The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-07-11
DETECTIVE ROBERT,
FEATHERSTONE.

One morning last spring Constable
Pately, one. of my subordi8ates, Game
in to see me from the village of,Over
Wesley, where he is stationed. He
wa almost purple with hard walking
and excitement.
"Good morning, sir" he said; 81
came specially to see you. On import
ant business" he added imprcssively.
"You know them two fellows, sir
ivalli and Pardon-the Cry is after for
the diamond robbers?"
Certainly" l said "What Of them,
Pately"
"Well, if I amt making the greatest
ing at the Anglers Delight in West
ley, now. l could almost take my Bible
oath on it, sir"
Zone of them, did you say"
Eyes, sir"
''Then 1 am afraid you are mistaken,
Pately," said L. ut is not at all proba-
BILE they would choose a village like
Wesley, where a stranger is sure to
be noticed and speculated on. And,
besides, 1 think they would keep to-
gether. What does this a call him
self and what is he doing!"
"He calls himself Symonds. SIR" said
Pately a little sulky at my lack of en-
thusiasm, land he's staying at the
Delight He's got a :fshin' license
and he goes fishin' nearly every day.
He's been there since Friday, but l
didn't see him till yesterday coming
from church, and then it was only a
passing look. But 1 see him this morn
ing; he was fishin' by the bridge land
l was lookin' over and it struck me
like a hammer, sir, as he be like that
chap Valli. He's like that picture Of
Valli in the Hue and Cry to a L, only
this chaps clean shaved, as you would
expect, for a disguise. Eyes close to-
gether, grey in color that fits him to
a T;;long thin face with sandy beard
right again, 'cept the beard; height
about 5 feet 5 inches'-if you meas
ured him he'd come out to the third of
an inch. 1 asked MI. Porel-he's land
lord Of the Delight you know-what
sort of 4 MAJ lie be, and he says he is
very quiet and regular in his habits.
and do drink very little. You must
come over this afternoon, sir, and see
what you make Of him. It'll be a
feather in-in our helmets, sir, if he
happens to be the man."
very we'll, Pately," 1 replied; IL will
drive over after dinner and see what
I think Of him."
In the afternoon I drove over to
tWestley and was met by Pately, who
from his manner did not approve of
my dilatoriness.
"He is tishin' now, sir. If you come
to the far side of the bridge you can
see him just round the bend. Likewise
there be a strange gent fishin' today
who have come from Birmingham,
MI. Porel tells me-"
I considered for a minute or two and
then went down with him.
Excuse me, SIR" l said, "but have
you a fishing license?" He instantly
produced one
Every sorry" I said, Ito trouble you,
but it is a question of duty"
"oh, quite right" he said; "there is
no need Of an apology"
l stood chatting with him for a few
minutes about the sport he had had,
all the time examining him closely. l
became almost as excited as the con-
stable. "Pately,' 1 said when l got
back to the bridge, you have done
well. / have no doubt it is he."
"Just what 1 told you, sir" said
Pately in triumph. "Shall l go and
clap the bracelets on, sir?"
mo, no." I said. 81 am going to
have a talk with Porel, and if what he
has to tell strengthens u suspicious,
l shall get q warrant and arrest him
tomorrow"
Just then the other angler came
along. He nodded to us as we stood on
the bridge. Beautiful day, SIR" he
said to me, "but rather too bright for
q first-cless fishing day."
"Havc you a good basket, sir?" l
asked. He had the appearance of a
business man who had stolen q day
for his favorite recreation.
"No," he said, with a laugh. II am
out Of practice. 1 have only managed
about a pound Of dace. BY the way,
can you tell me who the gentleman
fishing yonder is? A pleasant fellow to
talk to-"
His name is Symonds, sir" said
Pately. "He is a stranger"
"How long has he been here"
"Sincc Friday, sir"
"Um, UNI. He can tell a good story,
at any rate. Good afternoon. I or
dered dinner at three and it Is nearly
four" !"
Good afternoon" I said, and smiled
wien he left us. He would be consid-
erably astonished, I surmised, when
he knew who the pleasant fellow was.
Porel, the landlord Of the inn, was an
old acquaintance Of mine, and he read
lily told me all he knew, which did not
amount to much, but seemed tome sus.
plcious. Symonds had brought a trunk
and q bag with him. The trunk he kept
locked.
HAS he paid you?" I asked.
NO." said Porel; 'he seems q gen.
tleman, so I did not press him. And
/ changed q ten-pound note for him
day before yesterday"
considered the matter for some
time. I determined to risk the conse-
diuences, and at least to make q search
Of that trunk. If l should have made
q mistake I hoped an abject apology
would soften his anger. I went to Mr..
Dredge, q magistrate, and procured q
warrant, which I left in Pately's
hands. \ 4
/ drove out to Wesley again the next
morning, taking a young constable
named loop with me, and Pately was
waiting for us.
.sThat gent as was flshin' here yes
terday came from town again first
thing this mornin'. He only passed
over the bridge just before You drove
up.",
must stay about the bridge here and
keep IN eye on him, and Toop and !
viii search his rooms. If you see any
So. - st. hoi%trn ofon him md blow