_AN ARRIVAL._
Lawyer Harvey did not neglect anything which might work to the advantage
of his client; but in the face of the evidence his efforts appeared to
be in vain.
Uncle Nathan, who arrived just as the case was called, swore to the fact
that Hazelton had been in his store on the Sunday afternoon prior to the
robbery, and that he had told the prisoner of his keeping large amounts
of money in the building, because of the difficulty and expense of
sending the cash to the Waterville bank.
He also testified that Hazelton seemed unusually interested in
everything pertaining to the store, and asked many questions relative to
his (the witness') habits, such as the time when business usually began,
how late he remained in the building at night, as well as several other
things which now seemed as if the information had been sought simply for
the purpose of knowing when would be the safest time to commit the
crime.
"How much did you lose?" Mr. Harvey asked.
"I don't know for certain; but I stand willin' to give fifty dollars if
the goods can be recovered, an' if my nephew would tell all he
knows----"
"That will do, Mr. Hargreaves," the lawyer said, sharply. "Teddy is not
under examination, and until he is we do not care to hear your opinion
concerning him."
"I reckon I can tell what I want to, can't I, 'Squire?"
"You must confine yourself to this particular case. As to whether there
is sufficient evidence to bind the prisoner over does not concern the
charge against your nephew, at least not to the extent of your telling
what you think."
"I thought, perhaps, if he heard me say I'd give fifty dollars to know
where the goods were, an' knew I'd swear to it, he might confess, for he
has shown himself to be powerful fond of a dollar."
"That appears to be a peculiarity of some of his relatives," Mr. Harvey
said, dryly, and at this remark the spectators laughed heartily, while
the old man growled:
"I didn't come here to be told that I was a miser; but it seems even men
who call themselves gentlemen think sich things are all right."
"If you have no other evidence to give we will not detain you," the
lawyer said, sharply; and as Uncle Nathan returned to his chair near the
door the proprietor of the hotel at the Run was called upon to testify.
What he said was in favor of the prisoner rather than otherwise.
He swore to the fact that the prisoner spent the night on which the
burglary was committed at his house; that he pretended to retire at an
early hour, and started for Peach Bottom on the first stage.
Under Mr. Harvey's skillful cross-examination the landlord admitted that
unless a man got out of the window he could not have left the house
without the knowledge of the watchman, who kept the keys and remained in
the office all night. It was also shown that Hazelton brought and
carried away with him, so far as was known at the hotel, nothing but a
small traveling satchel.
Then several people from the Run were called to prove that the fakir was
really in the town on this particular Sunday, and the driver of the
stage testified that the prisoner rode with him the entire distance to
Peach Bottom. The landlord of the hotel where Hazelton boarded during
the fair week, or so much of it as he was at liberty, swore to the fact
that the prisoner had never brought any quantity of baggage to his
house, and appeared to be very regular in his habits. So far as he (the
landlord) knew, the fakir remained in his room nearly all the time,
except while on the exhibition grounds.
This ended the testimony, and Mr. Harvey argued that there was really
no evidence to connect the prisoner with the crime.
"That he conducted a game which could hardly be called honest is
admitted," he said; "but it has nothing to do with the case. Prejudice
should not be allowed to take the place of facts, and I insist that my
client be released."
"I reckon there's sufficient ground for suspicion," the 'Squire replied,
"an' I don't see any other way out of it. A jury must decide, an' I
shall hold him in the sum of three thousand----"
At this moment the dignity of the court received a severe shock, as a
most unseemly disturbance suddenly occurred at the door, and the 'Squire
paused to learn who was so bold as to disturb the representative of the
law at the very instant when he was delivering an opinion.
"It's nobody but a boy," Uncle Nathan replied as he held the door firmly
closed, while the would-be visitor kicked so vigorously as to threaten
the destruction of the panels.
"Bring him in here, an' we'll see whether such a row can be kicked up in
a court of law with impunity."
"Better let me throw him into the street," Uncle Nathan snarled.
"Mr. Constable, bring that boy before me," the 'Squire said, sternly,
and an instant later, to the consternation of all those who had seen
him, the boy who was supposed to have been drowned two days before
entered, looking decidedly the worse for having existed so long without
water and soap.
"Why, it's Sam, an' he ain't dead!" Teddy cried as he rose to his feet.
"Of course I ain't; but it wouldn't been many days before I turned into
a corpse if I hadn't got away from them thieves," the amateur detective
replied.
"Who are you, an' what do you want here?" the 'Squire asked, sternly, as
he rapped on the table for the spectators to remain silent.
"Why, I'm Sam Balderston, the feller who come to the fair to work for
the Davis Boat an' Oar Company of Detroit, an' if what Long Jim told me
was true, folks have been tryin' to find me in the creek."
"This is the boy who was reported to have been drowned on the day when
those lads," here the lawyer pointed to Teddy and Dan, "claim to have
seen two men carrying goods into an old barn on the marshes. I fancy he
can give us information relative to the true burglars."
"You bet I can," and now that he was the central figure in the scene,
all Sam's old assurance returned. "If you mean the fellers what broke
into Teddy's uncle's store, I can flash one of them up. The other come
to the fair an' didn't get back, so Phil thought he was arrested."
"Who do you mean by the other fellow?" Mr. Harvey asked.
"Why, Long Jim, the same man what swindled Teddy out of his fifteen
dollars at Waterville."
"Have you been with him since your disappearance?"
"Most of the time he hung around, an' then ag'in Phil was there."
"Who is Phil?"
"Long Jim's partner. They've got a slat of stuff what has been stole
'round here, an' I know where all of it is."
"Tell the 'Squire the whole story."
This was Sam's opportunity, and, in order to cover himself with glory,
he slaughtered the truth in the most shocking manner.
"Well," he said, in a consequential way, "when Dan an' me an' Teddy saw
the thieves carryin' stuff down to that old barn I wanted to rush in an'
arrest both; but the other fellows was scared an' come ashore to talk
with Hazelton so's he'd tell 'em what to do. Then I jes' made up my mind
to carry on the job myself, an' went back."
"Where?" the 'Squire asked.
"To the barn to get the stuff. While I was diggin' it up the men come
back, an' the minute they saw who was on their trail they got
frightened."
"And who was on their trail?" the 'Squire interrupted.
"Why, me, of course. They rushed in, an' I had the awfullest row; but it
was two to one, an' so I got the worst of it. They had to work mighty
hard before gettin' me tired, an' then all the stuff was dug up an' put
in the boat. My craft was upset an' sent adrift, so's to make it look as
if I was dead, an' we went down the creek six or seven miles, where we
hid in the woods. Phil came back here after more goods what had been
stolen, an' they was goin' to skip the country, when there was a big
row, an' Long Jim allowed he'd come to the fair once more. Phil was mad,
an' got pretty drunk, an' after that I had my innings. I turned to an'
lashed him up same's I'd been; but we had an' awful fight. It takes
more'n one man to git away with me."
"Where is this fellow now?" the 'Squire interrupted again.
"Down the creek, tied up so's he can't hardly breathe, an' he must be
pretty near sober by this time."
"If he was very drunk I do not understand how he could have fought so
hard."
"Well, he did; but I got the best of him, an' what's more, I know where
all the stuff that's been stolen is hid."
"Mr. Constable, bring into court the prisoner who is charged with
swindling, and let us see if this extraordinary boy can identify him,"
the 'Squire said, with an unusual amount of dignity.
"If it's Long Jim, you bet I can," Sam said, as he turned toward the
spectators that they might have a good opportunity of seeing such a
wonderful detective as he claimed to be.
Teddy and Dan could hardly control their impatience to speak privately
with Sam. As a matter of course, they understood that he was
embellishing the story, and both were eager to make him tell the exact
truth.
Just at that moment, however, Sam had no time to spend on ordinary boys.
He had come out of a bad scrape with apparently flying colors, and
intended to enjoy his triumph to the utmost before sinking back to his
rightful plane.
The jail was near at hand, and Sam had not exhibited himself as much as
he desired when Long Jim was brought in.
On seeing the boy the burglar gave a start of surprise, and allowed the
incriminating question to escape his lips:
"Has Phil been pinched, too?"
"I took care of that business, an' we'll bring him in some time to-day.
Say, what about that awful lickin' you was goin' to give me?"
"I'll cut your throat before this job is finished," was the angry reply,
and there was no longer any necessity of asking Sam if he recognized the
prisoner.
"You say you can show us the stolen goods, and the other burglar is
where the officers can get him?" Mr. Harvey asked.
"That's just what I can do," Sam replied, proudly.
"Then you will have earned fifty dollars, for Mr. Hargreaves has
promised, even sworn, that he will pay that amount for the return of his
property," Mr. Harvey continued.
"He might as well give me the money now, for I'm ready to turn the stuff
up, an' when there's more big detective work to be done, come to me."
"I don't know about payin' any reward till I'm certain the little
villain isn't one of the thieves himself, an' is doin' this to swindle
me," Uncle Nathan cried, quickly.
"He shall have the reward if the story is true," the 'Squire replied.
"You can't go back on what you've sworn to, an' must pay up. Mr.
Constable, get two or three men an' go with this boy. Don't lose sight
of him for a minute until he has given all the information in his
power."