The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-09-04
SELECT STORY.
A SHADOW ON TEE WALL.
BY AN EX-DETECTIVE

all ny ho Hiehhs nupcio.ieio"o
man, but in the course of my calling as
detective have seen many queer
things, and have met with more re-
markable adventures than the world
would readily credit. The particular
one am about to relate has nothing of
the supernatural about it. As mat
ter of fact, | never had the luck to
look on a ghost, except at the theatre.
Ghosts, to my mind, are unsatisfactory
creatures, whose only business is to
terrify poor wretches with dreadful
warnings of coming misery and mis-
fortune; but l do not hesitate to ac-
knowledge that | was once saved by
shadow.
That seems strange, and the way
in which it happened was stranger
still.
1t was many years ago, when | was
beginning life, that | was sent to a
country village to discover mysterious
robber who had broken into the
church and stolen some ten pounds in
money, beside the silver plate belong
ing to the rector.
l reached the village about sunset.
1t was a quiet and pretty place, with a
strip of common on one side of the
road a pond, where some ducks were
leisurely padding, and straw-thatched
inn, in front of which group of la
borers were sitting over their pi pes and
beer. Without needing their curious
looks, l walked on to the church, which
stood few yards higher up in the
middle of neglected church yatd.
The solemn hush that brooded over it,
the fading sunligh. shining on its win
dows, the birds singing softly from the
encircliug trees, affected me strangely.
The twilight gathered round me while
/ fingered there.
Having decided that the best thing
l could do was to put up at the inn for
day or two 80 as to pursue my in
quiries on the spot, | went back before
it closed and soon succeeded in coming
to terms with the landlord. He was a
pleasant, talkative old fellow, wild
over, ard his niece had kept house for
him since his wife died.
"She's gone up to the rector's, has
Janet. He's preparing her for confir-
nation 'gainst the bishop comes re-
Llarked the landlord, cheerfully.
you've heard of the robbery, dare
say?"
81 have heard very little of it so
far l answered.
"Indeed" returned the old man, re-
treating step to look at me, and ap.
parently satisfied with the Inspection
''indeed! Then you could not have
come to better person for particulars,
though 1 say it as perhaps shouldn't.
The wiseacres round here never thought
of asking old Browns opinion, and our
village Constable owes me grudge
because l won't give him trust. The
way of the world, sir, everywhere"
"Do you really think you know who
the man is ?" | interposed. "From
what l have seen of the church it
doesn't seem to have been entered from
outside"
"Why, of course not. The thie1
got into the church as he got out OF il
through the door,
Was it possible the landlord hit on
the truth! His theory, at all events,
seemed probable enough. In my anx.
iety to obtain such information as
could, l encouraged him to continue
by suggesting that he could begin
at the beginning ard tell me all he
knew.
"Ay, to be sure l will" returned
Mr.. Brown readily. at doesn't seem
much, but if were younger l would
make it enough to lay certain gentle
man by the heels as lesson to him.
and others like him, | would So"
lie then told me how, month be
fore .he church was robbed, a stranger
had hired a bedroom here, stating that
he had business in the neighborhood
which would probably keep him away
from home for week or two. He
was an extremely polite person, this
stranger, but the landlord noticed aftel
a time that he was often out all night
and then whenever this happened he
would lie in bed next day till late il
the afternoon. However, Mr., Brown
made no complaint, and things wen
on as usual till the night of the rob
berry. On that day the stranger wen
off early in the morning and nevel
came back. For the rest, the landlord
described him as tall, good-lookinl
man, apparently about 40 years old.
as that all?" asked, feeling botl
doubtful and disappointed.
"Is it all :" he answered.
| lie came nearer; he laid his han'
lightly on my shoulder.
"Believe me-" he said, 81 cannot eA
actly explain what mean, but, as sur
as there is a sun above us, that man
the robber."
l Before l could reply the door opene
and in came fair girl with her yello,
hair braided around her head, looking
in the bloom of her youthful beauty
like a rosebud dipped in dew. Sh
glanced round, curtsied to me, an
stole quietly out again without sayin
a word.
Il Remembering what the landlord ha
told me, had no difficulty in guessln
that this was Janet, Under other ci
cumstances / should have been inte
ested in questioning him about her, bl