Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-01-21

deeply. Then placing his knife and fork |
together with great precision, he rose from |
the table, and moving toward the spot |
where sat drew forth a chair and seated |
himself beside me-
have often regretted that | never In |
quired into the occupation Of this man, be-
ing unable to decide whether he was a pro
fessional detective or a criminal lawyer. ]
certainly was never subjected to a more
rigid examination than upon that memo
rable morning At its conclusion he struck
the table somewhat heavily with his
clinched fist.
Come with me, )" he said; you are 60
ing to get your old watch back"
We took the wagonette plying between
the cottages and the hotel, for there were
almost hourly departures among the ne
groes, and no time was to be lost. When
we reached our destination we entered
quiet room in the rear Of the office, and the
foorman, John, was called. He was tall.
sinewy young fellow, perfectly black, with
receding chin, cleaning white teeth.
never more than partially covered by his
short upper lip, and large prominent eyes,
the superintendent whites Of which gave
them an uprolled expression like the eyes
of the spurious negroes In minstrel per-
Torrance. He wore no coat, his shirt OF
heavy, striped material like bedticking be-
ing grit about with belt, and around his
muscular, bony wrists, with some barbaric
notion of adding to hisstrength, he had fas-
tened leather straps.
Blessed Lordp' he exclaimed when my
loss was communicated to him. Oats de
frs one o. my guesses ever los anything
sence / been a floorman, an been comm
here five years | always tries to take good
keer O. my guesses' things"
II am sure you do, John" Mr.. Mason re-
Piled, land what l want you to do now is
to lelp me find this lady's watch There
is no doubt about our getting it back In
time | mean to take the names and ad-
dresses of everybody who has been en-
ployed here this summer, and will write to
the chief of police in each town from which
they come, giving them full description
of the watch.
: "There is no such thing as getting around
J detectives nowadays, and the thief, who
! ever he may be, will certainly be caught
! and punished, but should like the thing
managed without this being done. You
have more opportunity of talking to the
7 colored people than have. Let them know
: exactly what mean to do. This lady offers
: a reward of twenty dollars to any one who
will bring the watch back TO her, but II
they prefer to return it more quietly and
, will inst mt il in her room no questions
will he asked And now" nv friend CON
| timed drawing a pencil and an official
l looking notebook from his pocket, I'VE
: will take down the names and addresses,
{ and you can give me yours"
e There is nothing which inspires the unlet-
l tered negro with more awe than book He
I foeIs that a mysterious agency with which
, he cannot cone and the powers and posi-
e bilities M which he is unable to gauge il
being brought to bear upon him and Johns
nnder law dropned at the sight Of the
y leather volume He gave his name prompt
n Iv hoUever-,John Cherokee Spurlock
y Danville Va--and watched his interrogatoi
az ba dashed IL off In his bold hand. wa,
K afterward told nv the clerk at the hote
t that .Jobn added twenty dollars of his owl
|, to the reward offered by myself-a conclu
z sive nroof Of his honesty. as / thought.
when .Tulia was interviewed must con
/ fess 10 having been completely baffied- CaI
b one dacinber anqbt from an unwritten page
? And a more expressionless, a more abso
< Iutelv blapx countenance. 1 never beheld
It | was the victim all day Of Jokes and con
p dolances "a the disnositions OF those aroun,
d me dictated wishing ali the while that
4, might be lust left to myself When re
ei tired to my room at night / looked care
"a fully through my bureau drawers, unde
y NV trunk and behind the books upon tn
% man,aI family bouinu that the thief ha.
l acted upon Mr. Mason's suggestion and rs
Ie Turned the watch. but | was disappointed
T. The next morning, lying in that state b.
s. tween sleepipg and waking, thought
indeed might almost have declared-tha
@ heard the familiar tick, tick" under m
it head. another proof, as said to myself, G
D. the power of the imagination. for the pillow
10 being lifted revealed only a smooth, we
r, tucked in sheet. 1t was doubtless only th
II clicking of the springs beneath the maj
ID tress caused by some motion Of my ow
A that had heard.
It, / resumed nv recumbent position, bu
er scarcely had | settled myself when tn
r sound came again, tick, tick, tick, ticl
as tick, tick" drew my breath to lister
er Tben starting mn I seized the inflow an