The Bossier banner., 1894-12-13
BENTON, LOUISIANA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 49, 1894.

wife wanted it at the county ball to-
morrow night"
l had some lunch and a pleasant
chat with my host and hostess, after
which l asked permission to interview
the servants.
Are your visitors imp" 1 asked Mr..
Engstrom.
Capt. Olyer is a ra bbit shooting with
the rector, but he will be in to din
ner."
"Oh, I merely wanted to have his ac-
count Of what happened. Now, would
you be so kind as to have the wires
arranged round the house in the ex-
act place the burglars left them?'
The gardner, who had taken them
up, brought them again 1t was fine
but strong wire, fastened to the ground
by small iron pegs.
''Are the wires in the exact placer"
Il put the pegs in the very holes,"
replied the gardener. ''You can See
the holes yourself, sir"
''And now l should like to be left
alone a little" 1 said Il want to
make some minute Investigations"
My wish was complied with, and
went down on my hands and knees to
examine.
l was well satisfied. In five minutes
l had made an important discovery
l next examined the window where
the burglars had entered from the out
side, and then entering the house |
went upstairs and with the help of the
maid examined the bedroom The
window had been left half open, the
maid said, as master was so particular
about fresh air" Next inspected the
footsteps, a matter of some difficulty,
considering the number of people who
had been there since. But finally
traced them across a flower bed into
the shrubbery, where they were quite
distinct Only one person had passed
there, and | came to the conclusion
the sapient police had evolved two
robbers from their inner conscious
ness. But what interested me more
was that the palings which separated
the shrubbery from public by-way
had lately been tarred and were not
yet dry. The robber had climbed over
the palings, and whoever he was
he must have carried away a lit
tie of the tar on his person. In fact,
the marks of his fingers were quite
distinct.
On getting back had a p easant half
hour in the billiard room with Mr.. Eng
strom.
Capt. Olyer returned just in time for
dinner, and | was only introduced to
| him as we entered the dining-room.
He was faultlessly gotup, of well-made
| figure and handsome features, bearing
| large traces of dissipation. As for his
speech, he had an invincible objection
| to the letter ''r, /" and carefully avoided
| it's use.
| We had finished soup, when l begged
thousand pardons for leaving the
| table for q few minutes. My host
| looked little surprised at my want of
through his eyeglasses as though !
were new kind of animal. l was
only gone few minutes, but it was
time well spent.
| When we reached dessert and Mrs.
Engstrom had lett the table, l led the
conversation round to the burglary,
and induced the captain to give his YER
sion. | waited till he had finished
and then, looking at him steadily
said:
"Now, isn't it rather a curious thing
Capt. Olyer. that you should fall over
the wires when they were quite three
feet away?"
Engstrom stared at me, and the cap
tain did not answer till he had drank
glass Of wine.
What do you mean, sir?' he asked
at last.
Il mean.' l replied, still watching
him keenIy, was it not q curious thing
that you should be tripped by blade.
of grass? And is it not curious also,
l went on, mercilessly, that youl
servant, or rather your accomplice
should be standing under the bedroom
window here at the same time he wa.
in Eondon?"
The captain sat dazed and pale ant
motionless, though his hands trem bled
and DR.. Engstrom gasped out: Mr.
De Warre, whatever are you suggest
ing?'
Il suggested" l answered, as stead
lily as before, that the burglar is sit
ting before you
"Sirg' thundered Mr.. Engstrom
pale with emotion; you are forget
ting yourself. To accuse my olt
friends son of being thief! Prepos
terousp'
This is not your old friends son
Mr.. Engstrom. Capt. Olyer, of tn
Thirty-eighth hussars, is at presen
with his regiment at Woolwich. AM
replied to me to-day, Here is the tele
gram:
Capt. olyer to De Warre: Am here
What is the meaning of this inquiry?'
| The pseudo captain had risen ant
looked around as if seeking way t.
escape.
''Sit down. cried Engstrom, land
you want to save yourself from jai
make full confession. De Ware,
beg your pardon"
Don't trouble about that" | said
s.of course it was hard to credit it."