The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-01-09


taken, to be sure, to have no sign at ali of
a beard on cheek and chin. sFor man
as is naturally black, said the observant
sergeant, gets blue with close shaving,
don't you notice, sir and this chap WASH
a bit bluer on the chin than he was on the
bridge of his nose Dyed his hair--he
had r
It occurred to the sergeant to wake up
and light pipe, and assume brisk inter
est in the landscape 1t occurred to him
further to cross to the other end of the
compartment for better view of the land
scape on that side. He venrured to remark
that it was a pretty country, and that the
young wheat was looking well. Then he
sauntered back to his own corner, and
made believe to doze again-with his heart
beating more and more like hammer at
his ribs, until he wondered that the other
man didn' t seem to hear it. For at that
nearer view he had seen what he had fully
expected to see-an auburn rime on cheek
and chin, namely, and touch of auburn
at the roots of the carefully penciled eye
lashes And all the while he was thinking,
so he told me: ssWhat stroke of luck !!
Oh ! what stroke of luck And here S
my step at last And yet he had no
authority to act, and to arrest man on
such mere suspicion, and without author
ity, was dangerous sort of thing to do.
The sergeant was nightly tumbled up and
i L i Il. Il
They came to Rugby, and the gentle
man got out and ordered glass Of milk
and soda at the refreshment bar Before
it was served he bolted back to the train
and secured his hat box. .'Now, is he
going to slip off here?' asked the sergeant
within doors, and, if he is, what 5 my
game 2 The gentleman went back to the
carriage, however, in due season, and the
sergeant followed At Birmingham they
both alighted, and the gentleman went to
the Queens hotel. He chartered a bed
room there, and carried his hat box up
stairs with his own hands, porter follow
ing with portmanteau. In half an hour
he came down again, passed into Steven
son square and on into New street
The sergeant took his courage in both
hands and went to the manager. A jew
ish gentleman with black mustache had
taken such and such a number?
'.Yes'
THAT" said the sergeant, producing
his handbill, lis the man.
The manager stared and then laughed.
| No, he knew that man. He was IA red
headed fellow, with red beard and mus
tache.
Shaved and dyed said the sergeant.
''Begad y said the manager, 81 be
lieve you re right.
''You know me? 2" says the sergeant
.'Yes,' says the manager, naming him,
Very well, [ take all the responsibility
of this move That man has the stoler
jewels in his hat box. Let me into hi
room, and we Il soon see.
1T was a common lock to the hat box,
said the sergeant, concluding his story il
great excitement 81 begged a hairpir
from a chambermaid-one of them thick
strong hairpins-and the trick was done II
a minute There was the violet velve
lining of the jewel case all tore out loos'
and rolled into bundle, and inside it wa
the whole e20, 900 worth. And while
we was staring at each other, like pal
of stuck pigs, back comes his Nibs, see
me kneeling over the open hat box
whips out revolver, and knocks a hol
clear through two sides of my new silk ha
and ruins it. Twelve-and-six it cost me
and brand-new out of Hyams shop onl,
the week afore The manager knocks hi
arm up, and the next shot goes into th
ceiling. 1t was nip and tuck then for
minute, but we got him down, and hat
EN- on his wrists in jiHy. Seven year
he gcs at the Old Bailey, and pretty cheal
at that. Five hundred pounds reward
a good deal to poor man like ME, but
London chance is more, and that slice o
luck brought both That's his Nibs por
trait, that there big colored photograph
over the mantelshelf His missis sold u
the little house at Brixton, and l bough
that at the sale for reminder of him.