The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-06

go right on to Kilburn. where he lived
and take him into my confidence He
would show me how to turn dhe stone
into money. But how to get to him in
safety? | thought of the agonies l
had gone through in coming from the
hotel. / might at any moment be
seized and searched, and there would
be the stone in my waistcoat pocket.
was leaning against the wall at the
time, and looking at the geese which
were wadipg about my feet, and sud-
denly an idea came into my head
which showed me how / could beat
the best detective that ever lived.
My sister had told me some weeks
before that | might have the pick of
the geese for a Christmas present, and
knew that she was always as good
as her word. | would take my goose
now, and in it / would carry my stone
to Kilburn. There was a little shed in
the yard and behind this / drove one
of the birds-a fine big one, white,
with a barred tail. / caught it, and,
prying it's bill open, l thrust the stone
down its throat as far as my finger
would reach. The bird gave a gulp,
and | felt the stone pass along it's gull
let and down into it's crop. But the
creature Tapped and struggled, and
out came my sister to know what was
the matter. AS | turned to speak to
her the brute broke loose and fluttered
off among the others.
Whatever were you doing with
that bird, Jem?' says she.
Well, said l. you said you'd
give me one for Christmas, and | was
feeling which was the latest.
"'Oh,' says she, We've set yours
aside for you-Jem's bird we call it..
It's the big white one over yonder.
There's twenty-siX of them, which
makes one for you, and one for us,
and two dozen for the market.
Thank you, Maggie says I; but
if it is all the same to you, I'd rather
have that one | was handling just
now.
The other is a good three pound
heavier said she, and we fattened it
expressly for you
Never mind. I'll have the other,
and I'll take it now said I.
oh, just as you like said she, a
little huffed. Which is it you want
them
THAT white one with the barred
tail. right in the middle of the flock
"'Oh. very we'll. Kill it and take it
with you
We'll, I did what she said, Mr.
Holmes, and | carried the bird all the
way to Kilburn. | told my pal what
l had done. for he was a man that it
was easy to tell q thing like that to.
He laughed until he chOked, and we
got knife and opened the goose. My
heart turned to water, for there was
no sign of the stone, and | knew that
some terrible mistake had occurred. /
left the bird, rushed back to my sis
ter's, and hurried into the back yard.
There was not q bird to be seen there.
:" Where are they all, Maggie l
cried.
Gone to the dealers, Jim.
" Which Dealers?
6 breckenridge, of Covent Garden
" But was there another with
barred tail?' / asked, the same as the
one ! chose? ?"
Yes, Jem; there We're two barred
tailed ones. and 1 could never tell
them apart
We'll, then. of course l saw it all,
and / ran off as hard as my feet would
carry me to this man Breckenridge;
but he had sold the lot at once, and
not one word would he tell me as to
where they had gone. You heard him
yourselves tonight. Well, he has al
ways answered me like that My sis
Ter think that I am going mad. Some,
times l thing so myself. And
now 1 am myself branded a