The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1883-05-31
time we did not pass him, but watched
from a corner at distance.

time we did not pass him, but watched
from corner at distance.
Twenty minutes and half between
going and coming" exclaimed my COM
panion. "And a handy beat; for he
comes up the corner there"-pointing
to one little beyond the shop-"and
goes down this street next ours"
The impression began to steal over
me that I was committing, or helping
to commit, a felony, and that if caught
might get into trouble. I thought
of running for it; but the remark my
companion made at that moment, to
the effect that it would be short run
if deserted him for he seemed to
see 1 didn't like the job, deferred me.
| dared not explain that he had made
a mistake, for I felt sure that he must
have mistaken me for some ally of
his own. Il must go through with it,
thinks l. "IIe'l leave me outside to
watch, and I'll hook it then?" So l
went on.
He crossed the street again the mo-
ment the policeman was past interfer
ing with us, and producing piece
of stout black cloth he applied the
rule thereto, l holding it against the
shutters, while he set out "three and
half by two thereon. THIS done, he
cut it within two inches Of the mea-
surement all round, and then produc-
ing a treacle-pot from his pocket, he
smothered one side of the cloth with
treacle, and, desiring me to hold it, he
mounted the shop-door, so to speak,
again; and l gave him the cloth, which
he Immediately clapped on to the sky
light, the treacle making it adhere
firmly to the glass. Then, looking at
his watch, he cried:
"By jingo, he'll be here this minute!"
and away we walked. \ glance be-
hind us, as we turned the next corner.
Not yet in sight. We stopped and
waited, but the policeman came not.
My friend muttered an oath, adding,
I'll 60. Come along; but keep your
weather-eye open" And off we went.
Perhaps he is watching u.s. I sug-
gested. But the idea was discarded
as not in the nature of policeman
dixie that one we saw"
We arrived at the shop. He mounted
again, and drove a string through
hole in the cloth. Then he ran dia-
mond round the edge of the glass. a
gentle pat, and it gave way. Now 1
saw the use of the cloth and string.
He could hold the glass by the string;
and he slowly let it tdown into the shop.
and, producing long-shaped pad, ne
laid it along the bottom of the fanlight
to cover the glass edge, and threw one
leg into the opening and got astride of
it,
"Follow me-" he muttered, and
ducked his head under the door-head.
But before he could draw in the other
leg l mounted the ladder, and, seizing
it, gave him a pull that kept him from
going in, at the same time yelling,
Police. Thieves! Murder! Police" at
the top of my voice. And, 10 and be
hold! the policeman appeared at the
corner at that moment. A horrible
oath from within, pistol-bullet
whistling past my head, and I ran for
death and life. 1 did not stop till l
found myself in Broad street.
In the next days papers 1 saw the
account of the capture of burglar by
one policeman, who had watched two
burglars from the corner, and saw one
enter the house, and the other leap up
the wall like cat, grab at a disappear
ing leg, and yell "Policew and run.
The one that was caught got seven
years penal servitude, and "the police
are searching vigilantly, though as yet
unsuccessfully, for the other, who, it
appears, is a desperate character"
They never caught him.-CaSseH