Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-02-28

BlttIestOn, "thero Is one small favor |
venture to ask of you. May leave
pormanteau here, and fetch it on our
way down Friday or Saturday."
Certainly" said the old gentleman,
promptly.
81 find we have q good many things
we shan't need, now that the weather
has set in fair" he explained; "there
are also somo cooking utensils we can
dispense with. Its desirable to tighten
our boat, and by leaving tho portman-
teau here, have an excuse for calling
on our way back"
1--WE shall be delighted to see you"
said Mr.. Bittleston; "and il you leave
the portmanteau at the house to-
morrow morning, it shall be taken care
Of"
Tho Rev. Mark then took his depart
ure. Next morning the party had lett
when the family came down to break
fast, but the parson had entrusted the
portmanteau to one of the servants.
The following day he wrote few lines
to Mr.. Bittle'tOn, from Reading, send
ing a piece of music which ho had re-
commended the ladies to get, and bog.
ging that they wound accept it, as he
happened to come across it in the
music shop in the town. The little act
of politenoss excited less attention than
it might otherwise have done, because
the letter arrived when everybody was
in great state of excitement. The
discovery had just been made that Il
large quantity of jewelry, plate and
other articles had been distracted from
safe in Mr.. Bttleston's dressing
room. The loss was so considerable
that Mr.. Bittleston Immediately tele-
graphed to Scotland-yard, not caring
to entrust the matter to the local pO-
lice. In response detective appeared
upon the scene, and made a careful in
spection of the premises. The safe
was uninjured and the lock had not
been tampered with.
at was cleverly done, but there was
no magic in it," said the inspector, ii
sharp. eyed little man named Hardiss.
"The lock is q very ordinary ono and
has evidently been opened with key"
"But who could have done itP am
about the house and grounds all day,
and Hobody could have got in and out
without being nhSnrved.n said Mr.
BittlestOn, in 4 great tluster.
"It's case of burglary" answered
the inspector; "there are no signs of Il
torciblo entrance having been effected,
but some of the windows on the ground
floor have no shutters, and may have
been unlocked"
Then you don't suspect any of the
servants" said Mr.. Bittleston; "in-
deed, can answer for them ali"
"Woll, said the inspector, Struggling
his shoulders, 81 can't express an
opinion at present. Have you mad any
stranger in the house lately?"
NO" said Mr.. Bittleston, adding,
as he remembered tho Rev. Mark
Avery, "by-the-by, q clergyman dned
here night or two ago--a curate Of q
London parish. He was the only yisi'
tor the last few days"
The inspector asked no questions
about the parson, but Mr.. Bittleslon re-
solved to make journey by the Eas
end. and acertain beyond Il doubt thai
the Rev. Mark was the person he repre-
sented himself TO be. He mad no dill
Guilty about this, and had the satisfac
tion of feeling upon his return, that hi
had not committed any indiscretion. |
so happened that when he called at tn,
Rev. Mark Avery's address he met hi,
friends vicar coming out of the door
Mr.. Bittleston easily ascertained thai
the young curate had gone on q boat
ing expedition to Oxford with two com
-, panions, and this evidence appeared
quito conclusive. He made clumsy
, excuse to the vicar to account for hi
solicitude, and made his way home
feeling ashamed of himself.
The following evening, lnspecto
; Hardiss called to report progress, an,
to ask few further questions. Mr.
Bittleston was out in tho garden, an,
tho officer joined him on the lawn.
"It's puzzle, and that's a fact,
said Hardiss, when his inquiries ha,
been satisfied; 1--WE come to tho con
: clusion it has been done by some on
) in the house. No stranger has bee
J in the neighhorhood, and it's down
:, right impossible that any one coul
have got away with the swag withou
5 being noticed in little place like this.
j "Where are tho things, thenP" in
r quired MIR. Bittleston, testify.
"Not very far Off | can't help think
$ ing" answered the inspector; "w.t
o your permission [ will search tn
X, premises thoroughly, including tn
d, garrets and cellars"
o While the inspector was speaking
$ Mr.. Bittleston's Oldest daughter, a gil
: of fourteen, came running across tn
!. lawn. Papa" she cried, ''isn't tbs
: Mr.. Avoryp He is rowing stroke /
t theboat, and he has evidently forgo
: ten the house, but his portmanteau
o here"
r "By Joye! | believe it is Avery an
| his friends" cried Mr.. Bittleston, :
:: the boat swept quickly past the law
| in mid-stream at the best pace tho oar
r man could command. eli, yol
k Confound him! why can't he loo
r round! Boat ahoy"
@ But though Mr.. Bittleston had goo
y lungs, and though a broad sheet
o water is an excellent conductor
sound, his voice failed to arrest the a
j. tention of the occupants of the boa
d who were straining every nerve I
" reach the next lock. While Mr.. Bitte
v ton was still shouting, they began I
@ disappear from view round the to
r reach, without once turning the
o heads. ..,.
d "Silly fellow!" exclaimed Mr.. Bi
l. tleston, in a state of excitement, as b
!, hastily descended from the garden SO,
% on which he had been standing, "h
h must be deaf, aud blind, too! Herr
= Ada, quick! Tell Robert to run to m
n room aud bring Mr.. Avery's portmar
3, teau. Lend me hand, inspector.
s we look sharp, we will be able to cate
d him at the lock-"
% He led the way to the boat-houso Q
: he spoke, followed by the inspector
]f But by the time the boat was ready
1 a ~. r 4