The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-27


highwayman on the main stream of the Thames. just
below Cliveden Woods. 1 confess 1 was more than
half inclined, the first blush of it. treat the
whole affair cock-and-bull story
had been high constable of the country for ff-
teen years and as my place at Bray slopes down
with Its lawn to the rivers edge, 1 know perfectly
Wen how crowded this part Of the Thames is with
punts and rowing boats during the whole summer
season Moreover the particular spot chosen for the
extraordinary attempt seemed so very unlikely
CilVeden reach is the most frequented stretch of
water on the whole river; hundreds of hOliday-mak
ers pour down from London every day to Taplow or
Ma1denhead that the channel is alive with scuers
and steam launches for five miles up stream till
late hour In the evening. poohpoohed the police
man who first told me the tale
Nonsense" Il said; 'the gentleman must have been
dining at some riverside hotel perhaps with casual or
picked by them or been didded out of his money he
mas invented this extremely improbable story to aay
his Wifes Wel-grounded suspicious"
For, am sorry to say, one cannot be high con-
stable of riverside county for fifteen years and yet
retain childke trust in the perfect goodness Of h
man nature.
But when the Right Honorable Edward Symington
himself, the respected member for the Plympton
Boroughs, appeared before me and told his tale 1
confess was staggered.
Mr. Symington was not the sort of man, I took 1t,
to be the victim of delusion nor did he look partc-
ularly gulble TALL thckset, stoutly built typical
hafd-headed English squire a good rider to hounds,
conservative country member, had the solidity
and credibilty which we always attribute to the
honest straightforward unimaginative John Bull
He told his story with perfect frankness He had
been out on the river with party of friends-intI-
mate friends, and had dined-he did not attempt to
of diDin
the Ferry inn at Cookham. After dinner about at
night, fine early summer evening he started In
a Canadian canoe for Maidenhead He was accus-
toned to manage boat and was good sculler and
padder Where the stream divides he took the inner
channel under the Cliveden woods; and there, Just
behind the island, he surprised, as he passed
to see another glide rapidly out in the gloom
and man accost him threateningly:
Fork out whatever you have in your purse!
Quick; hand 1t over, this minute or l shoot you!''
what sort Of manY 1 asked, cycling my inform
ant hard.
Symngton answered like a truthful person:
Il could hardly make out, it was growing dusk;
but he seemed to me TALL with much black hair about
his face-beard mustache and whiskers"
"Armed?
Certainly; armed with revolver. He pointed It
full at me and cried, No hesitation, or 1 frep He
was bland. but peremptory"
He dared not have fired" 1 said He would
have aroused the neighborhood"
Il am not sure Of that; it is lonely behind the
islands and the hour was late passed only one
other boat all the way from Cookham. The river is
crowded, admit colonel, till half past; but as
soon as it grows dark not soul is left on it."
"And you gave him your pursew
'Well, 1t was cowardly Of me- l own; but what
would you haVe2 He covering me with his re-
VoiVer was quite unarmed And remember too In
a Canadian canoe which is not the sort of place
one would choose for tussle-the least thing upsets
one Besides, don't swim it's the sole manly &C.
complishment never acquired, having been brought
up inland, far away from any river. When went 10
OXFORD was either too old or too ashamed to learn
and have learned so the rogue had me AT bia
mercy"
How much money did your purse contain?"
On, nothing to speak of-about seven pounds
But that's not what mind It's the nrinciple Of tho
thing-that pirate should be permitted to go about
unchecked on the upper Thames with Your money or
your life? in this nineteenth century"
l paused and reflected
Things Of the sort will crop up" said Gin sn,+o
OF all Inc pains one may take to prevent them But
nothing like this shall crop up again promise you
VIII nave the river properly patroed and guarded
You must he said warmly. "Such an outrage "a
aisglace to our boosted civilization You mus4
eaten the rogue Till he is imprisoned Col YenabIes
1ugnes you have not fulfilled your duty to the COM
munity" yin
AS soon as he had gone 1 asked my chief detec
uVe' VINO had been present during our interview
"hat he thought of Mr. Symington's story He stro,
ed his smooth chin warily-a chief detectives chin
Is always smooth, ne has to get himself I'D in so
many DISCUSSES and answered with great delibera-
ton:
His account has ring of truth In It sir sbould
say myself he was probably robbed OF course q
gentleman may give away money and then desire to
account for it, but Mr.. Symngton is not q rer,,
young gentleman. very foolish one and ito IA,
young ones and the foolish that trump I'm sorA
Oh such adventures. Ny impression Is we nigb+
watch the reach carefully from the bank for voa,r
or two" ~
Atkins | said 1--WE shall watch it. but not from
the paflK You're the to do it, You know tho
river We'll and you manage a boat We mnsr
light the fellow with his own weapons-if tbera ~
any fellow, which is far from certain He uses n
Canadian canoe He's right course; no bat is ca
noiseless with other you see so well ahea,T
exactly where you going and guide yourself 81
perfectly You must have Canadian canoe: pervada
Cliveden reach and whether any such outrage IS
attempted again."
1T will be attempted again. SIR Atkins said do
e1s1vely You may count upon that. If the story-s
true the fellow will have learned that he can inuca