Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-11-01
OTTWITTED.

Have ever been outwitted? you ask
And respond, OF course 1 have. Lives
there man who has not done some foolish
things in his salad days? l should like to
see him. But you want the narrative, and
1 don't mind giving it to you. My
triumphs have been many Why should 1
fear to tell the world of my few failures?
1t was some years ago. l had just en-
tered the force, but had shown so much
skill that they had quickly made me an
inspector in the Kensington district
Young as l was, knew all the criminals
in London, all the famed burglars all the
mobsmen and swindlers. They knew me,
too, and friendly enough we were when
our relations were not business relations.
We even chatted, laughed and drank
together, and it was no very extraordinary
occurrence when old Ben Briggs, the bur-
glar, met me on the top of bus in Ken
sington one afternoon and shook me
heartily by the hand.
"What are you doing Benz" l asked.
When he had borrowed a pipe of tobacco,
he replied:
"Nothin, mate-waitin for a job"
'"Ha, ha! You'd like me to take trip
to Paris, eh, Benz"
"Well, dunno as / would. Yer amt
likely to come in between me and my
Twin, with all yer cuteness. / tell yer
what, old boss, I'm going for Bell
weather's, the bankers, in day or two,
and I'll bet yer 95 yer don't cop me-"
The offer was astoundingly impudent.
1 knew well enough that Mr.. Bellweather
was with his family in Germany. We had
hoo N,,Snr 30, Nnh l. tr -.
as it contained large number of treas
ures and we had done so. What could be
the matter with Ben to "blab'' the whole
thing in this wayP Was he drunk? Not
bit of it'll He was as sober as l was
Tell you what, Ben" said l, after a
moments thought, ON bet you G5, and
what's more, I'll pay squarely if l lose.
THAT'S 60" he cried. "I'll take
week, and If the job ain tpulled off by that
time I'll send yer the paper"
was glad to get away, for it dawned
on my mind that they might be about to
undertake the job that very night. Nor
could possibly divine the strange behav-
ior of such an old hand as Ben.
Jackson, who talked the job over with
me, said: LOOK out, my boy. Bell
weather's is not the house they're going
for. They've got some big plant on in the
neighborhood, and we must keep our eyes
open. That Ben would deceive all the
detectives in all the capitals, let alone a
beginnerp'
1 said, Certainly" but in my own heart
1 thought that Twas jolly, clever fellow,
and in that mood 1 strolled into Palace
gardens and took look at the bankers
mansion. 1t was fine house, carefully
guarded. One manservant remained as
Waterman, and took an opportunity Of
chatting with him, explaining that
thought an attack would be made on the
place in a night or two. He laughed the
idea to scorn.
: "We're shut up like q prison" said he,
land you may just sleep easy. They
won't get much this road"
! But, knowing Ben, thought otherwise,
and 1 chuckled as l returned to the police
station, saying to myself, "You old fool,
Ben, you must be going mad in your
dotagel"
Now, had settled on a plan in my
mind. 1 would watch Bellweathers
house myself every night during that week
and would take two smart fellows with
me that we might thoroughly surround it.
This plan followed watching diligently
in the raw January cold for five hours