Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-11-27
THE SHADE W ON THE WALL.
By AN n-DErrcrIyfE.

man, but in the course 81 my calling
as 3 detective I have seen many Queer ,
things and have met with more re- =.
markablc adventures than the world
would really credit. The particular
one ! am about to relate has nothing
Of the supernatural about It. IA =,
matter Of fact, ! never had theluck to
look on q ghost, except atthe theatre.
Ghosts to my mind, are unsatisfacto-
~ creatures, whose business is toterri-
" poor 'wretches with dreadful warm
in2s OF coming misery and misfortune;
but / do not hesitate to ackno wledee:
that was once saved by a shadow.
. That seems strange, and the way in
which it happened WAS stranger STILL,
1t was many years ago when I was
beginning life, that I was sent to q
country village to discover amysteri-
Gus robber who had broken into a
churchand had stolensome ten pounds
IN money, beside thesilver plate belong
ing to the rector. ,s:sssssar$ $ 8. 5'ss .ttS3@
I Preached the village at sunset. 1t
was quiet and pretty place with "a
narrow strip of common On each side
of the road; a pond, where some ducks
were leisurely padding. and straw
thatched inn, iii front OF which a
group of laborers were sitting over
pipes and beer. Without needing their
curious looks, walked on to the
church, which stood % few yards higher
up in the middle of the neglected
churchyard. The solemn hush that
brooded over it, the fading sunlight
shining on its windows, and the birds
singing softly from the encircling trees,
affected me strangely. Twilight gath
cred around me as fingered there.
Having decided that the best thing
/ could do was to put up at theinn for
a day Or two so rs to pursue my in:
quirles on the spot, went back be-
fore it closed and soon succeeded in
coming to terms with the landlord.
lie was q pleasant, talkative old fell
low, 81 widower, and his niece had
kept house Tor him ever since his wife
died. eav - -v-& ~
"She's gone up to the rector's, has
Janet. He's preparing for confirmar
ton 'gainst the bishop comes," re-
marked the landlord, cheerfully.
you've heard of the robbery, ! dare
say" ~
IL have heard very little Of it so
far" l answered.
"Indeed!" returned the old man, re-
treating q step or two to look at me,
and apparently satisfied with the in
spection-"indeed. Then you could
not have come to q better person for
particulars, though I sayit as perhaps
l shouldn't. The wiseacres around
here never thought of asking old
Browns opinion, and the village con-
stable owes me q grudge because
won't give him trust. The way of the
world, sir, everywhere"
''Do you really think you know who
the man is?" / interposed. sFrom
what | have seen Of the church, it
doesn't seem to have been entered
from the outside" ! :"
,"Why, of course not. The thief got
into the church as he got out OF it
Through the door,"
T., Was it possible that, the landlord
had hit ON the truth? His theory, at
all events, seemed probable enough
In my anxiety to obtain such informa-
ton as | could, I encouraged him. to
continue, by suggesting that he could
begin at the beginning and tell me all
he knew.
"Ay, to be sure I will, returned Mr..
Brown, readily. :, 1T doesn't seem
much, but if were younger I would
make it enough to lay certain gentle
man by. the heels as q lesson to him
and to Others like him, I would So"
He then told me how, a month be-
fore the church was robbed. a stranger
had hired q bedroom there stating that
he had business in the neighborhood
which would probably keep him from
home for a week or two. Hewas an ex.
tremely polite person, this stranger,
but the landlord noticed after a. time
that he was often out all night, and
that whenever this happen ed he would
lay in bed the next day till late in the
afternoon. However. Mr.. Brown
made no complaint, and things went
On as usual till the night of the rob-
berry. On that day, the stranger went
out early in the morning and never
came back. For the rest, the, land
lord described him. as a tall, good
looking man, apparently about forty
years old. ,se. D,.,.T1 4fs.fs. -..,r g..
SIS that alp" asked, feeling both
doubtful and disappointed.
1T is an,'' he answered. 49,.
He game nearer; he, laid his hand
lightly on my shoulder. +, ,..s.,,.s..,s4t =.
Believe me-" he said, ~ cannot en-
actly explain what | mean, but as sure
as there is o sun above us, that manis
the robber." g. .,,:f IT,,
Before sIgcould reply, the door was
opened andin came q fair girl with her
yellow hair braided around her head,
looking, III the bloom of her youthful
beauty, like a rosebud dipped in dew.
She glanced around. curtsied me, and
stole quietly out again without saying
a word. ,sss. n = efsS 3.g Ii 5st J r.. !.
Remembering what the landlord had
told me, | had no difficulty in guessing
that this was Janet. Under ordinary
circumstances, i should have been in
terested in Questioning him about her,
butin mypresent position ! wanted to
be alone to ponder over what had
heard and decide On my plans for the
morrow. / therefore pleaded fatigue
AS an nycy1ea f,,y i.n+ iyin0 tRv,las1uvaf &M,.
Brown in q glass Of his own ale, and
was shortly afterWard shown UP stairs.
It was q close, sultry night, blew
my candle out, and seating myself In
q chair blythe wind owl began to think
what ! should do next. The ahsoi b.
ing purpose that had guided me thus