Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-05-11

ter of an hour before he again enter
ed the hallway by the concealed door.
The next day the Quaker and his
cousin were busy, and the detective,
still attired as the country wench,
passed through the panel in the hall,
and instead of turning up the fight
of stairs which led to the floor above,
he turned down the flight which led
he knew not whittier.
Soon he reached subterranean
passage, and pursuing it for about
60 yards came to another fight of
stairs which he ascended, and at the
top his head came against flag
stone. This he easily moved and
found himself at the top of but
tress to one of the walls of the stable.
Close by it was window into which
he could easily step. He did so and
found himself over the stable, in
what was used as loft for hay. He
hunted around to see whether any
goods were slowed away or secreted,
but was soon satisfied that there was
nothing there of value. Descending
from the loft by ladder placed for
the purpose. he returned to the house.
When he reached it he found the
Quaker greatly disturbed, as he had
discovered that his pocket had been
picked of f300, which he had placed
there the night before on going to
bed for security.
A week passed, then six men came
down to Lutterworth from London.
They were experienced thief-takers,
but they appeared to be ordinary work
ing-men, and went to work unobserv-
ed to mend the road near the Quak-
er's house. When night came they
trudged away. An hour later they
were ensconsed in the neighborhood
of the Quaker's stable.
The Quaker and his cousin retired
to rest at an early hour as usual.
About the same time three men.
dressed like gypsies and talking their
lingo, approached the stables and
waited where they could see the but
tress. Presently the stone at the
top was raised, and Cousin John
emerged. The next moment he step
ped in at window of the loft, and a
minute later joined the three gypsies.
They spoke together for half an hour,
and separated at the door of the sta
BILE. Before they could utter cry
the six men were upon them. March
ing them up TO the house, they found
the Quaker waiting in expectancy.
AS his eye lit upon his cousin he
exclaimed: GAS I thought!''
They were stubborn and harden
ed lot. But the London officers had
a dozen more of the gang into custo-
dy before daybreak in the morning,
and among them was one renegade
from civilized life who turned kings
evidence.
The secret of the old mansion had
been known to this gang for years,
and had been communicated from fa-
ther to son. For murder committed
in the neighborhood, however, the
gang had to quit it for many years.
Then one of the most daring of them
resolved to explore the secret ways
of the old mansion, and by that
means entered an old apartment in
which were papers belonging to the
father of the occupant.
Among these were letters which
disclosed the fact that he had broth
er who had gone to the West Indies,
and with the assistance of the rene
gade already mentioned, who was
man of education and moved in good
society, it was arranged that one of
the gang should pass off as the son
of the dead uncle, and thus aid the
gang in scheme of robbery. How
it worked the reader knows. The
money and stolen property were all
recovered after some very clever de-
tective work. Cousin John, under
the name of Phillip Hasson, and half
of the gang were sent over the seas.
The rest of them were whipped at
the cats tail and driven out of the
country.
The Quaker after this understood
Johns taste for horses and knowl-
edge of birds and flowers. The talk
about ghosts pu zzled him for time,
but afterwards he came to the con-
clusion, as he said on the trial, that
Cousin John wished to prepare be-
forehand an explanation of any nois-
es which he or his confederates might
make at night, or of a chance glimpse
which the cook or her master might
get of an unfamiliar figure about the
corridors.
''What amused me most at the op-
era," said an Arab chief, who had
been taken to hear 'sFaust," "was
one of the musicians in the orches-
ira, seated little higher than the
rest, who performed on an invisible
instrument with stick"
Travellers who have examined the
public hair brushes in hotels in the
far West invariably express their ad-
miration of the foresight of the ho-
tel keepers in claiming them securely
to the wall.
Sunday-school teacher. "What is