Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-21

L SOAASC Va tAC ACAt AOohs
As consequence, he soon grew exceed
ingly communicative, and entertained tn
Colonel with the most thrilling Scotlan'
Yard narratives, all illustrative of tn
cleverness of rogues and the superio
astuteness of detectives.
! ats not that the criminal classes are 8
especially clever" he remarked, judicially
as he wound up one of his tales; shut tn
| public is so uncommonly soft!"
The Colonel acquiesced. There were
great many fools in the world, he opined
but for his part he had no pity for them
He himself had never been taken in il
his life.
II can quite believe that" said MI
Sawder, politely; "and if 1 may make s.
free, l repeat again you ought to be one o
u.s."
The Colonel did not at all resent Mr.
Sawders freedom. He was PRACTICAL,
pleased with him and his stories, and il
the fullness of his heart he told him h,
was going down to his club for half al
hour, and would be charmed to give hin
lift.
Mr.. Sawder was quite sensible of tn,
ColonePs condescension, and accepted tn,
offer with effnsion. Having arranged
with Mrs. Walsingham that she was t.
come down to Scotland Yard the follow
ing morning, he went off with the Colone
into the adjoining room, waiting there
while this gentleman got ready to go out
This room was sort of sanctum of Col
onel Walsingham, and while he drew or
his gloves he passed in review his collec
~ &c o,,A ~ oh, &c
like prediction.
The detective seemed bit of connois.
seur, and his enthusiasm was sufficiently
dashed with discriminating knowledge tc
be particularly pleasing to the Colonel
who actually deigned to bring out from
a cavernous cupboard his latest extrav.
agance, to wit, handsome fur-lined coat
he had recently imported from Russia.
"What do you think of that?" he
asked.
Think" said the detective, 'swhy
that it's not thing to be left in the hall.''
"Rather not" laughed the Colonel
eve keep it in the cupboard in this room.
Why, that coat cost me eighty guineas."
at looks if it had" said the detective,
warmly, and the Colonel being now ready
the two gentlemen got into their hanson
and drove of.
1t was scarcely half an hour afterward
that there was a hasty pull at the door
bell. Mrs. Walslngham was tired and
had gone to bed, and the housemaid had
followed her example. The butler alone
was still up, busy with the silver in his
pantry.
"Why, masters forgotten his latch
keyw he cried, hurrying to the door
'its lucky for me he's come back SO
earlyw
But it was not Colonel Walsingham
who stood in the doorway-it was Mr..
Sawder.
'Sorry to trouble you, my man." he
said, speaking very fast, and slipping
shilling into Bailey's hand, ''but 1 left
some important papers behind me, which
l was showing to Colonel and Mrs. Walls
ingham. Will you give them to me?"
"Papers, sir? | haven't seen any"
"But they must be here" cried Mr..
Sawder, looking very worried. "The fact
isl dare say Mrs. Walsingham told you
these papers have to do with the Fem
ton Court robbery. We nabbed the man
and the swag this afternoon, and the
owners coming up tomorrow. Soyou see
the papers are awfully important"
"Of course, they must be" said the but
Ter, unbending from his solemn dignity on
the instant. swell, FL just light taper
and see if they are anywhere in the dining
room. l may have overlooked them, but
l don't think have"
The detective followed him into the
dining room and helped in the search, but
no papers were to be found, and he grew
more and more anxious.
81 tell you what it is" he began, in a
vexed tone, "Nlrs. Walsingham must have
noticed them directly we had gone, and,
knowing their Importance, must have
locked them up somewhere. Now, if you
can get them for me tonight I'll not for.
get you"
Bailey's kindness, or his affection for
the prospective coin, made him consent,
after little demur, 70 do what he could.
'fTll go upstairs and call up one of the
women servants" he said, "and then
send her to ask Mrs. Walsingham. I'll
shout up to the under housemaid," he
added; shell come like winking when
she hears my voice"
1t took longer to get the housemaid to
come down, however, than the butler had
anticipated, but at last she had gone of
on her embassy, and had brought heI
mistress answer to Bailey, patiently wait,
ing on the upper landing.
Il am sorry, sir" he began, as he de-
scended the last flight Of stairs, Shut Mrs
Walsingham hasn't seen your papers"
Then he stopped short. The rosy tint:
fed from his well-nourished face, and q
bilious hue took possession of that broad
expanse.
The street door was open and Mr.. Saw.
der had disappeared.
"a do" murmered Bailey, family; "a
real old do"
He thought Of his plate, and almost
breathed again as he remembered that he
had deposited it in the plate-chest and
turned the key before he had let the in
sidious stranger in.
depend upon it, he's only gone of
with masters umbrella" he said, trying
to reassure himself.
The next moment he struck his hands
wildly together, and rushed into the Col
onel's study When he came back he wa.
perfectly green. The Coloners fur coat
| Tor which he had paid eighty gulneas only
a few weeks back, was nowhere to be found
The officials of Scotland Yard mex
morning listened with polite attention Il
Colonel Walsingham's account of what hat
happened.
"a clean-shaven man with gray eyes
you say?'
.Yes," was the answer. "He gave tn,
name of Sawder-Fred. Sawder."
Erred. Sawder. The man was Jane
Croft, alias Sleepy Jim, the cleverest rogu
in the United Kingdom, and as slippery a
an eel. | am afraid you will never Sc
your coat again, sir"
And he was right, the Colonel neve
did. But one result of his little exper
fence was that he completely changed hi
views OF criminals.
at is not that the public is S
stupid he was often heard to say, sit
those scamps who are so horribly clever.
The Arqosy.