The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-08-15

with busfness-like precision. -Four
stout bags stood with yawning mouths
ready to receive the swag.
Vidocq looked on the outside Of the
wall. The streets were deserted. Not
a soul was In sight. Had his note
miscarried? Would the police fail
him? It looked that way. What Q
predicament for sleuth! To be the
confederate of thieves. II one Of his
many enemies should catch him IN
such q position he might have q hard
time explaining to NJ. Henry. Present.
ly measured tread was heard on the
hard sidewalk. His heart bounded. Il
was squad of police. He leaned
over and whispered: ~
Hist"
A captain Of police approached. |
1T is I-vidocq." called the detect
I've In subdued voice. Il will give
the alarm. but wish you to let them
go their way. Two OF them are
armed. Presently come to my old
lodgings"
The captain saluted and with his
men sought shelter. At the same mo-
ment Vidocq gave a low. prolonged
whistle. Instantly there was q COM
motion within. Bags were grabbed
up and all scampered toward the wan.
IT'S the police" whispered vidocQ:
come quickly and you may escape"
They unbolted the gate and hur
ried out. vidocq joined them.
Where are the police?" whispered
Constantine.
They've gone the other way" said
vidocq. IF we're careful we can
elude them"
They hurried along for few blocks,
The detective turned to the chief
cracksman:
It's dangerous to go through the
streets with these bags. Here's my
old lodgings. Let's creep In here fos
shelter?"
Can you get I'M" asked Constan-
tine.
Sure" replied vidocq. II have my
key and / know the rooms vacant"
Silently they crept inside. one at .
time, and closed the door behind them.
Constantine slapped vidocQ on the
back.
You're brick. German. told yox
he'd distinguish himself, boys"
What do you call this placer
asked Joubert. looking around him.
II call it the mousetrap," said w
docq, with a leer
The cracksmen laughed loudly At
this sally
The swag was poured out on the
table and the enterprlsing gentlemen
were soon engaged in dividing their
rich haul. Constantine and Joubert
the only ones who possessed weapons.
laid their pistols on a chair. Silly
vidocq picked them up and secreted
them under mattress. In the midst
OF the exultation loud knocking was
heard at the door. The thieves looked
at one another with pale faces. VI
docq crawled under the bed, unob-
served. No sooner was he out Of
sight than the door was burst open
and swarm of inspectors and police
men entered the room. In the twin
king Of an eye Ave pairs of handouts
were showed onto the wrists Of the
cracksmen and they were being
marched to the nearest police station
1T.
1t was New Years day at the pre-.
lecture OF police NJ Henry. follow
ing a long established custom. was
holding his annual reception. The
room was crowded and all of the Of
ficers of the police. high and low.
we're there to present their chief with
the compliments of the season. n.
Bertaux, the cross-examiner of GRIM
inals, and NJ Parisot. the governor Of
prisons, were in the line receiving
with M. Henry. During lull in the
crowd the three men drifted into 9
conversation concerning crime.
by the bye. M. Henry" said II.
Bertaux. what has become of the
fellow vidocq?"
Il really do not know" said the pre-.
feet gravely.
What" exclaimed the other. mot
know!"
NO" was the response. II have
not seen him since the day I called
him in In your presence and dele
gated him to break up the burglaries
that have disgraced the police system
of the city"
And the burglaries," continued the
other tauntingly, they have contin-
ued?"
M. Henry nodded
And vidocq-he has Disappeared"
The project nodded again.
M. Bertaux burst into an ironicd
laugh.
M. Henry, you have been dsceivedI
taken in; hoodwinked"
The project shook his head