Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-07-18

"orh lOr popular prices, out 40 cents q
week is low. You've got to say 1t is
low yourself"
ut amt much" admitted Mrs.
Smith.
mo; you're right 1t amt" said Philo
Gubb. "And that'd be what I'd get II
recovered the chicken, and as like as
not wouldn't recover the chicken any
way. The chances are that by the
time | Swallowed whoever 1 happened
to suspect and trailed them and hunted
up clews and followed them the chick.
en- would be eat man don't steal
chicken to let 1t hang around and be a
clew, because a live chicken is a
mighty prominent clew. OF course a
rooster is a worse clew to leave around
than a hen is, because 1t crows, and
hen don't, not usually. Was this
rooster or a hem"
at was hen" said Mrs. Smith.
"Well, even So" said Mr.. Gubb.
'the chances are that that hen was
somebody's dinner this noon, and If
took this case on commission-say for
half what the hen is WORTH wouldn't
get nothing 1t would be different if
you was to offer a reward for the cap.
ture of the thief. A thief don't get
eat that way. If you was to offer a re
ward of 800 for the capture of the
thief
ooh. my lands!' exclaimed Mrs
Smith. zone hundred dollars And all
my chickens in a bunch amt worth
$50. II would be cheaper for me to
pay somebody s. to come and steal the
rest Of the chickens"
81 don't hardly expect you to pay
$780," said Philo Gubb mot for catch
ing a chicken thief. | only mentioned
that sum off hand If crime was brisk
/ might want $50 for job like this,
but, seeing how trade is in that line
and that / could do my paper hanging
work by day and work on the detect
ing by night, I might cut the price"
at seems to me-" said Mrs. Smith,
shat If you had any gumption you
ought to make the thief pay. l amt
the one that did the crime. am /? So
why should l pay? It's only right that
thief should pay for the time and
trouble he puts us to. amt it?'
81 never before looked at it that
way" said Mr.. Gubb thoughtfully
''but 1t stands to reason"
"Of course it does" said Mrs. Smith.
"And III be perfectly liberal with you.
You catch that thief and scare him so
he won't touch my chickens and you
get me my 40 cents that that hen was
worth and you can offer yourself as
much reward as you think you can
make that thief pay"
"I'd ought to have $780," said Philo
Gubb thoughtfully. Il guess If there
amt any important murders or things
turn up by tonight I'll start in to
work for that reward. 1 guess can't
ask more than So reward-$5 or up"
At the evening was still light, and
Philo Gubb put false beard In his
pocket and a revolver beside it and left
Mrs. Murphy's Rooms to Let cottage
by the back way.
Mrs. Murphy's house was full mile
from Mrs. Smiths, but Philo Gubb
chose q roundabout course, calculated
to avert the suspicion of the most sus-
picious thief that ever trembled with
alarm. He emerged from the last
clump of trees to find himself, as he
had hoped, on top of the small hill at
the rear of the brickyard Immediately
above the clay bank.
The kilns offered admirable secluslon
while waiting for the suspicious mo
ment. Twenty men could have lurEed
In their shadows unObserved. The kilns
could be approached through the silent
property of the Methodist chapel or by
the bed of the creek or through the
fields. as Mr. Cub had approached. II
alarmed while at work in the chicken
COOP the thief could take five steps and
he safely hidden among the old kflns.
He could dodge among them until ne
found an opportunity to glide away In
the night. 1t would have required an
army to cut off all avenues OF escape
from between the old kilns. Having
made these observations Philo GupD
slid down the clay bank, walked across
the drying floor and examined the kilns
more closely.
Mr.. Gubb then gave his attention 70
the chicken coop. He entered the chlcK-
en- house and looked around, nghting
his dark lantern and throwing Its rays
here and there that he might see bet
fer. The house was so low or ROOT
that he had to stoop TO avoid the roosts.
and the tails of the chickens brushed
his hat. 1t needed brushing, SO tnls
did no harm. The hens and the two
ROSTERS complained gently Of this In,
terruption Of their beauty sleep ana
moved along the roosts, and Mr.. GuDD
went outside again. 1t was quite evi-
dent that the thief had had no great
hardships to undergo in robbing tnat
roost. He might have taken ten CHICK
ems as easily as one. Why had ne not
taken ten chickens?
A man entering a chicken coop TOT
the purpose of theft and finding many
chickens and then only taking one
He mlXQI