The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-28
CHAPTER ".
CONSTABLE rARRANT.


CONSTABLE rARRANr.
"You see, Polite, Pm man of intellect,
| that's what 1 am. | may be only an ordi-
nary police-oonstable now, but my chance
will come, and then you'll see q lot about
that active and intelligent officer and all
the other clap-trap."
"Of course you are, Dick, everybody
knows you are awfully clever" and Miss
Phybbs looked admiringly at the sandy
haired young man in policeman's uniform,
with whom she was walking.
Constable Tarrant looked at her SUSPECT
ously for a moment. He was quite aware
his talents were not so universally admitted
as Polly suggested. But he was young
man with very excellent opinion of him.
self. and though, during the two years he
had been in the force nothing. had taken
place to afford any grounds for the belief,
he was certainly firmly impressed with the
idea that he was destined to achieve great
ness in the career upon which he had en-
barked. Polly Phybbs was thin Tipped.
black, beady-eyed young woman, trust-
worthy. capable servant and with no weak
ness about her excepting her love for this
cousin Of hers, Richard Tarrant. What
ever he said was law to her. She was four
to five years his senior, and he had made
love to her from the time he was Is, not
very disinteresting love either, for from the
very commencement he had utilized her in
every possible way. He invested her with
the general supervision of his wardrobe, let
her wait upon him, and work for him. and
spent a considerable portion OF her wages
for her to boot. A sharp. hard working girl
she was never long out Of a good situation,
and might by this have saved money il it had
not been for her infatuation for her cousin;
shrewd though she was on all other matters,
on this point she was blind. Though a
smart-looking girl with a rather neat
figure, nobody could call her good-looking.
1t might be that she attracted no other
sweetheart, but certain it is that she had
been for the last seven or eight years COM
pletely devoted to Richard Tarrant. When
after having failed twice or thrice in his at
tempts to get a living, Dick succeeding in
getting into the police force, she quite be-
lieved that it was due to the display of
considerable talent on his part, and felt
quite sure that he would sooner or later dis
tsnguish himself. She was not pledged to
be married to him. but he was her young
man, and she quite understood that they
would be married some of these days-some
of these days being interpreted into such
time as she should have saved money enough
to start housekeeping on.
Now" said Dick, "you see, in my pro-
fession"-Police Constable Tarrant was
given to speaking grandiloquently of his
eyes open. and his turn must come. Now
you know, Polly, l always was a regular
wonner for observing
Polly dutifully assented, although she
could call to mind no particular recollec-
lions of this faculty in her cousin.
II notice everything. II l see G chap
lettering, says TO myself at orce: Now,
what's he lettering forP He don't CANNON
me that he's tired and his boots hurt him.
On you go. my man, ssysI. Bless you, he
| might be keeping watch while two or three
OF his pals commit burglary. No, no, my
| girl; my eye is everywhere, and when your
| eyes everywhere you're bound-well, you're
bound to see something at last.n' concluded
| Mr.. Tarrant, rather impotently.
1t did not occur to Polly that in big city
like Manchester those gimlet eyes of Con-
| stable Tarrants ought. in the course of two
| years, to have detected crime of some
| nature Dick had never told her of any
such success, neither had be told her of q
pretty sharp reprimand he had received
| from his superiors when a gentleman's
| watch was snatched almost under his very
nose. without attracting his observation.
| "Now," resumed Tarrant, "thfs master OF
yoprs is a queer sort of man. What can be
want with a side door TO his house! You
| see, all these villa residences are built ex.
actly alike, except your house. Now, who
| is DIR. Lynden that he should have a side
door all to himselfg That's what want tC
know"
"Lor', Dick. my masters as quiet an OLD
gentleman as you'd meet anywhere; there's
| no harm in him.
That's your unsuspecting nature" re-
piled the constable, loftily. "The law IL
suspicious; the police. which IS an arm OF
the law, is suspicious too-me, I'm suspicious
its my duty"
II tell you what, it's all nonsense you're
| - g..
Lynden, she is as sweet young lady as
ever saw"
Don't rile me, Polly; youth make m,
suspicious of you next. l tell you, some
times when I've been hanging about herr
after you. I've seed two or three Suspicion
characters go in at that side door,"
What do you call suspicious characters
Dickp
They were men, - replied Constable Tar
rant. glaring at his companion in a most
Othello like manner.
''Some of masters chemical friends mos
likely" suggested Miss Phybbs.
"Friendsl Lovers-lovers of yoursln ex
claimed Tarrant, with burst Of well-acteC
jealousy.
Now, don't be foolish, Dick you know
care for nobody but you. Men do come II
at times by that door 10 see master 1t wa
built on purpose; they are friends inter
ested in his experiments, and 60 straight t
the chemical room without going through
the house"
"Polly." said Tarrank endeevoring to cal
up look of preternatural sagacity. ''you
masters conduct is suspicious. It's you
: duty to the public to keep your eye OF
him. It's your duty to me to keep your ey
on him."
Il assure you you're all wrong. NJ.
, masters a quiet. harmless old gentleman
, who shuts himself with his pots and pans
and blows himself up occasionally. go Ii
now and then, when he's there, but blss
you, there's nothing to see in the room"
! 'lt's not likely woman would see any
thing init. 1t would look very different, d
7 doubt, to police officer"
But what Is it you suspect the doctor o
doing"
i THAT'S it" replied Constable Tarrant, SO