Year: 1860

formation, if possible but they knew no
more than any one else. They had heard |
all about it and were inflated with won
der.


One-an old farmers asked me if /
knew any thing of the robber. told /
him that / knew but little of the affair
in any way, having been sick and unable
to be out among folks. Then he asked
my consumptive friend if he knew any
thing about it. The latter raised his
head from its reclining position and was
on the point of answering, when we heard
our driver, in quick abrupt tones, order
ing some one to get out of the road. l
instinetively put my head out of the win
dow to see what the trouble was, and my
eye was just quick enough to detect
load of fagots in time to avoid them
The road was quite narrow at this point
ank as the fagots were loaded very wide
ly, it was impossible for the driver Who'll
ly to avoid them, and the side of the
coach was swept by them quite smartly.
1 escaped without being touched, but not
so with my friend. l heard an exclama-
toni thought rather profane one
from bis lips, and on looking towards him
| saw that one of the fagots had struck
him over the left eye, making quite a
mark upon the pale skin. This incident
turned the conversation from the robber-
les, and it was net again alluded to du-
ring the day.


| We reached Lowstone shortly after
dark, and went to the residence of Mr.


Stickney, whom found at home. He
had been out all day and had made all
sorts of efforts to obtain some clue to the
perpetrators of the robberies that were
being committed, but without effect.
= He said he could learn nothing on


which to hang suspicion. Two shops


had been robbed in his town but he could


gain no clue to the perpetrators. We


consulted together, and finally proposed
to 60 in the morning and see another de-
tective officer named Gambilt, who resi-


ded about twelve miles distant in the


town of Orton.


This met the views of my host, and


so we left the matter for the evening.
On the following morning we were up


early, and as the coach would take Us


directly to Gambilt's house, we chose


that mode of conveyance, and repaired


at a seasonable hour to the tavern for
, that purpose. When we reached the


inn, we found the old farmer, who had


been one of our fellow passengers on the


night before, stepping about the door IN 9


high state of excitement. He had beer
robbed of three hundred pounds, and ht
was sure it must have been done in tbs
stage, for he had slept with his poke


book under his pillow. He had no


thought to look into it when he retired


but he had found it empty that morning
when he got up. He said the wallet hat


been taken from bis pocket and put bacl


agaiu-he knew it. As soon as he saw


me he was anxious that | should b


searched. OF course | allowed the op


Grafton to be performed, willingly. AT
! ter the excitement was allayed, aske'
;. where the pale young man was that cam
in the coach and was told that he wen


away soon after the coach arrived.


My first aim was to satisfy myself tha
A. the old man had been robbed in the stag
10 coach and of this he succeeded in cor
N vincing me. After this my suspicion
a. rested upon the consumptive man, and


believed, if I could find him, l shoul
of find the rogue. So l bade the landlor
ID keep sharp lookout; and also spok
is to the driver who had brought me fror
es Sidney, and who was now on the poiI


of returning; requesting him if he sa'
I'd anything of the pale man, to see that b
at was secured. The suspicious individu'
is had only remained at the inn a few mil
to utes on the previous evening, and ha
n then gone away in gig which had CON
be for him; but no one could tell what d
90 rection be had taken.


I The coach for Orton soon came to Il
ny door and Stickney and myself took ot
,e- seats inside, the farmer having determil


ed to remain where be was until |
wl heard something about the money
nd There were two other passengers insiS
ne. and two or three outside, but they we
W. sfangers to me. We had gone two
lie three miles when the driver pulled 1
before small farm house, where, "
- man and trunk were waiting by Il
m garden gate. The lady was handed j
nv to the coach aud took seat facing n