The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1910-01-22

a warm bed for Jack O'Brien."
Shaking a few leaves and twigs
from his cape he started down the
road at his accustomed pace. The
sound of laughter now came from the
Hill mansion, and peering over the
stone wall through an opening In the
hedge he saw two more shadows steal
across the lawn and disappear through
the open door at the rear OF the
house.
| O'Brien wiped broad grin from his
face. "The boys will know me better
after this night" he said. But I'm
right sorry for Finigan! He'd better
pull drunk goat than nab that bunch
of plumbers"
At the patrol box O'Brien was soon
Joined by Mike Ffnigan and relieved
of duty by the latter.
"Anythin., doing?" queried Finigan.
who was green hand like the other
man. and as eager to make record
and get promoted in town.
""You might pull the moon, II he's
full" grinned O'Brien. "'Tis a wet
night you'll have. Mike, and wetter
outside than inside, I'm thinking.
Finigan winked, licked his lips. and
with grin turned to patrol his beat
while O'Brien moved on toward the
station. Here he caught the last cleo
trio and soon was relieved Of all du-
ties by Capt. Sleep.
At his ten o'clock breakfast the
next day O'Brien opened the morning
paper, smiled to think that the joke
might be out on Finigan, when he AL
but fell from his chair as his vision
was confronted with the headlines:
| MIKE FINIcAN A HERO.
A Surprise Party Very Much Sur
prised.
T Intrepid Officer Arrests Ten House
breakers.
sinole- Handed Holds Thieves At Bay
Till Relief Arrives.
!, The double column that followed
was a detailed glorification OF Michael
5, Denis Ffnigan and his great coup.
e According to the paper, few min
n utes after Finigan had gone on his
u beat the previous night. having re-
" lieved Offcer Jack O'Brien, he had
e. made the discovery that the rear door
e of the Hill mansion was open. and
s. noiselessly entering the building had
r. surprised ten housebreakers. collected
D. in the dining room about q basket OF
y wine.
II Covering the men with his revolver
e and pressing the electric burglar
7" alarm, he had held the entire party al
e bay till relief arrived. when the ter
re men were handcuffed and taken to the
II station. Only one shot had been fred
which Finigan had been forced to ex
10 pend on the legs Of one of the house
is breakers, who had objected to hi
- capture.
le The paper went on to state that {
se grimly amusing fact had subsequent!
le come to light The housebreakers hat
w. effected their entrance to the Hi
'e mansion in parties of two. without tn
slightest suspicion that they had beel
'e preceded or were to be followed b,
n others on q like mission.
:. Imagine their astonishment-wrot
&c the reporter-when each pair foun
70 that the same night had been chosel
e' by four other couples bent on . iik
ae robbery, and their still greater SUI
20 prise when officer Finigan had he'll
;" them up in body.
:. Finigan. the paper went on to state
~ had already been recommended 70
-, promotion. which he SO richly meritet
When O'Brien had finished this r.
>. port his appetite for breakfast wa
a. quite gone. From his place of col
a. cealment under the hedge he had wi
or messed the icipience Of the whole bus
IN ness. and had he taken steps to arres
"a the men his name would now stan
ce bracketed with glory instead OF th
an name of Michael Denis Finigan.
But who the devil would hav
n. thought that ten jimmies would b
In ON the same night to break into
as housed" growled O'Brien. sore a.
w. mashed thumb.
he
20. II is dificult to tell which Is NOR