St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-05-04
THE MAGIC CAsK Ell.
ny PAUL p. HARRIS.

BY PAUL p. HARRIS.
His card, in typs perfectly legibie
from across the street, read: : lgg-
natills Roper. Constable. In smaller
letters. down in the left corner, was
the one word more than any other
calculated to set criminal hearts pal
plating Detective. Ignatius was
not d detective, but he was willing
to be.
He was angular as a rail fence, but
not so pretty; good, when asleep, but
that was seldom. His expression,
when he had any, was devil may
care and it belied him not. for il his
internal majesty did care, Ignatius
didn't; and to give the devil his due,
be probably didn't care either, for
to him Ig.' was a cinch. He only
waited the trumpet sound to gather
him into his fold.
2 Ignatins could serve summons
which would entail despair with the
guilenessness of maiden pluclSing
May flowers; or, when occasion re-
quired, levy execution on mans last
assets, household cliattels, with the
calm sweet look about the eyes char
acteristie of a game cock in action.
y q Z !. r. 49, q
He felt reconeiled to the theory that
the punishment should fit the crime,
but cared not a whit if the measure
of punishment Stopped over; IN fact,
to him it was infinitely preferable
that ten innocent persons suffer than
that one real culprit escape; and no
man was innocent until he proved It.
Service of process placed in L.. IS
hands was a foregone conclusion He.
coveted no riches, sufficient for him
was his daily bread and an occasional
moistening Of his parched throat. but
the occasions came often. Armed
with writ, he was formidable as
gatling guns uneompromising as
mother-in-law bent on spending the
winter. His professional sobriquet
was .Old Remorseless;;' to the laity,
he was simply S'Hadeso7
Ignatius was sitting at his desk one
winters afternoon, Eliminating on
the past, planning for the future.
Business had certainly been dull
NOT u penny turned during the week.
The justice clerk came in.
s.Three attachments; one for you,
Roper: one for Brady and one for
Levi; all against Mile. Demorest, do
ing a sketch called the Magic Casket'
at Howard's. She keeps her ward
robe in a huge easket, the same one
that has the title role in the sketch.
Look cut for that easket. You'll
have TO levy on the wardrobe prob
ably; very little show at the box Of
fee She's been playing in hard luck.
The management is against her. !
reckon they're back of the proseeu-
ton, but that's no business of ours.
She expects to leave Cincinnati to-
night, but see her finish Ten doll
lars on the side for each successful
levy. / told the plaintiffs that Eou
three are the whole thing; now if you
win, make good to me. OF course,
] know that this is Friday and the
18th, and that black cat crossed the
alley to-day, but bad omens don't go.
See:s'
Ignatius, ever prompt, was on hand
earlier than usual that evening.
There were two constables to be out
done. A clever ruse gained him ad-
mission at the stage entrance.
Mile. Demorest room?. he asked,
very much as though he were very
well acquainted
The first 10 the right
Ignatius raped. A fat, dumpy
woman appeared.
es, sheis IN. Oh, mademoiselle,
a caller
Ignatius served his writ and mad
eaoiselle bowed her head demurely,
but said not il word though Ignatius
could see thai she was struggling 10
keep back the tears.
4 am sure ! dom know what you'll
find of value Ny costumes, such as
j have, are in the casket, but / trust
that you'll not find it necessary to