The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-10
A Link From a Chain.
BY WALTER f JEFFERs

O9AAAlS d uoG6GGlV0 10 go co IL, then 8
small town about twenty miles south,
As our chief would not be present for
three or four hours, I determined to
answer in person. In a short time I
was speeding southwark as fast as
steam could carry me, after leaving q
note in the office explaining my alb
sence.
Athree hours journey brought me to
H., where I sought the Squire, as it
was this gentleman who had sent for
me. He informed me of q shocking
double murder that had been commit
ted there the night before.
An old couple living alone on the
outskirts of the village, and reputed to
keep considerable money in their house,
had been murdered, and the house set
on fire, that all traces of the murder
might be removed.
After carefully examining the prem
Uses, l found in the lower part of the
garden, hanging to a stout bush, a piece
Of watch chain about two inches long,
Of a peculiar pattern, and I concluded
that the person who owned the chain
was the guilty party.
For nearly four months I worked on
the case without success, and getting
discouraged, was on the point of giving
it up altogether, when a reward of
$500 off 9red by the authorities of 81.
made NE stick to it a little longer.
Oae, day, having some private bust
ness TO transact, I went to another
small town 80 miles west of H, and af-
ter finishing my business, I found that
| had to wait nearly four hours for the
train. To pass the time l took a walk
around the village, and while doing so,
I passed a scho0l-houge cut of which
the pupils were lat coming, and as
they started q gameot baseball, / stood
for a few minutes watching them,
While thus engaged, a tall, dark look
ing man went by, and one OF the boys,
IN answer to my inquiry, told ma it
was a Mr.. Hilton, their new teacher.
O: course there was nothing strange in
that, but somehow I felt as if I should
learn more about him, and this feeling
grew SO strong on me- that I concluded
to stay a few days in the village and
try and make his acquaintance.
Acc rdingly l put up at the village
hotel, aud that evening formed the &C
quaintance of a youth Of 10, or there
abouts, at whose house the teacher was
stopping. AS the boy was intelligent,
I thought the best thing l could do was
to take him partially into my conf
dence, and accordingly I did, pronis.
ing him a large pecuniary reward if
my suspicious proved correct.
he promised to aid me and keep his
/ own counsel.
Now, perhaps, it may soem strange
that I should put a man down for q
murderer at a single glance, but it is a
part of g detectives business to take in
at a glance everything, aud by the sin
Gle glance I gave Mr. Hilton while he
was passing, l saw a chain extending a
ILttle below his vest and at times 4
I rely c0E cealed by it. | recognized
t 4e chain as of the same pattern as the
piece l had in my pocket, aid that
ai2re formed the ground of my s1spi-
ciCn
Next day, By appointment, I met the
boy again, and after a long talk we
decided that he should lead me into the
house that evening and secrete ne in a
| room adj Dining the teachers, from
! which I could watch his movements.
! Accordingly that night l stole up to
the house through the garden and vas
met by the boy, who hurried me
through the now deserted kitchen and
up a back stairs to a room where he
left me, after telling me he would re-
| in me when all the family had re,
tired.
In about an hour I heard footsteps
/ ascending the stairs and going into the
| teachers room, and in about ten min
utes after wards the boy re lined me,
| and his fret movement was to call my
attention to a ray Of light shining
| through a hole in the wall. Ga apply
ing my eye to it I beheld the teacher,
with his back towards me, seated in a
chair reading.
Presently he arose, and after taking
eff his coat and vest, he turned in such
a a that 1 could see the chain, and
then I knew il was exactly Of the same
pattern as the piece l had.
His next movement was a surprising
one. He deliberately removed his long