The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-06-18

ceeded with his work, at the same time
taking up again the thread of his MARIA
tive with an earnestncss which gave
promise of heightened interest.
II had given up hope of hearing from
the jade again." he continued, ..when
got satisfaction in knowing that Justice
at last had reckoning with her. 1t
was two or three years after the affair
of pocket-picking that l had a notice
served on me to attend court. People
at the time were looking forward to
one trial with a great deal of interest.
A thief. guilty of many daring crimes.
had been caught by the bravery of a
clever woman. He was to be tried to-
gether with an accomplice. They had
undertaken to rob rich live stock
buyer. This cattle buyer often made a
trip in the country among farmers and
he was in the habit of drawing money
from his banker the day before, in or
der to take an early start. His house
was fully half mile away from any
other, and his family was made up of
his wife and child "a domestic but lately
taken into their service being the only
person living with them.
One evening the woman was anxious
ly waiting for her husbands return. 1t
was past the supper hour, and as he
had set the next day for his ordinary
jaunt into the country, she knew that
he had provided himself with large
sum of money, as usual. The thought
that he might have been waylaid on the
lonely road to the village was one cause
of her uneasiness. The infant having
fallen asleep, she carried it to her cham
Der, where its cradle was kept-a room
on the second floor, the windows of
which overlooked the garden, thus Civ
ing the wind a chance to beat the
branches of trees against them, which,
added to the loneliness of the place,
though maybe it answered to conceal
the start she gave on finding her room
already occupied. The wood fire blazing
on the hearth. aided by the candle she
carried into the chamber, made the
apartment as light as day. On one side
was large mirror, and in front of it,
on the opposite side of the room, stood
a high-backed sofa. After putting her
child to bed the woman went to the
glass to arrange her hair. when her at
tention was attracted by the reflection
of movement made by an object pro-
jecting from under one end of this sofa,
to which she paid no attention at first,
supposing it might be a shadow pro-
duced by the open fire. A minute later,
a second movement in the same quarter
arrested her notice, and this time, to
her horror she discovered the cause. A
mans protruding foot, shod in clumsy
shoe, was slowly and noiselessly with
drawn behind the sofa, out of the reach
of observation. She nearly tainted at
this evidence of a hidden thief, but con-
quered herself by great effort. A full
hour passed; the child slept peacefully
in its cradle; the ugly foot remained out
of sight.
!" Nearly overcome with fear lest the
thief might at any minute venture out
of his hiding place. the young mother
was on the point of Selling her infant
and fleeing; but the welcome footsteps
of her husband greeted her ears, which
were strained to catch the faintest
sound, and he was at her side before
her purpose to save her child by fight
was carried out. OF course he was sur
prised at the look of intense suffering
and terror which his wife's face wore.
though she repressed hastily any excla-
nation on his part by placing finger
on her lip, while pointing to the sofa,
which had been moved little way into
the room to admit the mans body be-
tween it and the wall. A slight noise,
caused. perhaps, by the owner of the
discovered boots changing his position,
was the only further explanation which
the man needed to give him o clew to
what had happened. Hastily making
some trivial excuse, the stock-buyer
left the room. When he returned
minute later he was fully prepared to
give the robber a warm reception, if
necessary, and warning the unbidden
guest not to make any resistance, he
dragged him out by the heels and bound
him hand and foot.
|" In the morning the hired girl had
fed, and the captive readily owned up
that she was his partner, having told
him of the sum which her EMPLOYER
would bring home. From letters con-
cealed in her trunk, the hiding-place of
a gang of robbers became known, where
she was afterward found"
The keen eyes of the barber glistened
with an unusual show of interest at this
point. He gave quiet laugh. pretend
ing meanwhile that the fire needed his
attention. mere subterfuge to conceal
his merriment.
"They were brought into court" he
continued, "while was in my place in
the jury box. was not looking for an
old acquaintance, which the woman
proved to be, and you may be sure ]
stared hard at her. She was certainly
the most shamefaced person possible. I
have laughed, though, every time /
think of it. 1t lis SO queer that should be
in the jury panel when the woman who
had picked my pocket was brought into
court. She still wore her hair cut
short, and had the old free and easy way,
though dressed of course according to
law. l never forget face and though
nv memory halted. recalled the thsef