Little Falls transcript., 1883-09-28
A APOLICEMAN'S MISTAKE.

ana you companloned am not alone.
--Christina 6. Rosseth.
APOLICEMAN'S MISTAKE.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
1t was dull rainy day, towards the end
of August-one of those davs when earth
and skv alike are gray and dreary, and the
rain drops pattering against the window
sound like human sobs. The clock that
hung against the wall pointed Ito the hour
Of three in the afternoon, and I was sitting
by myself in our little inner Office, looking
out at the expanse Of the dull, gray wall
that formed my only prospect from the not
read every square inch Of type IN the ne VS.
papers and documents, and now with liter
Kitty Elton, and wondering how long it
would 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 wo-
man to be, but I knew it was hard life for
her in that overcrowded milliners work
room, day after day and month after month.
and I longe1 to set her free from the mono
tonous captivity. She was pretty blue
eyed girl of 20, with dimple in her chin
and the sweetest rose on her cheek that
ever inspired the pen of poet. / was no
poet, yet think understood and appreci-
ated all her womanly grace and delicate
beauty as fully as if my hearts thoughts
could shape themselves into verse. Andit
was Of them I was thinking when the door
opened and MIR. Clenner came in.
MIR. Clenner was our chief, "a dark, ST.
lent little man, with square stern mouth
and cloudcd gray eyes, which appeared al
most expressionless when they were turned
full upon you, and ye. which seemed to see
everything at s. glance. He sat down be-
side me.
Meredith" he said. in quiet subdued
tone chat Was natural to him, "didn't you
say you were getting tired of doing moth
ing?"
"Well, have something for you to do
Something that will bring you both
credit and friends, if you manage it skill
fully. I had intended to go myself but cir
cumstances happened untowardly, and I
shall send you instead"
Bending his head toward me and speak
ing scarcely above whisper, he told me
the special business on which was to be
SSAIs lAOIo udu Oo0As IL ecSmS, d SERIES
of very heavy forgeries lately committed,
seemed to set the authorities at defiance.
For some time he had been in doubt as to
the act perpetrator of the crime. but af-
ter much quiet investigation and casting
hither and tither, he had detected the hid
den spring-one Perley Matteson-who
had skilfully eluded all pursuit, and was
now somewhere hidden in the northeastern
portion of the state. His whereabouts had
been ascertained as nearly as possible. and
1t was for me to 60 quietly up and appra-
hend him before he should become aware
of our knowledge of all his movements.
sat listening to all the various details
of our plan as they were sketched out by
Mr.. Clenner. The reward that had been
privately offered was high--my heart
leaped as reflected how much nearer it
would bring me to Kitty Elton, Dor did the
enterprise seem particularly difficult to
accomplish.
"Do you think you can do it?" Mr.. Glen
ner asked, after the whole thing had been
laid before me.
Eyes, sir. When shall start?"
"Now-within half an hour"
Eyes, why not?"
could think of no sufficient reason ex-
cept one, which I did not care to communi-
cate to my superior-the longing wish to
see Kitty once more before started
Just as you decide, Mr.. Clenner, of
course, said, raising. IF I take the 4
o'clock express shall be there by daylight
to- morrow morning."
Yes, and that is altogether the best
plan. He will not remain long in any one
place just at present, depend upon it, and
what you have to do must be done at
once"
All through that long night Journey I
mused myself upon the task that lay before
nae. The house to which was directed
Was in the village of Drownville-the resi-
dence Of Mrs. Matteson, the mother Of the
audacious forger. If help was needed l
was fully authorized to call for it upon the
constabularly authorities of Drownvllle, but
I expect to need none.
The rosy dawn was just finishing the
eastern sky when I alighted, stiff, weary
and jaded, from the train at the little way
station of Drownvile.
"Can you direct me to Mrs. Mattleson's 8
place?"' I asked Of the sleeny station-m mas
Ter, who was yaWnlng behind the little
aperture Of the ticket Office.
"Matteson-Mrs. Matthsoo; don't know
her, but guess likely can tell you where
she lives. Just you 'llow the main street
OF the village out about half mile, and
yell come to patch O. woods, with bars at
the fence. Go through them bars a little
way further on. and yen see little yaller
house. just the last place in the world
where you d expect to see house. That's
where Mrs. MAtteson lives"
thanked my informant, aad set ont on a
brisk walk, carrying my travelling bag. It
was quite distance ere [ emerged from
the suburbs of the main street" into q
quiet and secluded road, or, rather lane.
The patch O. wood" and the little yaller
house." a cream -colored cottage. literally
overgrown with honeysuckles-reward
my search, and as I knocked at the door a
clock som swhere inside struck Z.
A decent looking, elderly woman in Wild
ow's weeds came to tho door.
"Is MIR. Matteson in?" Mr.. Perley?"
"No," she answered, quickly, with, az I
imagined. rather confused look. I did
not believe her, and asked quietly:
when do you expect him homer"
Not at present."
Apparently she expected me to 60 awav,
but instead stepped in.
"Mother," asked a soft voice at the head
of the stairs, who is it,"
And then for the first time I became
aware that some one had been watching our
coloauy from the head Of the stairs--a
young girl, dressed, like the mother in deep
black, with very brilliant black eyes and a
profusion of jet black ringlets.
Someone to see your brother"
she came half way down the stairs,
pushing back her curls with one hama, and
looking at me with wondrous eyes. Even
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