Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-08-09

to report on tho matter. Now, / might
easily havo come while you were at
business in the city, and, armed with O
search warrant. have turned the house
upside down, but tho authorities, IN
such cases, prefer to work quietly. So
in spite Of tho liberties you have taken
with the department. ia general, and my.
self In particular, I tell you suspi-
cions oandidly and look to you to refute
them to my satisfaction.
"If you prefer tho other course, / re-
turn for q warrant, but warn You that
you will not be allowed to leave the
house, aud a public examination will be
tho result. At present all l wish you &c
do is TO let me have a good look round
your rooms If you object. you will find
l havo the orthodox four wheeler and
assistance &c my call, +" and the inspect
or smiled grimly.
"Rather a misty bit at my remark
on the tamoness Of my supposed arrest
by his namesako, the dog license man, =
/ Thought, but stepped to the window,
and there, sure enough, was q four
wheeler at tho door and q compile OF
constables strolling in its vicinity.
''Woll," 1 murmured, "the inspector
seems q reasonable man, and goodness
knows / have had enough publicity
lately. I know very well he won't find
anything compromising. Still be has
his duty to do, and he might make IT
very awkward Tor me, especially if be
I dwclls upon tho libel business. So /
put a cheerful face upon it and said:
CHOW, inspector, this is a ridiculous
charge to make, and the best way to
convince you OF twill be to let you rum
mage TO your hearts content among my
belongings. You are welcome to any II
archistic literature or correspondence
You may discover, - and 1 handed him
over my keys with a confident smile.
''VeIy good, sir, and, if you don't
mind, l will commence with your bed
room"
Accordingly he followed me up
stairs, and while he ferreted about / sat
down.
After a time tho inspector went down
stairs again, and I mado for the door,
only to find it locked from the outside,
"The suspicious old s%ooundrel" 1
wrathfully calculated. Thought 1
might slip down stairs and away, / sup
pose, while he was overhauling tho sit
ting room. I'll let him have q piece of
my mind when be returns, 3" 1 mutterod
and finally concluded to wait his good
pleasure in dignided silence.
/ gave the inspector a quarter Of an
hour and began to wonder what he was
up to. tried the door once more and
found it still locked. Horrorl He had
tho keys Of my writing desk. Then there
were my old china and collection Of an
cient gold coins, and l hoped to good
ness he would not topple over any OF
\ Georges valuable cups, conspicuously
displayed on the sidoboard. l began to
wish 1 had gone down stairs with him.
I got so uneasy that l knocked at tho
door and called to tho inspector to let
me out. "Strange, " I said, "how these
old sleuthhounds mover lose a chance.
Fancy him locking me in, after all his
fair wordsl" Not sound from the room
beneath. "Surely George has not been
such an idiot as to leave any imitation
bombs about by way of q practical joke,
and the old boy has gone quietly of for
assistance to arrest this dangerous nj
hilist?'' / poohpoohod the idea and re-
sumed my knocking and yelling. Thi'
method Of attracting attention, com
bined with afew resounding kicks, pre-
emily brought my landlady putting Hp
stairs.
'Ere's q fine to do, Mr.. limbs,
a-knookin the paint-not to say the
panels-olf'n my best bedroom door.
She unlocked tho door as she finished
her remarks, and 1 flew down stairs
like a mailman.
"Whoro's tho inspeotor?" I yelled up
to Mrs. Plaggs on finding the sitting
room vacant.
81 amt seen no inspector, +" replied
Mrs. P, with severe dignity. Il did
think, hows'ever, that for a ole clos
man @ seemed extry respectable"
''Old clothesmanl Mrs. Plaggs, what
do You mean?" l shouted.
"Wot 1 says, " retorted the worthy
creature, evidently highly inoensed.
"Wo'n that party, witch it was is card
l landed to you Il amt no roaderl, left
about 20 minutes agone, o remarlls con
A+NAN"AAAANf Na 4 DIAA9 AAA AbgA AL
i'm, Prices amt wot they was, ma'am. ,
1 sez, NO indeed, no more they amt, ,
SCI ], thinkin to myself as I looks at Is
get up, But they seems to pay some
folks all tho same Then % jumps into
a four wheeler an drives hon.
BY this time / had sunk, q perfect
wreck, into a chair. Ono glance round
the sitting room had told me all. Whore
Were Georges silver trophies? Whore
was my real old Dresden2 What had be-
come of my precious coins? Where was
all q portable property? Gonei And
with it that deep designing villain and
altogether outrageous fraud, the inspect
or. Done againl All a put up jobl
My landlady began to sympathize, and
just thon George came in, with Gyp
barking at his heels.
Hello, old chap, you look cheapl
Another surprise from Scotland Yard?'
George never lost an opportunity Of
raking up'old sore4.)
you've hit IT. " / said glimly.
Then ho missed his cups, and I broke
it gently to him.
ttNo, ..~e.l s1t-Afff L. -