The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-01-20

fault with his reasoning thus far, and
we all acquiesced by silent mods. He
turned to us sharply
"As I have said before, the door
locks are Of such character that
they could not have been picked or,
opened with a skeleton key. Now,
who have keys to this placer"
My uncle gulped and placed his
hand upon his swollen throat and
put myself in the breach. IF there is
no objection will answer for him. It
will save his strength. and he and
Mrs. Tebbets can listen and correct
me or add any ttitaifng aiilsneyer they
choose
Gruff1y the policeman signiied that 1t
made no difference who spoke SO long
as all the facts were made known.
One by one I answered his questions,
watching him as he committed them
to black and white with the painful
effort Of a schoolboy struggling with
a composition All three of US CORE
sponded perfectly in our statements,
Mrs. Tebbets merely adding that she
had been awakened by loud sound
in the night, but thinking it was thun-
der, had gone to sleep again That
the noise was the explosion there
seemed no room for doubt, and the
policeman congratulated her that she
had remained In bed, as the burglar
| undoubtedly was watching her room
at the time. At the end Of half an
hour he thrust the memorandum
book into his pocket and pursed up
his lips. Then he arose with q vibra-
ton Of his ponderous frame that sent
| the ashes which had accumulated In
his lap in his combined effort to keep
pen and cigar going at the same
time, flying as water flies from the
shakings of a wet mast1f.
Il will make another careful inspec
! ton of the premises inside and out
and then put my men to work. have
a theory and you will hear from me
later. I think the criminal will be
| in the clutches of the law very short
/ ly. If you learn anything of impor
| lance, communicate it to me-CaptaiI
/ Donnell of the Twelfth precinct
Down the stairs they went, and from
the window / watched them as they
dumped around on the grass beneath
in search of tell-tale clews. Perfume
torily they passed around the house
and then clambered into the wagon.
"If this matter Is ever solved,
don't believe 1t will be by them"
unused as / recalled the stereotypet
and formula-like questions of thel
leader. There is too much intelli
gence back of it for them. They will
/ she'll the woods aimlessly in the fam
hope Of driving out somebody; cas-
the dragnet and bring in a score O
habitual criminals whom they vii
/ question and then turn loose, afte
which they will resume the even teno
of their way along the trail of som
other rogue. Of course they ma
stumble upon something that will Civ
them a straight tip, but / don't be
lieve it, I turned again to the be
where Uncle Abner was threshin
about like a fish out of water as b
berated the thief without stint, an
myself as literally because | had nc
been at home to act as buffer b
tween the intruder and his wealth.
was exceedingly trying to me, an
the housekeeper having straightene
q out his own bed, was delighted t
81 give him what assistance he needle
Ito get. into it. That done, 1 left hill
there in Mrs. Tebbets, care. Dootc
Courtney still fingered, and returne
i to my own apartments to discuss II
peculiarities of the affair with him
i Perhaps half an honv had passed