The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-27

1
the fence you have played into my
hands. BY John, but l won't find an.
other word of fault with youl Wo-
man, you have given me golden op-
portunity."
IL was quarter Of an hour before
Mr.. Bowser would explain. His plan
was to disguise himself and play Old
Sleuth and make a capture and strike
terror to the hearts of other thieves
He would leave the crowbar, the pick
AK. the rake and the lawn mower in
plain sight, and when the thief came to
bear of the plunder-bif!
But why not hire some one to
watch?" suggested Mrs. Bowser
Because it is for me to fastcn my
claws OH the thief and make his heels
break his neck. wouldn't lose the
chance for $4,000"
you'll surely get yourself into trou-
hle."
And I'll get some one else into trou-
Die. Before midnight tonight the mys.
terry Of the missing spade will have
been solved and justice will have over
taken the guilty party"
His Disguise.
Spurred on by his enthusiasm. Mr..
Bowser hunted up an old plug hat,
wornout Prince Albert coat and a pair
of bicycle shoes. From an old catskin
muff left by cook he made himself a
rhin whsker. and when Old Slcuth
was ready for business even the cat
didn't know him.
"You don't mean TO tell me that you
are going to parade up and down the
alleys in that rigH gasped Mrs. Bow
ser as he stood before her in his dis
guisc.
"S-s-s-h! Not so loud" he whisper
ed. IL am now about to take up the
tmilw
"But the man who took the spade
may not return"
"S'death! A thief always returns to
see II there is anything more he can
steal. I shall have him within a cou.
pie Of hours, and after I've mopped
the earth with him for half an hour
l will land him I'm the police station"
"I'1 buy you two new spades out OF
my own money If you'll let the matter
drop"
Never, woman-never! am not
the man to make stealing n safe busi-
ness. l have been robbed in broad
daylight, and justice demands vic
tim. l go to secure him.
A Night For Crime.
At 10 o'clock the moon went down.
the stars paled and the night wind
died away. It was an ideal night for
man who wanted to steal a pickax-
also for nm old sleuth. Looking from
q back window, Mrs. Bowser observed
Nemesis stepping softly over the grass
and crouching alongside the fence.
Seven thieves, each one intent on COB
bling a crowbar, might have been
watching and listening, and yet they
would neither have seen nor heard.
When he had made the round OF the
yard and found all safe he softly
opened the gate and passed out into
the alley.
Not leaf stirred
Not a cat yeowled.
Not n thief sprang up and dashed
away.
Twice had Mr.. Bowser passed up
and down the alley the length of his
block, peering under wagons and be-
hind boxes, his nerves stretched at
their fullest tension, when an event
suddenly evented. An old horse that
had been lying in the shadow Of the
fence and seemed n part Of a pile Of
ashes suddenly sighed and groaned
and rose up 20 look for oats. Mr..
Bowser was looking for danger, and
he was equal to the emergency. In
two jumps and n spring he was inside
his own yard and had the gate shut
and was prepared to sell his life at
the highest cash price. For three min
utes there was dark, deep silence, with
regular seven cent calico reduced to
four for one day only. Then the dis
couraged old horse fell against tho
fence with another groan and gave
away his identity.
The night grew deeper.
Enter tho Villain.
Mr.. Bowser had gone out and kick
ed and thumped that old horse out OF
the alley and made him wish he was
n toboggan and had returned to his
point Of vantage when the sound OF
football reached his ears. 1t came from
the north. 1t was not the bold and
honest tread OF an elephant, but the
sly and fugitive football Of a man. OF
sneak. Pitpat, pitpat It came near
er and nearer, and 1t grew softer and
softer. Mr.. Bowser stood at the open
alley gate and shut his teeth hard.
The moment for which he had longed
was at hand. Presently he could make
out Il darker shadow among the sbad-
ows. At ten feet away that shadow
paused. 1t was wondering II 1t could
steal the back end OF Mr.. Bowser's
hougn and sell thn hricks for tvo bpprg