San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-03-25


neighboring town Of "a month or more
before.
Mr., Hammond, wealthy gentleman, who
owned a fine place on the bank Of the -
river, had been robbed Of several thousand
dollars worth of jewelry, silverware and
other things, among which was q very fine
collection of precious stones, both cut and
uncut.
No trace Of the stolen articles had been
found, nor had any clew to the identity of
the burglars been discovered
Finding, by comparing dates, that the rob
berry was committed the night before l>ft
home, jumped at a conclusion the men in
the woods whom ! had seen making the
strange burial Of trunk were the robbers,
and wero burying their plumber on the day
following the robbery.
had spoken to no one of what saw that
day; in fact, did not remember thinking of
that scsns again until heard Of Mr. Ham
monds loG.
Thinking it = duty 70 inform Mr.. Ham
moDd Of what had seen drove over to -
the next day, and called at his house, al
though personally We were unknown to each
other.
I wa ushered into the paTlor by tn. rer.
want, who took my card to his master, and
waited sons time for his appearance. While
thinking over what should say by way Of
introduction to the story had come to tell
was startled by seeing before me in the door
way one of the very men had seen bury the
trunk 1t was the tall, well dressed one
Before had recovered from the shock Of
surprise caused by the sight Of him, he adj
vanced with the ease Of a well bred host and
welcomed me- calling my name, and putting
the matter beyond a doubt that this was Mr.
Hammond himself.
81 am very sorry to have kept you waiting
SO long, Mr. Brainard. said be, seating himself
near me, "but | have been busy with some
men who have been out hunting for my miss
ing gardener, who disappeared SO mystic
riousiy the day before yesterday You may
have heard about itF'
There was no doubt that this was Mr.,
Hammond, the owner of the house, but what
should | say to him9 Tell him that had
seen him in the woods that day helping to
bury the treasure of which he had been
robbed No, that was too absurd.
Not being able now to speak of the motive
for my call decided to answer his last
words and trust to the drift of the CONVEX
sation to help me. So answered rather
awkwardly:
mo. had not heard Of your gardeners
disappearance but heard last night for the
first time Of the robbery that occurred here
about month ago"
Eyes, that was as mysterious and mex
plicable as the disappearance of the gardener;
but the latter occurrence has so engrosSed my
attention for the past two days as to put the
former almost out of my mind"
What sort Of a looking man was your
gardener asked, not knowing what to say,
but wishing to say something
"A rather striking looking man on account
of his powerful physique He was not tall
man, being trife under the average height,
in fact, but from his hips up he was one of
the strongest looking men ever saw. Here,
| can show you much better than | can de-
scribe how he looks"
of his room and returned with photograph
of his house. The gardener had been taken
in the view, and there he stOod-the very man
whom | saw in the woods burying the trunk.
| could not mistake that figure and face A
small head SIIrmounted the shoulders. The
face was plainly distinguishable in the pic
ture, and could, without difficulty, identify
it as the one had seen through my telescope
Mr. Hammond probably noticed my crit
cal examination Of the picture, for he broke
the silence which lasted during my Long
scrutiny by asking:
Did you ever hnppe. 20 zoe him. Mr.
BrainardF
YES" said |, and under circumstances %
peculiar that to tell you about b was the sole
object Of this call.S
"Indeedr'
81 did not know until new" sontinued
that he was your gardener, Or that hs had
disappeared; but the day after the robbery
at your house | saw this man," tapping the
photograph with my finger a. | spoke, with
another man, in piece Of woods not Car from
here, carrying q trunk containing somsthing
heavy, and saw this man dig q hols and
bury the trunk
Another man, do you sayt What sort of
quickly.
by no means 50 striking In his individu-
atty" replied "Hs was taller than the
gardener, l should sayn-
And his face; did you zee that Could