The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-08-24

their nature to do so. Perhaps / may
come down myself, if so will write
and let you know when | am coming,
and in what disguise, so that you may
help me and not betray me by sudden
| recognition"
We'll, to make long matter short,
he did as directed him and | returned
with my wife and youngsters to town,
and the next morning placed the ac-
count before my Chief, asking to 60
down on the case for few days.
But ] was disappointed, for I was
wanted somewhere else, and a young
fellow was sent.
The case | was on caused me TO be
detained in Liverpool for a month, and
when had carried it out successfully
| returned to town, and the first thing
| inquired about was whether Harry
Balmer's thief had been taken.
"No,' said the Inspector, "that is a
queer case. l sent Sanders down
about it, but he did no good. He
watched the place carefully for
week, but could not discover anything
for while hwas there nothing went;
but the night of the day he left bas-
ketful of washing was stolen-some
thing the next night, and so on. l
sent him down again, and the thieves
stopped directly. can't make it
out"
"The thief knew Sanders" replied I,
sand while he was there would not
run the risk l have nothing to do
now. / think l will have turn at
it."
"You can, if you like, Fox,' said
the Inspector "but do not think'you
will make much of it. Sanders took
all sorts of disguises and failed, al.
though he is not half so well known
! by the thieves of London, or of Eng
land, might say, as you are
"Well, I'll have a try, and if do
not catch the fellow in four days I'll
give the matter up.
This being agreed upon, wrote off
at once to Harry to tell him to pre-
pare for me, and then set about for a
disguise
For that purpose selected navy's
costume-namely, sealskin cap, with
the ear-haps pulled well down, a
coarse cotton shirt, with no collar, a
red wool comforter, fustian coat of
the Newmarket cut, with large bone
buttons, a long waistcoat, with tapped
pockets-of the same material as the
coat--but left unbuttoned; trousers of
corduroy, fastened around the waist
with a strap, and two little straps fast
ening them up below the knee, high
enough up to show about two inches
of blue worsted stockings, and large
heavy pair of thick, high-low boots.
Of course, my hair was dyed, and
my hands and face made up to suit the
character Thus equipped, was
ready, and, mounting the top of an
omnibus, lit up my dirty stump of a
black clay pipe and drove down to
Tottenham
There entered one of two public
houses, where ''navvies most do con-
gregate," and, as l drank half a pint
of beer, asked the landlord, or any
navvies who happened TO be present, if
they knew place round about where
a poor fellow could get work.
Everywhere but at one place had
the same answers-"Hard times"
place too crowded already" and so
forth. But the single exception was
nearly a poser for me. He was stout,
jolly fellow-seemed to take pity on
me, and, having asked if l could dig
well, was about to engage me to dig
up his garden. Lucky for me, his
wife happened to come into the bar,
and bullied him for fool who en-
couraged all the idle, lazy fellows in
the world, and declared that should
not have penny of her money, and
complimented me by saying loud
enough for me to hear, that | looked
more like thief than laborer. So
the honest landlord gave up engaging
me, and when his wife's back was
turned drew me a pint of beer and re.
fused the money for it.
l made these visits 80 might enter
Hornsey at the END furthest from Lon.
dom secondly, in case watched, to
throw off suspicion, and thirdly, !
wished to see if l could come across
any one i knew, for l was certain tina,
the robberies at the jolly Farmers
were the work of no novice. How
far succeeded iu my second object,
of course, l cannot tell, but l failed to
. recognize one face.
1t was dusk when | reached the
Jolly Farmers, and luckily Harry wa'
in the bar alone; and so gave hin
the "ofiice," and he knew at once wha
to do, Tor had told him in my let
ter.
, l nodded to some navvies and labor
ers who were in the bar, and then pu
my usual question, and got the gener
al answer. | then ordered a pint O
beer of Harry, and as he drew it h
said;
"You seem to have come long way
mate ~
, "Gou're right, master, have com,
4 a long way I'm going to London t,
look for work. I s'pose you amt go
, a odd job | can do for you, just t,
= earn shilling or some supper, and
shake down in barn ?"
! Harry pretended to be considering
! for he put his elbow on the pewte
counter and rubbed the palms of hi
q hands over his face as he said
q "Well, don't know | might fin
n you something to do. Here, May
f just come and mind the bar for a me
ment.
n The girl came, and Harry, comin
a from behind the bar counter, opene
Q the door leading into the passage, an
A bade me follow him.
No sooner had the door been close,
!. than Harry turned to me and cried in
Il voice of wonder:
p why Charlie, how the deuce di
| you learn to make up so capitally
A Pom my word, | should never hay
n known you if 1t had not been for you
e letter. Indeed, then don't think
e should have done so had you not til
n ped me wink"
,s $50 much the betterj but take cal
a you do not betray me, Take me int