Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-05-05

ing suddenness that Joe went flying
into n small duck puddle by the road
side. while Edwards skirts, cloak and
all-sailed impetuously over fence,
and landed in a field beyond it.
MIR. Blossom, with joyous exclama-
ton, began to pull up the sorrel mare
--no easy task, can assure you.
And Tad, who, despite his excite
ment, had never taken his eyes from
the one object of pursuit, uttered a
cry; for, before the buggy came to a
full stop, he saw Edwards gathering
himself up and starting in ridiculous
run across the field.
"Hc sha''a'k got awnyr' cried Tad.
whose nerves, wrought up to the
highest pitch, would have ventured
any thing to save the prize, so nearly
within their grasp. Before the words
had left his lips, Tad had slipped over
the back of the buggy, scaled the fence
like squirrel and was following close
at Edwards heels. while Mr.. Blossom &
nimble feet were gaining the fence it
self. Like most boys, Tad was good
runner, while Edwards, encumbered
by the clinging skirts, made very in
different progress, even though holding
them as high as he could! And in an
other moment Tad had seized the end
of the long circular, which was stream
ing out behind like black wings.
"Gi'me the sachelr' painted Tad, and
with the words the cloak-clasp parted
Tad fell on the back of his head,
holding the fur-lined circular in his
hand, while Edwards plunged forward
caught his foot in the front breadths
of Mrs. Mason's best black silk, and
went down on his nose in highly I'M
dignified manner.
When Tad regained his feet, Mr..
Blossom was rather humorously re-
garding very shame-faccd individual
attired in torn and mud-stained
black silk dress, which entirely failed
to conceal a pair of very masculine
boots and trousers Mr.. Edwards
wrists were adorned with steel hand
cuffs, and his features wore such u
downcast look that Tad's tender heart
was touched.
'If he'll only give the rest of the
things up, hadn't you better let him go,
Mr.. Blosson?" suggested Tad, in low
tone; but the detective shook his head.
Hes wanted in Boston, for some
thing more serious than stealing" said
Mr.. Blossom, gravely. And then he
handed Tad the recovered sachel, to-
gether with Mrs. Mason's iewelry,
which he had taken from Edwards
pocket with professional dexterity.
''If there's any reward offered for all
this, you've earned your share of il, :"
the detective remarked; and then the
three made their way back in compar-
ative silence.
Joe had fished himself from the
duck puddle, Embarrassed Brown Pete
from the overturned vehicle, which was
not badly damaged, and when the
singular trio regained him in the road.
he WAS scraping himself with stick,
while the two horses, carefully blank
eted, stood, with dropping heads and
reeking sides, by the roadside
"Well, by gracious! this beats all the
rides ever 1 tookr' said Joe, as ten
minutes later, with Tad at his side, he
drove slowly toward Bixport, while the
detective followed close behind, with
his captive.
''Me, toow returned Tad, who was
holding the recovered sachel very
tightly.
won't folks eyes stick out, though,
when they come to hear all about it,
tomorrow" and Tad replied that he
rather guessed so, and then, opening
his heart, he told his companion the
whole story, from beginning to end, at
which recital, rs the stories say, Joe's
astonishment can better be Imagined
than described.
Bixport was in a wild state Of fer
ment when they arrived. The story Of
the robbery, with some marvellous en-
bellishments had spread like wildfre.
A real criminal and an actual de-
tectiye in their midstl No one, after
this, would ever dare to call Bixport
"a little, sleepy, one-horse town." such
aaYing been tho reproach once cast
lpon it by 2 resident of Middleboro.
Leaving Joe explaining to the Won
1ering crowd that had assembled BE-
fore Hotler's. their joiGt share in the
exciting Incidents Of the evening, Tad,
hugging the sachel under one arm,
whiIo asrQss the 9theg was tArOwp the