The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-02-20

group, out Wueu tucy dSheu Tic TcdSou
of the chase they were told to watch
the movements of the leaders hands.
Been dom that all the way from
Twenty-eighth street." gasped the
early followers, proud in the posses
sion of that much information. Hes
told the cop joke, an now the hick-
DRY wielder is hittin' the trail with
him."
At Forty-eighth street the policeman
met the officer on the adjoining beat
and hooking him by the arm he whis
pered into his ear as he kept pace
with the fat man. The new policeman
guffawed loudly, and again the angry
crowd looked vainly for the humoi
that seemed apparent to the two
guardians of the peace. The first po
liceman slackened speed, called out
friendly Good luck" to the fat man,
and then returned to his own beat.
while his comrade trotted swiftly in
his place.
The fat man swung east, down Fifty
third stree. and new recruits joined
the procession at every yard. But
all thirsted vainly for information.
Questions put by the newcomers were
met with the one answer: Don't
know; look at his hands. Been twist
ing them round and round all the way
from Twenty-eighth street"
Crossing Third avenue the fat man
halted suddenly. He knelt down upon
I ~, nfH Cfnnna6
beside him. The crowd pressed round
till the swiftly-swung nightstick swept
them back. The man in evening dress
crawled across the tracks and raked
the ground with his fingers.
i Presently he leapt to his feet and
yelled out excitedly. Its all right
officer" he cried. and once again his
hands started to revolve round each
other as he dashed towards the water
Just here a third policeman was
initiated into the mystery that was
troubling the crowd, and with merry
laugh he took up a position by the
side of the fat man. The crowc
! cursed collectively. Here was
mystery that had been explained
three times to bulky policemen, ye
they were kept in ignorance. 1t WASH
fair. They had right to know VIII.
the man in evening dress was doinI
the windmill performance with hi
hands, and why that stunt amused tn
policeman. Much of their breath wa
exhausted in strange phrases de
nouncing the secrecy of the police, bu
they were determined to see the end
Near Second avenue a man STANDING
on the sidewalk turned when he hear
the noise of the charging squad an
contemplated the runners. Then b
stepped into the street and crosses
over. The fat man chuckled. HI
whispered to the policeman at hi
right hand, and the officer dashe'
ahead. The man in front started t
run, but his pursuer overhauled hin
in a dozen strides, and they rolled Of
the pavement.
"Wot's the matter?" gasped tn
captured one. "Wot are yer scrufir
me for?"
This gentleman wants his rubbe
door-mat," murmured the policeman
relieving his captive of the parcel b
carried beneath his arm.
"HulIy Gee!" exclaimed the pri'
| oner, rubbing his eyes and starin
] round him at the crowd. Where di
= yer get the mob, an how did yer kno'
/ had it, anyhow"
Il had you on a string" explaine
y the fat man, holding up black threa
in the light Of the street lamp. "Tv
caught five men who have tried
s. steal that mat. It's attached to
'e thousand yards of strong thread, an
as they generally grab it when til