The Russellville Democrat., 1881-08-25

J then by letter or two I can keep you informed of my whereabouts here in l Europe, so that in case you get news of the watch you can let me know.'
 II thanked him for his confidence in me and we stepped back and had the address changed. Afterward we went down the street together and soon sepa- rated. The next day and next showed them over the city, and finally left them, with some fegret, at the depot from which they were to leave.
 "l had noticed the watch and chain carefully and could identity either; and 1 the lady had described to me the appear ance of the robber so frequently. that I | felt not only able to identify him if I met him, but indeed he seemed to me, ! from his vividness in my imagination, almost like an acquaintance.
 "Weeks and Donths passed away. I was busy most of the time, and in my walks through the narrow streets, or on l the crowded boulevards, kept my eyes open for the red hair, deep-blue eyes and hai>lip' which had been impressed on my mind, and which, with my own knowledge of his height and form, made up my description of the thief But my vigilance was in vain. saw no one who answered to the description and l gradually came to give up what | faint hope I might have entertained, | But one day, nearly a wear afterward. l l stumbled on clew which, although 1t | did not directly ald me to secure the | thief himself, still led to the recovery of | the watch, and awakened my interest and watchfulness.
 "It happened in this ways One of my l acquaintances made an appointment | with me, by which was to meet him l one evening in the Latin quarter. I arrived at the rendezvous first, and while looking into a jewelry store noticed a watch that drew my attention because of its resemblance to the one that had been stolen, as nearly as I could recall it from my former patrons description.
 ''The more l looked at the watch the better satisfied I became that it was the stolen one. But where was the chain? l did not know; but its absence could be | accounted for in various ways. Finally l entered the store and asked the pro- prietor if he could tell me anything re- garding the matter.
 He was talkative old fellow, and pushed back his glasses and told me all that he knew and much more that he surmised Out of his rambling talk, I extracted the sole fact of interest; name- ly, that he had bought the watch at a public sale of the Mont de Piete, or gov ernment pawn shop, for in Paris this business is in the hands of the govern ment.
 q took down in writing minute des- cription of the watch, and the next day 1 made inquiries at the head bureau of the Mont de Piete; but with little success The watch had been sold, not pawned, by young man several months before; nothing whatever beyond this could find out.
 "So ended that thread of inquiry. had found the watch, without doubt, and I wrote to the gentleman abont it; but I felt so strong an enmity to the fellow himself that would have put myself to considerable trouble if could have got track of him. 1 redoubled my vigilance. But not once did I catch sight of that l figure which now 1 even see in my l dreams.
 Several days after this an answer came to my letter Tn which my friend said that the watch was doubtless his, if my description was correct; he desired me to negoticate for it's recovery, and would send money to my address when I wrote for 1t. More than this, he reit- erated my indignant feelings, which believe had spoken of in my letter, and even offered to come to Paris to second my efforts if I succeeded in fnd- ing the rascal.
 II went to the store and obtained a refusal of the watch at a price that 1 | knew was below it's real value, and, to cut this part of my story short, for we are getting nearly up to the Arc, in two weeks the letter came from the gentle man saying that the watch was safe in his possession.
 "But the chain was still missing, and the thief himself. knew l never should be satisfied until saw that fellow in the hands of the prefect.
 Well fortune favored me in the affair, and succeeded III capturing him; 1 but it was in curious way. was valk- | ing along the Rue Rivoli one day, about | six months later, having in charge some | the large archway which leads out ofthe Place du Carrousel-the one, you recol- lect, which we passed through as we came up here, when l saw, not ten steps ahead of me in the crowd which always
 
 a start of surprise.
 "It resembled very much the fellow had been looking for all those weeks. l He had better clothes than when saw l him disappearing around the corner of | the Theater Francais, but I could trust my memory, it was the same person. 1 Instantly my attention was taken from my company, and 1 thought only of catching a nearer view of this person in | front.
 50, excusing myself for moment to one of the ladies, l slipped through the crowd, and just as I came up with him l he stopped to look in window, and my eager gaze caught view of that hare | lip. It was surely the man was after. He coresponded exactly with my des- | cription of him.
 "But l noticed for the first time that l he had party of ladies and gentlemen with him. and was evidently acting as guide. l walked rapidly past him, took | up position in a convenient doorway, and when he came up l concealed my face by using my handkerchief. What was my still greater surprise, as heslow- ly passed me, to see the identical chain that l eought hanging about his neck, and evidently attached to watch in his pocket.
 "That was proof enough for me, and l desired no stronger proof. But just how to secure him l returned to my party | and FaVpiyad tho unaftar in my mind oa