Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-11-05

- 1
"is this the rindo,C Which the burglar
tried to cHtcrT'
fix the crime upon them. You certainly
wish To give mo all the help you can. -
"Ycs, sir, but
Nonsense, Como on.
Having gono thus far. IL would have
been fatal 10 hesitate. She had some
powerful reason for preventing my 90.
ing up stairs. but she did not dare state
it and was awed by my assumed char
actor.
started ut brisk pace up the broad
winding stairway Was ! mistaken. or
did catch the sound Of light, hurried
footsteps along the upper hall?
She was more deliberate of movement.
and at the landing above waited for
her with an apology for taxing her
strength so much.
IL was easy 10 tell from the location
Of tho rooms on tho second floor which
was the one 10 bo examined. Not dcsir-
ing TO botray myself too soon, opened
the door on my right
IL was n bedroom, neat, clean and
simply furnished. \ glance showed that
it was occupied, for the signs were
everywhere present
That isn't what you want, sho
said. breathing fast because of her ox-
ertion. THAT is front room.
II beg pardon; hut. you see, am no,
acquainted with your house "
Il wish you would let me lead tho
way and not bc in so great "A hurry.
This was said with an impatience
which showed that she resented tho way
| had taken matters in my own hands.
Il be- your pardon, but | ain youn.
ger than you and presumed on your
strength
1t seems TO mo you arc prcsuming
OH a good many things, How do |
know You arc what you claim to bo-an
oSsifer OF tho law"
A very proper question, and answer
ed it hy drawing from an inner pocket
NY shield, which showed that was
member Of the detective police Of Now
York.
This of itself was proof that | was not
what had claimed TO bc-an officer OF
Union county. y. J. ! had not stated
that. but / gave the impression. Had
her husband been present no doubtless
would have been quick to detect the de-
ccptiOn and would have quickly ended
my visit
But fortunately he was absent, and
the trick served me. She was impressed
and made no further protest.
But. simple hearted and honest rs she
was, she showed cunning that sur
prised me. Having stated that had en-
tered the wrong room, she led the way
to another apartment, whose windows
opened az the rear of the house.
That. too, was an occupied bedroom,
but the furniture was much palmer than
in the Other. decided that it was the
one used by herself and husband, while
the other belonged to Mr.. and Mrs.
Howard
Now we shall SEQ what we can
learn" | remarked in businesslike
way, stepping to one of the rear win
dows, raising the sash and examining
tho window sill and the stones beneath.
Nothing here" / quickly added.
"The gentleman left no trace that can
be of any help to me. Let's try the 9TH
err"
This sash was also raised and made
q prolonged and minute examination OF
the interior and outside Nothing was
to be noted. and knew such would he
the fact the moment i crossed the
threshold, for although this was rear
room il was not the one which the East
Indians had attempted to enter. That
was to the left and could be reached
only by passing out again into the hall.
Still it served my purpose not to let
her know for the moment that saw the
clever trick she had played on me. l
pressed my examination, and then, with
the window raised and my head partly
out, / turned quickly toward her.
''Is this the window which the bur.
glar tried to enter:'
"Well, that is-didn't l tell you ]
didn't see any of 'em?"
Irepressed the smile that tugged at my
mouth. Here was an old lady so consci-
entious that she would not tell false
hood to save her life, yet neither wouid
she betray those whom she believed 1t
her duty to protect Instead of answer
ing me she parried my question.
Come here ono moment" said
kindly.
She obeyed timidly and stood at my
side. l drew back my head, leaving the
sash raised, and replaced my derby.
"Now, it doesn't look reasonable to
me that two or three burglars would
have tried to get i'll this window when
they had no means OF doing so. OF
course you have n ladder about the
premises. but they did not make use Of
it."
II don't think they did, for it is in
the barn, whore 1t has been for weeks.
Exactly. Then how could they get
up to this window from the grounds"
"How many of them was there?" she
asked in turn.
1--WE understand there were three"
"Well, couldn't one Of them stand Oh
the others head and then let the third
climb up OH his head?" she demanded
triumphantly, as though her answer
solved the question.
Under the circumstances it was an
ingenious reply, and my respect for her
cleverness rose.
81 declare I did not think of that,