LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2318, 8 September 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

LITTLE BLUE BYES, 08, Why I Joined the Detectives,

• Can I ait with yon ? * • Certainly air.’ * Splendid weather 7 ’ 'Splendid, indeed,’ 1 Crops growing finely 7 ’ * Tea—couldn’t do better.’ I was sitting in a car on a Wisconsin railroad one day, years ago, when a good-look-ing, pleasant • spoken man came along, stopped at my seat, and the above conversation took place, the latter part of it after I had given him part of my seat. Did yon ever meet a man who, though a stranger to yon ten minutes before could wrest from you secrets which yon had sworn to yourself never to reveal P Well, he was such a man. It was not long before he commenced asking me questions. He did not seem trying to quiz or draw me out, but he asked me questions in such a sly roundabout way, that before I knew it I was giving him my history. I was at that time just on the point of being admittc i to the bar of Wisconsin as a Stndent of Daw & Law, of Briefville. The firm were old lawyers with a lucrative practice, and It had been talked over that in about a month I should be the ' Co.’ of the firm. A year before, a farmer named Preston, down about four miles from Grafton, died, and his matters had been put into the hands of Law k Law for settlement. Preston had died rich. He had money in banks railroad stock, mortgages, &c., and everything was settled up to the satisfaction of the relict and fatherless. . About a year before his death, being pinched for money, and not wishing to sell anything for a sacrifice, Preston had given a mortgage on his own farm for three thousand dollars. While the papers read 'for one year after date,’ there was a verbal agreement that it should be lifted any day that Preston desired.. A month alter, when having the funds to clear off the paper old * money bags’ holding it refused to discharge, wishing to secure his interest for a year. I was on my way to learn the date of expiration. A fire among our office papers had destroyed the memoranda. We got to Grafton at 10.40, and to my great surprise he announced that he was going to stop in the town on business for a few days. I had not asked his name or vocation, while he knew everything about me. He went to the hotel, had dinner, and then I secured a livery team and drove ont, getting through with business so that I was back to take the 3.20 express east. My friend was on the porch of the hotel as I drove up, errrying the same honest, dignified face.

* Well, did you find out inquired in his pleasant way. • Yea ; it 'was the 13th, as I expected,’ I replied. We had our lunch together, and when we shook hands and parted I had no more idea of ever meeting him again than I had of knowing yon. In fact, he told me that he should sail for England within a week or ten days, and should not return to America, At parting he gave me his card. It was a modest piece of pasteboard, and bore the name of ' George Baleigh ’ in old English script. Everything at the office went on as usual, and the 13th came at length. Law and Law had arranged with me to go down with the money, and I looked upon it as a business of no special importance. ‘We know you are right,’remarked the senior partner as I was anout to go, * but I want to give yon a word of warning, nevertheless. Don’t take any stranger into your confidence until yon have passed out the money, and look out who sits next to you.’ It was something new for him to caution me, and I could not but wonder at it; but in the bustle of getting aboard the train I forgot what he said. Ordinary prudence had induced me to place the money, which was all in bank bills, and divided into three packages, under my shirt and next to my skin, where the left band of a pickpocket could not reach it.

Interested in a newspaper, time flew by as the train flew west, and at length the hoarse voice of the brakeman warned me that I had reached Grafton, 1 had leaped down, and was making for the livery stable when I heard a familiar voice, and looked up to see Baleigh. He was seated in a buggy, and had seemingly waited for me to come in. ‘Don’t express your surprise.’ he began, as T stopped at the wheel. ‘I did intend to go away, but I changed my mind, and like this section so well that I am going out today to look at a farm with a view to purchasing. Come ride up to the hotel.’ We rode up, ordered lunoh, and while we were discussing it, Mr Baleigh discovered that the farm he was going to see was just beyond that of old Grip’s. How fortunate! I could ride out with him, see the farm, return !n his company, and he was greatly pleased. I was also pleased. If any one had told me, as I got into the buggy, that George Baleigh meant to return with my money in his pocket and my blood upon his hands, I should have believed him to be a lunatic. And yet George Baleigh had planned to do that very thing. It was a lovely day in June, and the cool breeze and the sight of meadows and green groves made my heart grow larger. My companion was very talkative, but ha didn’t even bint at my errand. He talked as far away as he could. * Ob, excuse me 1 ’ he exclaimed, after we had passed a mile beyond the village, and were among the farm houses. ‘I should have offered you this before.’ He drew from his pocket a small flask of wine and handed it to me. Now, I was temperate in regard to drinks. In fact, I detested the sight and smell of anything intoxicating. But I had not the moral courage to tell him so, and hand back the flask undisturbed. I feared to offend him, and so I drank, perhaps, three good swallows. He called my attention to the woods on the left as he received back the flask, and when I looked round again he was just removing it from his month, as if he had just drank heartily. • In about ten minutes I began to feel queer. The fences along the road seem to grow higher, and the trees to grow larger ; something came to my ears so that the rattle of the buggy sonnded a long way off. •How strange. Why, I believe I am going to be sick,’ I exclaimed, holding on to the seat with all my might.

‘You do look strange,’ he replied, a sickly smile stealing over his face; ‘ I shouldn’t wonder if it was apoplexy.’ I did not suspect the game he had played, his words were like an echo, and his face seemed twice as large as it was. My head began to spin, 'and my brain to crack, and I was greatly frightened. ‘ You are badly off, ’ he continued, looking into my face. ‘ I will drive as fast as possible and get a doctor.’ My tongue was so heavy that I could not reply. I clutched the seat, shut ray eyes, and bo put the horse at his best pace. Wo met. a farmer’s team, and I can remember that one of the oooupanta of the waggon balled out to know what ailed that man. •Raleigh did not reply, but urged his horse 1 for ward.

About three miles from Grafton was a long stretoh of forest, and this was scon reached. ;The pain in my head was not so violent, and I was not so badly affected when opening my eyes. I had settled into a sort of dumb stupor, with a brain so benumbed that I had ■to say to myself— * This is a tree, that is a stump,’ &c., before I could make sure that I was not wrong, • Half a mile down the road we struck the forest, and then Raleigh turned the horse into a blind road leading back into the woods.

’ I could not understand what he intended. I tried to grapple with the question, but could not solve it.

j • Well, here we are 1’ exclaimed Raleigh, when he had reached a point forty rods from the main road.

He i topped the horse, got out and hitched him, and then came round to the wheel.

‘ You don’t feel just straight, but I guess you will be better soon. ’he remarked, ‘ Come let me help you down.’ He reached up his arms, and I let g* the seat and felt Into them. It seemed to me as though I weighed a ton, but he carried me along without an effort, and laid me down within a rod of the fence which ran along on one aide of an old pasture. Just now I began to get better. The effects of the drug were wearing off, and I got a faint suspicion that something unusual had happened. But I was powerless to move a limb; the sensation was like shat when your foot goes to sleep. ‘Can’t yon speak?’ Inquired Raleigh, bending over me ; ‘ because If yon can, it will save me some trouble. I want to know just where yon have stowed that money ?’ Now I began to realise my situation. His face looked natural again, and the load was off my tongue. I also felt that I could move my fingers a little. ‘George Raleigh, are you going to rob me P’ I asked, finding my voice at last. ‘ Well, some folks call it “ robbingbut wo dress up the term a little by calling it the only correct financial way of equalising the floating currency, so that each one la provided for, and no one left out.’ * Yon shan’t have the money I will die first,’ I yelled, rising a little, 1 * Ah, I see—didn’t take quite enough, ’ he coolly remarked. ‘ Well, I have provided for this.’

He went to the buggy, procured ropes and a gag, and knelt down beside me. 1 had but little strength left, and he conquered me In a moment. Lying on my right side, backing toward the fence, he tied mjr hands behind me, and then forced the gag into my mouth.

‘ There now, yon see you are nicely fixed up, and all because you acted like a fool instead of a sensible young lawyer soon to be admitted to the bar.’

While he was speaking—lndeed while he was tying me, 1 had caught sight of the white face of a little girl looking at us between the rails of the fence. I could see her great blue eyes, and knew that she was frightened. There were red stains around her month and on her little, hand resting on the rail, and I knew that she was some farmer’s child searching for strawberries- I could not warn her of her danger, and I feared that she would be seen or heard. While Raleigh was tying the last knot I winked at the little girl as hard as I canid, hoping that she would move away. But she did not move.

* Well, now for the money,’ said Ealeigh, he began searching my pockets. He went from one to the other, removing all the articles, felt down my boot-leg, and then finally passed his hand over my bosom and found the money. * Ha, here It is 7’ he exclaimed, drawing out the packages. ‘ I don’t hardly believe that old Grip will see any of this to-day, ’ He sat down near my hand, undid the packages, and was cool enough to go at it to count the money. As he commenced, the little girl waved her hand at me. My heart went thumping, for I expected that she would utter a word or shout, and I caught a gleam of her frock as she passed through the grass. ‘ You see, my young friend,’ remarked Baleigh, as he drew off one of his boots end deposited soma of the bills in it, 1 there’s nothing like transacting business as it should be transacted, Some men would have shot or stabbed you, but it’s only the apprentice’s who do such work. All the real gentlemen of onr calling do business as gentlemen should.

He drew off the other boot, and placed some ‘ fifties ’ and • twenties’ in it, and then continued :

• I have it all planned out how to deal with you; as soon as I get this money disposed around my person, I shall lay you on your, back and pour the balance of the wine down your throat. There’s enough of it to make you sleep till to-morrow night, and by that time I shall be hundreds of miles away. Ah soon as I see the drug take effect, I shall untie your hands and remove the gag. When you come out of your sleep—if you ever do —you had better crawl out to the road where yon will meet some traveller soon. I want to use the horse and buggy, otherwise I would leave them for yon.’ How coolly ho talked. He treated the matter as if it were a regular transaction, in which I fully acquiesced. He had me a fast prisoner, and I felt that he could do just as he pleased. While I was thinking, I saw the little white face appear between the rails again, but in a moment it faded away, and its place was taken by the sunburned phiz of a former. He looked from me to Baleigh and back again, and I winked at him In a way that he readily understood. His face disappeared, and I felt that I should be saved.

‘No; old Grip won’t get his tin to day,’ mused Baleigh. stowing away the bills in his pockets. • You will go back to Law and Law feeling put out and cut up, but they oan’t blame you j it’s not your fault at all. True, had yon minded your business on the car, and not been so free with a stranger, this would not have happened. I was on my way te Milwaukee, and had no thought of snob rich pickings here.’ I saw nothing of tho farmer. Baleigh finished his counting, and I made np my mind that tho farmer was afraid to interfere, and had ran away. My heart want down as Baleigh got up, for I saw that he was about to carry out his plan of farther drugging me. He turned me on my back, sat down astride of me, and then pulled out the flask.

: ‘Now, in just about a minute we’ll be through with this business,’ he remarked, trying to put the mouth of the flask between my jaws. I rolled my head on one side, and he did not succeed. Ho’ "Was jamming the flask against my teeth when I caught the sound of a step, the crash of a club, and Baleigh rolled over my body. He tried to leap np, but three or four farmers struck him down, and one of the blows rendered him senseless. Before he came to I was free of rope and gag. and we had him securely bound. Over beyond the pasture a farmer and his hands were raking hay. ‘ Little Bine Eyes,’ only eight years old, had, fortunately for me, witnessed a part of Baleigh’s proceedings. She hurried back to her father and told him that ‘ a man was all tied up over there.’’ Understanding the situation, ho and his men moved round so as to secure an advantage, and Kalelgh’s capture was the reault. When the rascal found his senses he was terribly taken back, and cursed enough for the whole Flanders army. We took him back to Grafton, and when I saw him again he was on his way to the penitentiary to serve a sentence of fifteen years. The mortgage was duly lifted, and the gift which Law and Law sent Katy Gray kept her in dresses for many a year. For myself, I felt so humiliated at having fallen Into the rascal’s trap, and so wrathy at tho treatment, that I determined to devote myself to a thorough warfare on rogues. I therefore joined the detective force, and after due study took my place as a full-fledged detective.