utter ruin, in fact! What could ] do?
To what turn? The blow that had Just
fallen on me was 30 heavy and sudden
that it had benumbed my faculties
My chief desire was TO crawl into bed
and fail asleep, hoping never 10 wake.
But morning would come surely enough
morning and its attendant miseries.
Then the thought came to me.
Should go TO bed and say nothing at
all about 1t? Noone knew OF my having
received that money, not q soul but
Black, the man who had deposited II.
/ had given him no receipt for 1t, no
acknowledgement. Black had gone
Americas hundred things might hap.
pen-he might never return; at all events
there MAS respite, immediate relief.
could go TO the bank next morning, hang
up my hat Ms usual, every thing would
60 on IN usual. II Black returned, my
word was a. good ~ his. The notes and
checks would never be traced home.
But | don't think retained this thought
long. Did you ever consider how much
resolution and force OF will Il takes TO
initiate course Of crime and deception :
I'd neither the one nor the other. ]
should have broken down ut once. ]
couldn't have that fellows eye on me
and tell him had never had his money.
Invoke my wife; she'd slept thro' all
the trouble; "Msry," ! said, "we're
ruined there's been 4, Very"
"a robbery" abe cried, viAsping her
hands; and are the men goneT
eyes," said.
ooh, thank heaven" she said, "then
we're safe. Never mind the rest, Jack,
~ long AZ our lives are safe. But there's
my waterproof, Jack-oh do run and
see il they've taken that.
Then l told her the story OF the E22,.
600. She wouldn't believe me at frat
but when she heard the whole story, she
was frightened enough, Yet she had
wits about her more than had.
"You must run of to the town hall,
Jack" she said, and set the police TO
work. They must telegraph TO all the
stations-to London, and everywhere.
Oh, do 90 at once, Jack-this very mo-
ment! Every second lost may be ruin
to U.S."
Away went TO the town hall. This
was big classic edifce, with an immense
portico and q huge flight of steps; but
you didn't 90 into the portico to get into
the police Office, but 70 the aide which
wasn't classical at all, but Of the rudi.
mentsry style Of architecture, and you
went along q number Of ech0ing stone
passages before you reached the superin.
tepdent's Office.
When l told the superin tendent the
story-"Ah," he said, III think know
who did that job"
"Oh," said ], chow thankful am !
Then you can put your hands on him
and get back the money. ] want the
money back. Mr.. Superintendent
never mind him. / wouldn't mind, In.
deed, rewarding him for his trouble, II I
could only get the money back"
"Sir," said the superintendent, se-
verely, "the police aia't sent into the
world TO get people, money bsck-noth.
ing OF the sort; We aren't going To en-.
courage composition of felony; and for
putting our hands on Flsshy Joe-for he
did the job, mark you-well, what do
you think the liberty OF the subject Ii
FOR? Where's your evidenced"
Twas obliged TO confess hadn't any,
whereat the superintendent looked at me
contemptuouslY.
"Now, let's rec into the matter" said
he after he'd made some notes on bit
OF paper. "How came they TO know
you'd got the money in your coat?"
said didn't know.
"Ah, but ! know" said the superin.
tendent. "You went IN get q glass of