The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-09-17
OUTWITTED.

there u man who has not done some foolish
things in his salad days? / should like to
sec him. But you want the narrative, and
l don't mind giving it to you. My
triumphs have boon many. Why should I
fear to tell the world of my few failures?
1t was some years ago. I had just en-
tered tho force, but had shown so much
skill that they had quickly madc mo an
inspector i'll the Kensington district
Young as | was, knew all the criminals
in London, all the famed burglars, all the
mobsncn and Swindlcrs. They knew ne
too, and friendly enough we were when
our relations were not business relations.
We even chattcd, laughed and drank
together, and it was no very extraordinary
occurrence when old Ben Briggs, the bur
glar, met me on tho top of a bus in Ken
sington ono afternoon and shook me
heartily by the hand.
"What arc you doing, Benz" l asked
When he had borrowed II pipe of tobacco
he replied
"Nothin, mate--waitin for Il Job
Ha, hal You'd like me to take n trip
to Paris, ch, Bcn?'
: "Wcll, dunno rs I would Yer amt
likely to come in between mo and my
Twin, with all yer cutcness. tell yer
what, old boss, I'm going for Bell
weathcr's, the bankers, in day or two
and I'll bet yor e5 yer don't cop me-"
The offer was astoundingly impudcnt.
/ knew well enough that Mr.. Bcllwcathcr
was with his family in Germany. We had
been ordered TO watch his house closely
us Ii contained u largo number of treas
urcs and we had done SO. What could he
the matter with Ben to "blab" the whole
thing in this way? Was he drunk? Not
Il bit of it! He was us sober as / was.
Tell you what, Ben, said |, after n
moments thought, ''I'll bet you 60 and
what's more, I'll pay squarcly if lose
That's n go, he cried ''I'll take a
week, and if tho job ain pulled off by that
time LII send yer the paper"
was glad to get away, for it dawncd
on my mind that they might be about to
undertake the job that very night. Nor
could possibly divine tho strange bchav-
Tor of such TN old hand ms Ben.
jackson, who talked the job over with
me, said: look out, my boy. Bell
wcather's is not tho house they're going
for. They've got some big plant on IN tho
ncighborhood, and we must keep our ewes
open. That Ben would deceive ali tho
detectives in all tho capitals, let alone u
bcginncrr'
said, Certainly" but in my own heart
1 thought that I was n jolly, clever fellow,
and i'll that mood L strolled into Palace
gardens and took II look at tho bankers
mansion 1t was fino house, carefully
guarded. Ono manscrvant remained ms
Waterman, and took an opportunity of
chatting with him, explaining that I
thought an attack would DO made on the
place III night or two. He laughed the
idea to scorn
'Wo'rc shut up like prison." said he,
land you may just sleep easy They
won't get much this road
But, knowing Bon, thought otherwise
and chucklcd as J. returned to the police
station, saying to myself, You old fool,
Ben, you must BIO going mad in your
dotagc!"
Now, had settled on plan in my
mind. would watch Bellwcathcr's
house myself every night during that week
and would take two smart fellows with
mo that VIC might thoroughly surround it.
This plan followed, watching diligently
in tho raw January cold for five hours
every night and continuing the business
for the five days of the allotted week.
Nothing transpircd, however. Not soul
camo near tho place. There were no rob
berries in the district. Old Ben had evil
IDENTIFY been fooling me.
On tho sixth night was preparing to
go out, rs usual, when of sudden the
whole office was surprised by the appear
ancc of Mr.. Bcllwcathcr himself, tall,
gcntlemanly man, with an aristocratic
bearing and n most polite air.
am sorry to have to trouble YOU ut
this hour of the night" he said 'but /
have received letter from my man Will
liam saying that no fears burglary Mt INV
house.
Strange men have been Watching about
1t during the last four days, and yesterday
man in tho uniform of n soldier endcav-
orcd to get into conversation with William
tic wired to mo at once, so have left my
wife and children ut Dover and have hur-
ried home"
said that he had acted most wisely,
and rs gathered from his remarks Will
liam expected the burglary to DO attempt
ed that night or perhaps the next. This
caused mo to be prompt in my action.
"I'll return with you, and we'll watch to-
gethcr, said. 1.-Two men will be enough.
for they will DO well armed, and If we take
more we may disturb tho gang and lose
them"
"Quite so, said Mr.. Bellwcather. at
would be rs well once for all to rid tho
neighborhood of these pests. 1 have my
French valet with me, and that will make
five of us in all, for have sent William to
Dover to look after the luggage and to help
my wife. If you can come up to the house
at once, it would be safer
Evidently there was not minute to be
lost. Calling two trnSty men, l batlo them
load their rcvolvcrs and instruct the police
on the beat to keep about the place. Then
we set out, and when we arrived at the
bankers house saw that supper was laid
In the dining room, and that there were
lights in the Kitchen.
You've got too mach gas about"
said. But he remarkcd:
"Wo can close the shutters when wc get
In, and it Is IL little carly for them yet"