Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-12-12

bed till II o'clock, and thought of nothing
but burglars and detectives and revolvers,
and all sorts of horrible things, till his
nerves drove him out of bed into his
clothes He told his wife he would go
and see if the barn door was locked; but
she did not think it necessary for a man to
so completely dress himself for a task like
that, and was still less satisfied with her
husbands explanation when she heard
him go out of the side gate and walk down
street She really began to feel doubtful
for his reason.
But PittstOn was going down to see if
any one was catching burglars in his store.
He was so sure that the detectives knew
when they were coming that he would not
have missed being in at the death for all
the sleep in month of nights. He slipped
down the alleys, and just as he came to
the back door of the butcher shop he saw
a man walking briskly across avacant lot
and gain the main street.
"That's the burglar" he said to himself,
and he crept a little closer and hid HIM
self behind a pile of store boxes near the
back window He listened intently, and
surely he heard a sound of footsteps in
side. Presently they were still, and then
they moved again. Then all was hushed
and he waited patiently and without any
sort of reward for nearly an hour. Then
he undoubtedly heard the bolt shift in the
lock of the front door. 1t was a long way
off, but he heard it plainly. He waited
again and wondered if that was the way
they had effected an entrance the other
times. He waited and presently he saw
that same figure recross the vacant lot
from the main street and go out of sight
among the sheds and lumber piles at the
railroad.
He wondered if the burglary had al
ready been committed. He was getting
cold in the night air and more nervous
than ever from the continued suspense.
He moved Il little, and a tall box, set in
securely on the top of the pile, rolled off
and fell to the ground with a crash
Bang! went a revolver inside the store
and he heard IA bullet strike the wooden
shutter at his ear. With shrek that
sprang more from his nervous strain than
from his fear he pushed over his whole bar
ricade and leaped out into the alley There
was another shot and then another. Mems
voices were raised in a commanding tone,
and other voices were beseeching, as if for
mercy He heard doors broken open and
many feet running to and fro on the street,
and then he saw the back door forced out
ward and man spring down the steps.
Pittston was not a brave man, but before
he knew what he was doing he had
wrapped both arms about that fleeing fig
ure. and was rolling over and over on the
ground with-the detective.
Help came to him in moment, and then
the neighbors found that Pittston had rec
ognized the man who had thrown himself
into his arms, and had liberated him. Far
down the macadamized street they could
l,a Of mi, 4
the first fellow out of the back door paused
just long enough to cal Pittston a pud-
ding dolt and then he was off and away
like flash, calling on all those behind him
to get horses and come after as fast as pos
sible. And this leader of the chase was the
sewing machine agent.
The butcher ran to his stable at the rear
of his shop, and in "A moment he was
astride of his horse and galloping down
the street. Pittston sat Gown on his bac k
step and tried to get his wits togeth her
Through the charter made by a dc zen citi-
zens who had been aroused and were walk
ing about with lamps and canvassiug the
situation, the dry goods man heard in "A
list less sort of WY The whistle the ni.ht
express.
THAT'S the train" said Ludlow. Does
she stop here for water now"
NO" some one told him, and stili Pitts
ton applied himself to the problem: " no
wa the detective and who wa, the burglar?
The butcher caught sight of the two fly
ing footmen. They had turned north from
the main street and were running along
parallel with the railroad. Then, As he
gained upon them, they turned east again,
and the leader darted across the track
ahead of the laundering engine. turning
tn 81 at I bn ms he,
the butcher, fearful lest he might escape,
fired at him with his Strengthening gun.
In the crash of that terrible instant even
the butcher was Mortified for the lone foot
man, pursuing that flying wretch so close
ly, had strained his nerves to the highest
tension and tried to leap across the track
in front of the engine He seemed to know
that the advantage of whole train be-
tween him and the figure he was so rapidly
overhauling would result in the escape OF
the criminal, and he risked his life-and
lost it-iu one mighty effort to checkmate
the move The butcher saw the flying
body caught by the pilot, tossed high in
the air, and he heard above all the roar OF
the train one wild cry of mortal pain and
terror.
moment later the express had passed
and almost before the butcher got there a
crowd nau gathered ABOUT TWO men, lying
close together, and both quite dead. The
one who had been known in the town as
gambler was pierced through the heart
with the butchers bullet, and the one who
had been known as sewing machine agent
, was crushed and bleeding from "A hundred
wounds, and his heart was still forever
Didn't you know which one was the
detective?" asked Ludlow as Pittston, the
problem still unsolved, came up to the
group.
mo, and don't know now" replied the
dry goods merchant.
} And neither did anybody else in River
} ton, and neither would they to this day had
| it not been for the fact that the next time
: Pittston went to the city he called Oh
l Searchem g. Findem, and told them all
about the curious case He was afraid AT
! first they would begin suit against him foi
1 the value of the detective that had been
e killed in his town, and found himself won
dering in vague sort of way how much
city detectives were worth on the market
He was very much relieved when Mr.. Find