Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-15

| 4 nave package OF money mere
which will be washed away if lose
my grip. If you'll take care of it for
me, I'll share il with you
"'Throw it this way the drover
said Il am John Cotter and you can
hear of me at the Green Man at
Carlisle any day
with this the stranger hurled q
package toward the drover, which he
luckily caught" continued the squire.
HE showed us the package and
opened 1t before us all. 1t contained
$3.50 pounds in England notes"
Great Lord!' exclaimed Mr.. Tarbot,
clapping his hand to his breast. "Can
it be possible--No. l feel it. The
package is all SAFE"
He opened his coat and drew forth
brown paper package from the inside
pocket
81 tell you what, squire" he said.
81 burst out into cold sweat all over
when you told me what the drover's
package contained, for 1 have pack
age of money for client amounting
precisely to the sum you named"
"Why, the drover's package is the
very picture of yours, said the squire.
"Outside perhaps; outside" said
the lawyer as he opened the package.
Inside there was nothing but lot
of sheets of worthless paper cut into
the size of Bank of England notes.
Tarbot was for time struck dumb.
"Ive been robbed" he said
savagely, but restraining his voice.
"The package containing my clients
money has been stolen aud this worth
less package put in its place. Your
drover, squire, is the thief"
"Well, it looks like ii certainly"
said the squire. "But whst would
induce the man If he werS q thief to
come here aud show me the money,
and desire to stay here all night?
Wouldn't he have got so far away with
it as possible and just Us quickly as
he could?"
ut seems so certainly" Tarbot
answered. "Nevertheless the circm-
stances are so remarkable that think
steps ought to be taken at once by
you as a magistrate to secure the
drover if he hasn't shown a pair of
clean heels already"
81 agree with you, said the squire,
"and / will send for the constable at
once and arrest him.
While servant was quickly dis
patched for the officer of the law, the
or ira
pistol, quilted the house by the rear,
and, being provided with lantern,
went to the stable over which was the
hayloff where the drover was supposed
to be. Ascending the ladder without
noise, the lawyer threw the light of
the lantern across the floor. There,
sure enough, lay the gaunt form of the
drover, with every sign upon it of
deep sleep. Nevertheless when the con-
stable arrived the drover was aroused
aud, much to his surprise was informed
that he was prisoner. After he heard
the explanation of the fact he laughed
heartily and said
"Well, now, isn't this some trick |
that you are trying to practice upon
me? / vow, it's clever, but it isn't |
fair to wake tired man out of his
first sleep for the sake of a Joke"
He was assured that it was no Joke,
aud, being kindly advised by the squire
to 60 quietly with the constable, he
did so.
Next morning the body OF q
murdered man was discovered on the
other side of the stream, about quar-
ter of mile below the bridge. II
was removed to the village lookup.
and there Mr.. Tarbot identified il as
Wray's. The skull was fractured and
the right arm broken. 1t was sup
posed that the arm was broken when
'aised to protect the head from blud-
yeon, which was found near the body.
But this was not all. The overseer
IF the poor had in his charge in an
,uthOuse Of the village inn man who
lad been found early that morning on
he bank OF the stream with q dis
coated arm and some broken ribs.
Here was q nice complication OF
Kings, such, in fact, as had never be.
ore come under the notice OF Squire
Norman or his son-in-lsw. Tarbot. The
nan with the dislocated arm was
oaked and mud stained and had evi.
lently been carried away by the over.
lowing stream.
Tarbot naturally associated him with
he person who had given the package
o the drover for safe keeping. This
urned out to be all right, for the
rover, being quietly introduced to
he place where the man was, said:
"Well, neighbor, do you want your
ackage?"
The man, who had been lying for
ONE time apparently unconscious,
ow bestirred himself and, looking
round and seeing that only the drover
yas there axclaima1.