The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-02-05

a time struck dumb
"I've been robbed" he said savagely,
but restraining his voice. "The package
containing my clients money has been
stolen and this worthless package put in
its place. Your drover, squire, is the
thief
"Well, it looks like it certainly" said
the squire. But what would induce the
man il he were the thief to come here
and show me the money and desire to stay
all night? Wouldn't he have got as far
away with it as possible and just as quickly
as he could?"
at seems so certainly" Tarbot an
swered Nevertheless the circumstances
are so remarkable that think steps ought
to be taken at once by you as magistrate
to secure the drover if the hasn't shown a
pair of clean heels already"
II agree with you" said the squire,
land will send for the constable at once
and arrest him.
While servant was quickly dispatched
Tor the officer of the law, the squire and
Tarbot, each armed with pistol, Quilted
the house by the rear, and, being provided
with lantern, went to the stable over
which was the hayloft where the droyer
was supposed to be. Ascending tile ladder
without noise, the lawyer threw the lipht
OF the lantern across the floor. There,
sure enough. lay the gaunt form of the
drover, with every sign upon it of a deep
sleep. Nevertheless when the constable
arrived the drover was aroused and, much
to his surprise, was Informed that he was
a prisoner. After he heard the explana-
ton of the fact he laughed heartily and
said:
well, now, isn't ,his some trick that
you are trying to practice upon me? | VOW
it's clever, but 1t 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 and,
being kindly advised by the squire to 20
quietly with the constable, he did SO.
Next morning the body of murdered
man was discovered on the other side of
the stream about n quar- ter of a mile below
the br dye. 1t was removed to the village
lookup, and there Mr.. Tarbot identified it
as Ways. The skull was fractured and
the right arm broken. 1t was supposed
that the arm was broken when raised to
protect the head from a bludgeon, which
was found near the body
But this was not all The overseer of
the poor had in his charge in an clubhouse
OF the village inn man who had been
found early that morning on the banks #
the stream with dislocated arm and some
broken ribs.
Here was nice complication of things,
such, in fact. as had never before come
under the notice of Squire Norman or his
son-in-law, Tarbot. The man with the
disocated arm was soaked and mud stained
and had evidently been carried away by
the overlooking stream. Tarbot naturally
associated him with the person who had
given the package Of money to the drover
for safe keeping This turned out to BE
right, for the drover, being quietly intro
duced to the place where the man was,
said:
"Well, neighbor, do you want your
package?'
The man, who had been lying for some
time apparently unconscious now bestirred
himself and, looking around and seeing
that only the drover was there, exclaimed:
What. Are you the man threw it
to?"
AYE, it is SAFE" was the reply. "When
will you be ready to divide?"
Don't say word, s,id the man in
low tone. ''Stay around until l am able
to get away and then | will make it all
right with YOU"
After this all suspicion was removed
from the drover, aud he was taken into the
counsels OF the squire and Tarbot In
few days the man was well enough to talk
and he was encouraged to do so BY the
drover, who assumed the character of a
free rover looking around for what he
could pick up or knock down. The man
admitted that he had taken the package
from a stranger whom he met on the high
way He was confronted with the club
and Wray's corpse, but put on a bold front
and denied all knowledge of them. Finally
however, he confessed to thu drover that
he had Drained Wray and stolen the pack
age from him, afterward taking refuge in
roadside inn, where he found an oppor-
tunity to learn the nature OF the plumber
linen he grew restless and ventured out in
tne storm, and in an attempt to cross the
stream missed his ford and thus came to
meet the drover
There was nothing left to explain the
abstraction from the custody Of Tarbot of
the genuine package and the substitution
OF the counterfeit except that Wray him
self had designed the scheme and carried
1T out as he pushed Mr.. Tarbot toward the
bell pull, and that in making his way not
toward home, for that was in a contrary