Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-04-02
q POEICEAgAN'.S MISTAKE.


earth and sky alike ore gray and dreary,
and the raindrops pattering against the
window sound like human sobs. The
clock that hung against the wall pointed
to the hour of 8 IN the afternoon, and
was sitting by myself IN our little Ia
ner Office, looking out at the expanse Of
duh, gray wall that formed my only
prospect from the not over clean win
dow, and thinking. I had read every
square inch OF type In the newspapers
/ had made out all The necessary papers
and documents, and new, with literally
"nothing to do" I was musing about
Kitty Elton, and wondering how long it
youkl be before / should be able to
marry her.
Dear little Kitty' She was as sweet
and as patient as it was IN the nature OF
q woman to be, but I knew it was hard
Life for her in that overorowded MILL
ner's work-room, day after day and
month after month, and longed to Get
her free from the monotonons captivity.
She was pretty, blue-eyed girl of 30,
with dimple in her chin, and the sweet
est roses on her cheek that ever inspired
the pen Of q poet I was no poet, yet /
think understood and appreciated all
her womanly grace and delicate beauty
as fully as if my hearts thoughts could
shape themselves into verse. And il
was of them 1 was thinking when the
door opened and Mr.. Clenner came in.
Mr.. Clenner was our "chief pa dark,
silent little man, with square, stern
mouth and elouded gray eyes, which sp-
peared almost expressionless when they
were turned full upon You, and yet
which seemed to see everything at a
glance. he sat down beside me.
Meredith" he said in quiet, SUBJ
dued tone that was natural to him,
"didnt you say yen we're getting tired
of doing nothing ?"
"Yes, sir.
"WeD, I have something fer ycu to
do"
"What % it, SUI 2"
"Something that win bring you both
credit and friends, if you manage it
skiHfnlly. L had intended to go myself,
but circumstances happen untowardly.
and ahaA send yen instead"
Bending his head toward me and
speaking scarcely above whisper, he
told nae the speei business on which I
was TO be sent. There had been, it
seems, a series of very heavy forgeries
lately committed, with boldness and
audseisy that fairly seemed to set the
authorities at defiance. For some time
he had been IN doubj as to the exact
perpet1ator of the crime, but, after
much quiet investigation and casting
hitller and thither, he had detected the
hidden spring-o0e Peraey Matteson--
who had skillfully eiuded all pursuit,
and vas now somewhere hiding in the
northeastern portion Of the State. His
whereabouts had been ascertained as
nearly as possible, and It was for me to
go quietly up and apprehend him, be-
fore he should become aware of our
knowledge of all his movements.
[ sat listening to all the various de-
tails Of cur plan as they were sketohed
ous by Mr.. Clenner. The reward that
had beea privately offered was high
ny heart leaped as I reflected how much
nearer il would bring me 10 Kitty Elton,
NOE did the enterprise seem particularly
diRe0it to accomplish.
"D0 you think you can do 1t?" Mr..
0enner asked, after the whole thing had
been laid before me.
Yes, sir. When shall start?
Now-within half en- hour"
Yes why not7"
could think of no sufficient reason
except enc, which did not care to COM
municate to my superior-she longing
wish to see Kitty ence more before I
started.
"Just as you decide, MIR. Olenner, of
course, " / said, rising. eff take the
40cacck express 1 shall be there by day
light tomorrow morning"
ayes; and that is altogether the best
plan He will not remain long in any
one place just OF present, depend upon
it, and what You have to do must be
done at once"
ALI through that long night journey I
unused to myself upon the task that lay
before me. The house to which I was
directed was IN themidst of woods, about
half mile beyond the village of
Drownville-the residence of Mrs. Mat
teson, the mother of the audaciolls forg-
er. If help was needed I was fully au-
thoriHed to call for it upon the constab-
ulary authorities of Drownville, but I
expected to need none. l
The rosy dawn was Just flushing the
eastern sky when / .alighted, stiff, weary
and jaded, from the train, at the little
A..