Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-06-22

Never mind, said the disguised officer
Find you what?"
"a polceman-that isn't fool"
II.
This was stinger-and so sudden; hi
hearers looked rather sheepishly at him. Il
was the policeman who answered
1T you will come to the station, ] will un
dertake TO find you that"
Patrick assented and on the way they mad,
friends his companion revealed himself, and
Patrick, pleased with his good temper, lei
him into the plan he had mRtIred while smok
ing his pipe and appearing to lose time. All
Patrick stipulated was that he himself should
be tho person in command; and as he alone
knew where the booty was, and was mani
festly as crafty as badger, this was cheer
fully acceded to. So, an hour before dusk
four fellows that looked like countrymen
drove cart full of straw up to the hovel, and
made big heap by adding it to what was
there already.
Then two drove to the edge of the town,
put the horse up, and rejoned their compan-
ions in ambush-all but one who hid in dry
ditch opposite, They were all armed, and
the outside watcher had novel weapon-a
powerful blue-light in the shape Of fat squib
1t is dreary business waiting at night for
criminals who may never come at all, or, il
men or wildcats.
Eight o'clock came nine -ten-eleven-
twelve. Tho watchers were chilled and stiff
and Patrick sleepy.
One Of the policemen whispered to him
They won't come to night Are you sure
they have not been and taken up the swag -
mot sure but think not"
The policemen growled and muttered some
thing about a mares nest.
"liush :" said another.
WHAT in an agitsted whisper.
"Wheels! :"
Silence.
They all remained as still az death. The
faint wheels, that would have been inaudible
by day. ratified nearer and nearer 1t was late
for bona fide traveller to be on the road.
Would the wheels pass the hoyel ?
They came up fast then they stopped sud
denly. To the watchers everything was audi
BILE and every sound magnihed. When the
drag stopped 1t was like a railway train pull
ing up. Men leaped out, seeming to shake
the ground. When three figures hustled into
the hovel, il sounded like rush of men.
Then came thrilling question would the
thieves examine the premises before they
looked for the booty2 The chances were
they would.
Well they did not They were in great
hlAitlls tOOt uul IL lOOh lnt lOIul VI 1.
They dug furiously, displayed the booty to
Barney all in q hurry, and demanded their
price
Now, then, one hundred pounds or take
your last look at en-"
"One hundred pounds :" whined Barney.
Cant be done"
VERY well; there's no time to bargain"
'I'll give eighty pounds But shall lose
money by EN-
"Biarney They are worth thousand.
Here, Jem, put EN- up we can do better in
Dublin"
Barney whined and demonstrated, but ended
by consenting to give the price.
The words were hardly out of his mouth
when the hovel cleaned with a lurid fire, so
vivid and penetrating that every crevice of it
and the very cobwebs came out distinctly.
The thieves yelled with dismay, and one
ran away from the light slap into danger, and
was dazzed again with opening bul's-eyes
and captured like lamb. The other rushed
blindfold at the entrance, but his temple en-
countered a cold pistol and a policeman i'm
movable as a statue. He recoiled. and was in
that instant of hesitation pinned from behind
and handcuffed click As for Barney, from
whom no fight was expected, he was allowed
to Chamber up the walls like mouse in a trap,
then tumble down, until the four.wheel they
uhu COllt III WAS DIOuBuh up b1 huuN " MI
ferty Then the thieves were bundled in, and
sat each Of them between two honest men,
and the fence was attached by the wrist to a
policeman, who walked him to the same des-
tination but like friend Virgil's bull, multq
reluctdntem, hanging back in vain, and in
vain bribing the silent impenetrable Bobby.
Pat slept at the station, and the next morn
ing the jeweler gave his thirty guineas with a
good heart but omitted the blessing. Patrick
whined dismally at this very serious omission,
and the worthy little fellow gave it him with
gistening eyes. For" said he, I'm own
now the loss would have ruined me. l find
by my books they cost me El3OO." So then
he blessed him solemnly, and Pat went home
rejoicing. "Ill have more luck than ever
now, said he. I'm have all sorts of luck
good, bad and Indifferent"
When he got home he told the story mac
curately and like a mOnomaniac; that is to
say, he suppressed all the fortitude and sd
gacity he had shown. These were qualities
he possessed, 80 he thought nothing of them.
Luck and diyination were what he prided
himself on. His version ran thus he had
the luck not to sell his COW till nightfall, and
the still better luck to be robbed of his money
and thus compelled to sleep in the neighbor-
hood. Then, thanks to his superlstive luck,
the queens jeweler had been robbed of silver
hulNCIb lu0 blLG vi Aub uhINGSN uOOLlt lhO'
gallon teapots, pearls like hazel nuts and da
monds as big as broad beans and seeing nc
other way to recover them, and hearing that
the wise man of Gannachee was in town, haC
given him good dinner and his pipe, and
begged him to use all his powers as a seer
of all which the upshot was that he had put
the police on the right track, captured the
booty, Gagged the thieves, and marched home
with the reward.
In telling this romance he was careful tC
take out the thirty guineas and jingle them
and this musical appeal to the senses SO over
powered the understandings of his neighborl
that they swallowed this marvellous tale like
spring water.
After this few were bold enough to resis
his pretensions to luck and dvination. He
was often consulted, especially about missing
property, and as he now and then guessed
| right, and sometimes had taken the precau
ton Of hiding the property himself, which
materially increased his chances of finding it
| he passed for seer.
One hue day Squire Ormsby learned to his
dismay that his pantry had been broken into
and IA mass of valuable plate stolen. Mr.
| Ormsbee was much distressed, not only OF
account of its value but because of the length
Of time certain pieces had been in his family
He distrusted the police and publicity in sucl
| Nhato hhd AAo WAC BANNAAAON cA hAtAA W oOhe
for Patrick O'Rafferty.
That worthy came, and heard the story
He looked at the lady and gentleman, and hi
self-decepton began to ooze out of him. TC
humbug his humble neighbors was not diff
cult nor dangerous, but to deceive and thei
undeceiye and disappoint his landlord wa
quite another matter.
He put on humility, and said this was
matter beyond him entirely. Then tn,
Squire was angry, and said, bitterly, M
doubt he would rather oblige his neighbour
or a shopkeeper who was stranger to him
than man whose land had fed him aud hi
for fifty years" He was proceeding in th
same strain when poor Pat with that disma
whino the merry soul was subject to occa
sionally, implored him not to murder him en-
tirely with hard words he would do his best
mo man can do more, said Mr.. Ormsby
"Now how will you proceed Can we reDde
you any assistance 7"
Patrick said humbly, and in a dowucas
way, he would like to see the place where tn
thieves got in.
He was taken to the pantry window, AM
examined it inside ard out and all tho sci
wants peeped at him.
"What next 2" asked the Squire.
Then Patrick inwardly resolved to get
good dinner out of this business, howevo
humiliating the end of it might be. Sorr
| said he "ye'l have to give me a room all I