Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-08-26

the house. He was one of those nerv-
Gus Yankees who fear everything eX-
ceDt danger. A hundred petty INK
icties assailed him. including the dread
of taking cold. us he grumblingly made
his way downstairs.
In the lower hall he listened. Be-
yond doubt there was some one in the
library. Olmstead opened the door
and entered. The room was dark save
for a feeble. iuttering light which
suddenly settled upon Olmstead with
II brilliancy that surprised him.
"Throw up your hands," said a
voice.
ooh. ~nonscnse..' said Olmstead. and
he felt about on the wall for the but
ton that controlled the lights. The
burglars lantern revealed it to him.
and he instantly made the room bright.
Seeing that Olmstead had no weapon
the burglar did not retreat. but took
some steps forward. holding his re.
volver ready in n hand while with
the other he clasped the ebony jewel
box as a football player holds the
bali.
When they were quite close Ohm
stead sprang upon the man so sud
denly and with such skill that he
caught his right wrist and held the
arm straight up in the air. The bur
glar let fall his weapon. which made
a loud noise on the floor. Olmstead
hurled him backward and stopped for
the revolver. whereupon the burglar
drew another from the side pocket of
his coat and fired with a considerable
GOODNESS of aim from a distance of
about ten feet. The bullet struck
Olmstead on the upper edge of the
left eyebrow and glanced off. He was
stunned, but only for a few seconds.
When the servants came running at
the noise of the shot their master was
already on his legs again and fccbly
attempting Il pursuit of the marauder.
The case was Immediately reported
to the local authorities. The suburb
of Marchmont has a chief Of police
and twelve patrolmen.
The chief and ten of his men turned
themselves loose on the trail Of the
Olmstead burglar, with no result
whatever. The eleventh man remain
ed in charge of the station house.
The twelfth man patrolled old March
mont village and caught a thief in the
bakeshop of Mrs. Sophia Nicely. where
there was the sum of ST in the till.
He had effected his entrance through
the adjoining barber shop Of Gustav
SwartZ, where there was no money.
Three days later my services were
requested by MI. Olmstead, who vas
walking about with some plaster over
his eye and not much the worse for
his adventure.
After hearing his story l was able to
give him hope of the rascal's capture.
for the description furnished to me
was excellent. Its most salient fca-
tlre was Il reddish. brushlike mus
tache. The burglars hair was dark
brown. but his mustache was unde-
niably red and not false in Ohm
stead's opinion.
Singularly enough, this description
perfectly fitted the only suspicious
character then known to exist within
the limits of Marchmont. except the
petty thief above referred to. who was
smooth shaver. The suspicious char
actcr was Gustav Swartz. the barber.
SWartz had borne an excellent reDu-
tation until about q month ago. when
some silver. stolen from q MarchmOnt
residence. had been found in his shop.
The barber said that the parcel con-
tanning the silver had been left with
him by a customer who was to call
for it and that he himself did not
know what the contents We're. out the
story had obtained no credence.
Upon hearing Olmstead's description
the local police Immediately exhibited
SwartZ.
"Swartz looks very much like my
burglar" said Olmstead. except that
he has a good eye. The other fellow
had a bad one. don't believe SwartZ
Is the man."
The case stood thus when | took
hold. That evening. while was talk
ing With Miss Olmstead and her
brother and Mr.. Mcclellan in the Ii
brary. there came q loud. sudden rap
at the window. Olmstead. who was
naturally nervous nearly jumped out
Of his skin. but he was the first man
to reach the window. He raised the
curtain and the sash. and by the light
that streamed out from the room he
saw the ebony box lying IN the We
randa. The person who brought it had
escaped.
Olmstead was overjoyed. AS the
box showed no mark Of violence the
diamond stomacher must be in it. and
with the anticipation of seeing this
treasure again Olmstead's hands shook
so that he was fifteen minutes opening
the casket. He did not let US see
how he did it. The casket was empty
I will not enlarge Upon the mysteries
involved in this performance. There
was no reason why anybody should
have returned the jewel box except
upon the belief that the diamonds were
in it. l was doubly convinced Of this
fact after I had persuaded OlmsteaG
to show me the trick of opening the