Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-01-21
TRAILING A CRIME.
By AN ENGLISH Ex-nETECTTvE

By AN ENGLISH EX-nETECTIyE.
have not q great story of the mar
volous tasrelate. but what ! have to say
possesses the merit Of being absolutely
toe.
About 4 dozen years ago complaints
were continuously made TO us of repcat-
cd robbcriGS from a luggage train,
which &C that time was dong service
between London and a certain pro
vincial town which / will call Hubble.
ton.
Time after time, in spite OF the traffic
Managers Strictost vigilance. valuable
freight was stolen, and the thief or
thieves remained undecided. The
most mysterious part Of the affair WINS
I that not unfrcqucntlY the missing
goods consisted of very heavy and cum
1 berous articles. such, for instance. gs
bales Of raw wool, heavy pieces OF lin
ished wooden cloths, and now and AGAIN
bags OF logwood, boxes Of inrI!go. sc.
The guards Of certain Grains were
kecniy questioned, their every move
ment was observed-in TACT the COM
pany's WI detectives placed the whole
OF the servants un6.cr the most watch
\ full SUI VIGILANCE.
4 Sui consigr.ors and cousi8nees con-
rinued to CON nlain, dispatched materials
renamed p.ndelivarci, and, as Il consc-
quencc' re directors were made 70
smart lefty sharply in the shape of
AWARDED compensation.
- was at this ruinOus ;uncture that
ErAy serTiccs were called into requisition.
u sG.la1G,rN1 (rhty l. flr ,,I,I--r,. 49,
best known by them, said the inspector
to me n morning, II have got IN in
~tricate little matter | want YOU to I'M
dertako. The Grangewood Limited
n Liability Company have compromised
that job you have been working, con-
~Bequently you are the only II. mbcr /
have d~isengaged at the present mo-
n ment.H
n He gave me- the details of the case.
which have Just rcc.tr0, suggested a
few important hints, and concluded by
= advising me 20 take a day or two SO KS
to deliberate my plans for attack.
n 'TOf course you know the Importance
" II the thing he said inst fore / took
my leave OF him, land If YOU bring il
81 10 a satisfactory termination, | will take
into consideration the question of adj
x Nising your promotion"
l thanked him for his encouraging re-
marks, and went away in high hopes of
achieving my promised reward.
~ Early in the forenoon of the follow
ing day, while the inspector was run
ming through his letters, the clerk ap-
rs prised him Of the visit ola railway port
FIR, who wished TO speak to him on a
subject of deep Importance.
Nd SHOW him in, by all means"
The porter entered, cap in hand, and
bowed 10 Inspector Brown.
lie wsS a round s]houldered, gray
fFhiskered man of apparently fifty years
lib are.
NJ We'll what is it you want, my good
knan9 Take a seat"
THANK you, sir. I've come 10 tell
on that think | know who it 10 that
keeps stealing things from u company,
id II YOU viii sen a man up with me,
will give him a wrinkle or two con-
j erning it,"
WHAT do You know about the mat
erp1 the Inspector inquired.
W well, | heTe spoken to our foreman.
nd he senf me down to say that | am
Eseady t. help the man you are going to
end up, that's ALL"
''Oh, very well. The officer l. not in
low. Call again tomorrow ri ten, and
on shall see him. Good-day.N
Good day." l answered, for the
vi pseudo porter was indeed myself. "Do
GA think, inspector, this gctup is good
snough?' | inquired with a smile.
For a moment he was thunderstruCk
nd <oed looking ut me in mute aston
hment. Then he burst out in an up
parious peal of laughter, during which
mSde my exit.
My disguise was perfect. | had
ndergone a thorough transformations
fsture, voice and form were changed.
he consummate ability / always pos
Essed in this respect has often been of
Fcalculable service TO me in my profess
Without 1t l should have had to
Prohicle a few failures in the long list
my stirring adventures. Coupled
III that as well. j have in me
e faculty of divining the hidden mean
e. OF mems hearts, from the fact that
lave closely studied the uHerring laws
ph~ysiognomy, and, because Of these
q my fearlessness, | was considered
trly fit to hold my with any man.
was growing late in the afternoon,
intended il should, when / arrived
the luggage department Of the rail-
whose name, for obvious reasons,
E@fam not at liberty to disclose, and,
FER laundering for some time among
Npg Lines of trucks, and scrambling
\ mountains of miscellaneous goods,
me upSjnlhe dimly Lit sanctum OF
Higgins. thq-general manager of the
pic. / Knocked atthe door, and re-
Pnslye to the gruff voice OF that lnii-
ual, entered.
Sarely had 4 closed the door behind
before MIR. Higgins, buried at his
K among ledgers, letters, and way
:, turned bluntly upon me.
What's the matter nowP Another
aDbie among you-eh?'
MINot exactly, sir" | said. ~ wish
have a little talk with you about the
Rberies that haze been taking place
some time past"
FOh, you do, eli? Well, whaS can
tel me about themon
nd Mr.. Higgins, eyeing mo most
ieally, suddenly assumed q very Sc
rs and injured air.
saw from his manner that nothing
"a be gained by longer beating
Put the BUSH" so 1 revealed myself To
Higgins by promptly handing him
card.
Wei, bless my soult' exclaimed the
mayer, looking first at my name and
y at me, his feelings alternating the
lie between surprise and suspicion.
nd are YOU really the man | sent for
DOT out these theftsp'
The same, / said.
You surprise me. I could have
Prn you were ono of my own work
ms
$50 much the better for my plans,
Higgins You are loading the