Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-05-24
HOW WAS PROMOTED.


locals some trouble. So / wish you to
90 down as soon as possible"
This order / received one hot day in |
August, on the day after the robbery
had taken place. OF course, | did not
let much time pass before | was at the
station and fairly started. Once there,
Barrowtown is quaint, picturesque
little town, like many another in goodly
England. 1t seemed almost too dull to
be able to boast the doubtful honor of
having had a full-grown robbery. Still
| like the quiet little town, for it was
there that l gained my first promotion.
| was met at the station by the local in
spector, a stout pompous, excitable
little man, who looked doubtful as to
the prudence of the Scotland Yard au-
thorities in sending down such an ordin-
airy looking mortal as myself.
''Oh," he remarked at last; $50 it's
you, young man, is it? l don't think
we are likely to trouble you much this
time The fact is. ahem! we have
caught the culprit ourselves"
l merely bowed, and expressed wish
to see the prisoner; and we both set off
for the country jail, perhaps a mile or
SO away.
Well, it certainly seemed us plain as
day to me that the unhappy wretch on
whom Inspector Muggridge had laid his
fell grasp could easily have proved an
alibi had not that worthy officer con-
tinually interrupted him with:
Better keep that for your examina-
ton, my good fellow; or it'll all be
brought up against you, my man, you
know"
told him seriously, as soon as Icould
in private, that the man he had arrested
was no more guilty than l was; but he
simply smiled lncredulously, and asked
who else could be the culprit. as this
was the only really abandoned char
acter of the town, and it was plainly
the work of some one who knew the
place.
Besides he added, cit isn't very
likely that any one could beat me on
my own ground, where | know every
body, you know; and if he didn't do it,
who did?"
With which really unanswerable argu-
ment he accompanied me to the scene
of the robbery, where we were shown
over the premises by the mistress of the
house.
When saw the ground floor window
by which access had been gained to the
house | quite agreed with the worthy
''locan' that it was not the work OF a
NEW hand and that from the fact
that his footprints, wherever we could
trace them, showed no hesitation, but
rather a thorough acquaintance with
the grounds; the cuprit. whoever he
was, must have had some opportunity OF
visiting the scrne of operations, and
probably lived somewhere in the neigh
| borhOOd.
1t seemed that the thief had entered
| the house by window in the rear, and
carried off small box of valuables from
| the room of the master of the house.
who had been staying at a friends that
| night. Both these facts showed an in
innate knowledge of the premises on the
| part of the culprit, and strengthened
our former belief.
We were informed that the lost
casket-an ordinary tin cash box-had
been almost filled with various articles
of jewelry, and, therefore, the loss was
rather heavy. OF course the knowledge
that there would be a good reward for
the recovery of the missing property did
not abate my zeal. Still, in spite of my
eagerness to discover the culprit, |
could make but little of the case, and
might even have to come over to the
opinion of the local but for one very
important fact, namely, the footprints
in the garden-bed were all smaller than
those of the prisoner. Now, although a
man may wear boots several sizes too
| ho
hardly walk with comfort in shoes an
inch or so too short.
Very much annoyed at my want OF
success, and dreading the chaff would
be sure to get when, compelled to give
it up, should return to town, | was not
particularly delighted next morning to
see Mr.. Muggridge coming up the road
to the house, accompanied by the editor
of the Barrowtown Weekly Banner, who
had determined, he said, to write up the
account of the robbery himself
But there was no escape, and SO, pre-
pared for host of questions, | was
walking slowly to meet them, when my
eyes were caught by something brigh
among the bushes by the roadside. Yes
there could be no doubt of it; there la,
the lost box, empty, of course. Withou
stopping, however, l walked as calml,
as possible on to the inspector, and wa
introduced TO Mr. Shears, the editor.
1t was simply wonderful how obligins
l had become. even, when Mr.. Mug
gridge limited that he was pressed TO
time, volunteered myself to give Mr.
Shears the information he wished, ant
to 90 over the premises with him. One
left alone with the Jealous representa-
tive of the press gave that gentleman
| all the points of the case, and a fey
more, as you shall see.
The next afternoon, as soon as cop
, of the Banner came to the house wher
the robbery had occurred had for tn
last two days spent from the forenoon
to the dusk there turned to the en-
of the column devoted to the .'Grea
Robbery" and read, with a chuckle, tn
announcement that 1.-The loss of th
e Jewels would be less felt had there nc
d been between the two bottoms of th
e box almost two hundred pounds in ban
e notes, of which. unfortunately. the nun
+ bers had not been taken"
That evening, as usual, | left tn
grounds at dusk, after spending most
e the day in watching though apparent
e engaged in something else-whether an
i one went near the spot, few hundre
. yards from the grounds, where lay til
IS box on which specially depended as
p bait to hook the thief. By walkin
It slowly 1 managed to let the shades
g evening close around me before | W;
P far beyond the spot where | had mac
re up my mind to watch and wait develol
y ments.
Eight! Nine! Were they never con
ing, and was my trap laid and bate
in vain? Ten! Surely they shoul
have come by this time. Still-ws
that sound on the roadp Yes, an
.. coming from the village. too. The
in were evidently several of them, and
h, began to regret not having brougl
n. some one to assist me.
,e Nearer they came, laughing and tai
ing, as | cautiously drew further bat
from the road. And now they were O
;" posite the spot where the box lay hi
But-what! They've gone by; and
rs, the hearty OUTLAW of the man farthe
OF away of the three | recognize Farm
IN Lobbins, an honest fellow, whose a
~ quaintance had made. After this 81
- had almost given up, and was actual
making up my mind to abandon Il
=, affair, when a faint sound from dow
the road made me crouch as low as pc
nd sible once more. 1t was no hoax th
We time. A short, thin man, whom
easily recognized as a man-of-al wol
an who had been helping the garden
lat that day, was creeping stealthily dow