The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-26


tously in his canoe, creeping closer under
the trees. before Mrs. Wybrooks party
This gave the detective TWO good clues;
first The revolver which was by d Btrm-
i1gham maker; secondly, the point tnat
the robber must have been seen at Maiden
head that evening. Atkins himself most
unfortunately, had spent the whole after
noon around the Cookham lock, discussing
proba bilities and possible cews with the
lock keeper and his assistant
L will not worry you with The account
of the two or three subsequent Outrages
detailed in the daily papers OF the mo-
memo, each taking place at the most I'M
expected time, and each unfortunately so
well planned 10 take place in Atkins alb
sence that that astute officer began TO sus-
poet either his policemen or the lOck-keep-
ers of being in league with the villain and
giving him notice when the detective was
away on some other part of the river. It
seemed now to be clear that we must take
more active measures, and must patrol
the whole district of the Thames between
Bray and Mario with a perfect Gordon of
policemen.
Wife / and my brother, high constable
in the adjoining county, were discussing
the details of this scheme so as TO adjust
the expenses between our respective rate
payers Oor the opposite banks are here
occupied by Bucks and Berks), an unex-
had best narrate il in the way it seemed
to me at the moment.
Being anxious to watch for myself the
possibilities of such episodes occurring in
the evening, l had strolled out one night
through the riverside path (private) that
threads the grounds of Tap,ow Court and
Cliveden. l had almost reached the first
Island, near the marble steps, when ! saw
in the dusk skiff rowed by two girls
coming slowly towards me. As it reached
the reed-bed l was aware fsome COM
motion Gazing through the gloom. ] saw
the very episode | was so anxious to see
a Canadian canoe glide suddenly and
noiselessly across the bows of The row.
boat. / rushed down to the bank to note
| what would happen. l could make out the
pirate raising his hand with the revolver;
| could hear him cry, Halt there; your
money! Next instant, the most unex-
pected incident took place. The girls in
stead of screaming or turning away, rose
Up resolutely in the boat and seized the
man with great pluck. One of them point
ed a revolver in return; the other wrench
ed the weapon from the wretch's hand
Then I saw that the canoe was upset
and the assailant was struggling for his
life in The water
l pulled off my coat and boots and swan
| across to help them 10 secure him. AS I
approached one of the girls called out to
me in a very manninsh voice, who are
you?"
Col. Venable-Hughes," I answered,
nigh constable of the county,
oh it's you. colonel, is it," the voice
answered; and then l recognized it was a
mans. Next moment / knew them-the
TWO young Wybrooks, brothers of the
nieces who had been caught before; they
were dressed up as girls to deceive the
pirate
1t was a capital ruse. But they had
counted without their host; the rogue was
too much for them Taking advantage of
the momentaTy diversion created by my
arrival on the scene he suddenly shook
himself free, dueked under their arms with
extraordinary address and swan boldly
iandward He tried to reach the Berkshire
shore opposite.
Head him, COLONEL head him. Charlie
Wybrook called out, Selling a scull and
getting forward. l swan out again and
headed him. But The fellow dived under
the boat like a dab-chick, and came up
near the bank. The two WybrooSs sculled
on as fast as they could get their oars in.
l struck after him for dear life. But that
cunning rascal was again beforehand with
us. He knew the bank well, and made
down stream for a hard spot / tried to
land nearer and higher. and found myself
entangled in mud and weeds. 1t took me
half a minute to drag myself ashore, with
the assistance of the Wybrooks. By that
Time the pirate had made good his land
ing and was striking across the fields in
the direction of the big white house known
as the Fishery.
Charlie Wybrook leaped ashore and bolt
ed after him. Charlie was a splendid run
ner; he won the Varsity quarter mile
when ne was an undergraduate at Oriel.
AS he landed, he tore off his wOman's hat
and skirt, but he had still the bodice. Ar
thur ran diagonaHy across The field-also
half man, half woman-so as TO cut off
the wrctch's retreat by the further end, in
case he doubled. As for me, | made for
the opening by the footpath to Coohham
But the field. a low water meadow, was
~intersected with bitches, both deep and
wide; and they halnpcred us greatly We !
could see the pirate knew them all well |
and was evidently acquainted with the |
little bridges here and there; for he never |
turned aside but made straight in the |
dusk for them Charlie Wybrook eaped |
the dykes. narrowly escaping a ducking |
AS for Arthur and myself, in the eager |
ness of pursuit, We ran through them
bodily.
But where was Atkins all this time.
drew my whistle twice, and blew long and
loud for him. Strange to say, ubiquitous
as he had always seemed when danger
lowered before, he did not now answer. L
escape us. Still, Charlie was gaining on
him now-when all at once he bolted for
the garden gate of the Fishery. To his
evident surprise he found it locked; he had
not counted on that mishap clearly.
could gather he was somebody who knew
the ground well, for the moment the gate
failed him he rushed madly up the out
house where the coal is kept, and then up
the roof of the house, like a cat or a mon
key. Charlie Wybrook, never pausing,
following him as quickly as he himself
had mounted. For a second there was
desperate struggle on the leads; the two
men closed; then Charlie threw his man.
but the rogue rose agin, unhurt, and twist
ing himself once more with surprising ease
out of his captor's grasp descended
straight into my arms and Arthur's
How we missed him 1 really don't know:
but we did miss him. With extraordinary
agility he ducked as he passed us. and
seemed 10 slip like an eel through our clos
ing fingers
Give him chase Arthur" cried. "give
him chased! And at the same moment
Charlie came scampering down the slopine
roof and Joined us IN the pursuit. For |
half a minute the pirate made as though |
he were going towards the corner by The !
footpath-the most natural mode of escaDa |
now the garden gate was locked, with It's |
frl, and a,