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

| in the same dress; that he is In the
morning perhaps just such another
looking person as you; well, the next
| hour so altered that his own brother
could not recognize him, and by the
evening ! defy any man to remember
ever having seen him before. Only
yesterday l met him disguised in a
manner that would have deceived any
eye but mine, but he must be a deep
hand If he gets over me. know these
sneaks at the first glance, and IL my
friends were as knowing as myself his
business would have been done long
ago."
Nonsense" cried vidocq; every
body says the same thing of him, and
yet you see there is no getting rid of
him."
Constantine was on his feet at once
| with an OATH He cried out:
TO prove that can act as well as
talk, If you will lend me helping
hand, this very evening we will waylay
him at his door, and I'll warrant we'll
settle the job, so as to keep him from
giving any Of us further uneasiness."
vidocQ Immediately agreed, and was
placed in the unique position of going
out with a party of thieves to waylay
himself. They actually went to the
home of the detective. but as may be
imagined he did not appear, and after
three hours of waiting they gave up
the vigil in disgust.
Many days had passed and still
vidocq was without the specific evil
dence which would enable him to put
his hand on the shoulder of Constan-
tine and say Thou art the mani" OF
one thing he was morally certain: It
was that the erstwhile fencing master
was at the head of band of resource
full and INSCRIPTIONS thieves. One
night after a jollification at the dance
hall the crisis came.
Friend" said Constantine with a
leer. do you feel like an adventure
to-night?"
With whom?" asked vidocu.
With my lady love-the locksmith's
daughter"
I'll Join you with all my heart!"
exclaimed the detective in undisguised
sincerity.
The plot was revealed with great
attention to details. The craftsmen
had been sporting" the mansion or a
wealthy banker on one of the boule-
wards of Paris.
Come, boys" cried Constantine. "a
drink all around and then we'll get
down to business"
On the plea of searching for his hat
and coat vidocq contrived to separate
himself from the others for a few
minutes. He wrote hurried message
on the back of an old envelope. and
finding a gendarme in the vicinity of
the restaurant dispatched him with
the note to the nearest prefecture. 1t
was to the point. 1t told of the place
of rendezvous and added:
Have half a dozen men on the
spot. Brighten the craftsmen, but
make no arrests until they have been
driven to place of refuge"
When vidocq returned to the table
his unsuspecting confederates were
preparing to leave. In 20 minutes they
reached their destination.
After that the chief advanced to the
gate with his brass key-the famous
locksmith's daughter. To his sur
prise it would not work. He fun
bled with it for nearly a minute and
then gave it up as bad job.
Boys" called the chief, we've got
to jump the wall and get down to busi-
ness. We can't fool around all night.
Here you"-to the detective-"give us
a hand"
Vidocq planted himself against the
wall OF the garden and, holding out his
two hands, boosted the cracksmen
over the wall one at time. Constan-
tine was the last one up. He held his
hand down to Vidocq and assisted him
to the top of the stone coping.
Now. Germain." said Constantine |
to the detective, you get in the shad- |
ow near the end Of the wall and keep |
sharp lookout. II you see the DO
lice, give a low whistle. Be on the |
alert, because everything depends on
you"
Vido.q nodded his head.
YES" he repeated significantly,
everything depends on me-"
vioucq on the wall watched the op-
Grafton intently. What unique POI
sitionl He felt like an umpire for
society at that moment. The thieves
on one side of the wall, the officers Of
the law on the other. And himself In
the middle. Truly everything de-
pended on him.
Tick. tick, tick" came the low,
sharp sound Of the metallic instru-
ment.
Finally the shutter was forced. |