Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-12-11
SAVED BY A PARROT.

.Stop thieip'
Pit-a-pat. Pit-a-pAt.
.'Halt, or fret"
The watchman paused beside a lilac
push, fragrant with the blossoms of
May, and leveled his revolver
But the fugitive sped on through the
eglected grounds surrounding the old
rhorndale mansion.
Bangl
AS the shot rang out upon the still
light air, Its Intended victim looked
back,
AT the same instant the moon peeped
over the top of dark cloud, its silver
white ray illuminating his hand some,
hough startled face.
"llalt!" shouted the watchman, re-
cooking his " eapon.
But not even the whlstling of the
leaden bullet had brought the fugitive
to terms. He raised a large object TO a
evel with his head, and, with marvel
GUS agility, leaped into tie air, and dis
appeared from view over high stone
wall.
EIom the vantage ground of tbs bar
ren, the par ting custodian or the place
was soon flashing his dark lantern up
and down the narrow confines of the
deserted little court.
A muttered curse escaped his lips as
he saw that his pursuit had been fall
ure.
Hello, Tom Dalcyl What are you
doing here?'
This hail and question proceeded
from tall man who had just arrived
at the street corner about fifty feet
away.
Following a trcspasser "a thief,
Mr.. Graves, WAS the response
open the gate, and be lively about
itl''
"Well?'' queried Graves when h s
commar had been complied with and
lie had been admitted 10 the extensive
enclosure.
~ was in front of the house when 1
heard noise in the rear"
"WellI"
~ ran around and saw a man leaping
from the library window"
Hal burglar?"
Exactly"
Had he taken anything?'
"Ie carried in his hand bird cage
the largest OF all of them. l thlnk.''
That's strange. Would you know
him?"
az would, and do"
"Who IS he?''
"Lyne Laird"
"The old mans former secretary?"
''The same. L got good view of
him, and am sure. What he could
want with a bird cage L can't under
stand"
Nor 7, except that it is to cover up
his tracks destroy a clue of some
KIND"
"A clueI' repeated Daley, hoarsely.
''You don't mean-''
"That Lyme Laird murdered his for
mer employer and benefactor, Israel
Thorndale! That's it 10 the smallest
punctuation mark"
''Impossiblel''
al thought so at first, but facts are
convincing things"
Hadn't we better give the alarm
He may get out of the city"
"No danger. I've notified the police
to run him IN. They'll have him by
morning."
''But what in the world"
Listen, Daley, here's the case.
Three days ago old Israel Thorndale
was found in his library, where he's
slept among hIs birds, squirrels and
white mice, these twenty years, with a
knife buried in his heart. "
That's right. | was the first"
'tNever mind Jha+. I'm called as a
professional detective to take control o.
the case, and place you IN charge of the
premises"
"Aud much obliged L"
''The lower floor seemed to have been
good deal ransacked, but nothing of
value was missed. The motive WASH t
robbery says l..
That's clear.'
$50 l looked deeper. Who would be
benefited by the old mans death?
inquired"
Not Lyme Lairdl''
Don't jump at conclusions. The
dead mans niece, pretty little Susie
Traux, is his sole heir at law.''
80 they say. But you don't mean
TO accuse her? Bless you, no.
She's as good as she's beautiful. Shes
been the light of old Israel's life since
her mother died and she came to live
with him, six years ago"
They say that the old man DIS
charged Lard last year, for making
love TO her"
THAT was my only clue. An hour
after the matter was placed in my
hands, left the city for Keokuk, where
she had been TO- a month, visiting an
old schoolmate."
"And you found"
THAT Lyme Laird had been there for
two weeks, but eft the morning of the
day the murder was committed, sSJensi-
bly, to return TO Chicago, where he is
employed as a stenographer. Instead
of that, he came here
THAT looks bad. What was he do
ing in Keokuk?"
Paying courtesy TO Miss Traux."
s'No?"
"Yes, and successfully. too. He urged
her to marry him at once, but she de-
clined to do it without her uncle's con-
sent"
(which he would never have given?''
''Of course not. So the knight of the
pencil makes double play: he elimi-
mates the consent question, and makes