Stranica 168 [168]
OCR
122 up for the poor man, who was in a wery low state of mind about his loss, and went up and down the streets for three or four days, pulling his hair off m such a desperate manner that many people was afraid he might be going to make away with himself. One day he come up to the office all in a hurry, and had a private interview with the magistrate, who, after a good deal of talk, rings the bell, and orders Jem Spyers in, (Jem was a active rind and tells him to go and assist Mr. Chickweed in apprehending the man that robbed his house. Spyers,’ said Chickweed, ‘ pass my house yesterday morning. —" Why didn’t you up and collar him? says Spyers—‘I was so struck all of a heap that you might have fractured my skull with a toothpick,’ says the poor man; ‘but were sure to have him, for between ten and eleven o'clock at night he passed again.’ Spyers no sooner heard this, than he put some clean linen and a comb in his pocket, in case he should have to stop for a day or two; and away he goes, and sets himself down at one of the public-house windows behind a little red curtain, with his hat on, all ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. He was smoking his pipe here late at night, when all of a sudden Chickweed roars out—‘Here he is! Stop thief! Murder! Jem Spyers dashed out; and there he sees Chickweed tearing down the street full-cry. Away goes Spyers; on keeps Chickweed; round turn the people ; every body roars out " Thieves!’ and Chickweed himself keeps on shouting all the time like mad. Spyers loses sight of him a minute as he turns a corner,—shoots round—sees a little crowd— dives in. ‘* Which is the man? — : D—me! says Chickweed, ‘I’ve lost him again!’ ‘Tt was a remarkable occurrence, but went back to the public-house, and next morning Spyers took his old place, and looked out from behind the curtain for a tall man with a black patch over his eye, till his own two eyes ached again. At last he could nt help shutting "em to ease "em a minute, and the wery moment he did so, he hears Chickweed roaring out, " Here he is!’ Off he starts once more, with Chickweed half-way down the street ahead of him; and, after twice as long a run as the yesterday’s one, the man’s lost again! This was done once or twice more, till one-half the neighbours gave vy the devil who was playing tricks with } him arterwards, and the other half that poor Mr. Chickweed had gone mad with grief." ‘What did Jem Spyers say ?" inquired the doctor, who had returned to the room shortly after the commencement of the story. “Jem Spyers,” resumed the officer, ‘for a long time said nothing at all, and listened to everything without seeming to, Which showed he understood his business. But one morning he walked into the bar, and, taking out his snuff-box, sald, ‘Chickweed, I’ve found out who’s done this here robbery.’ —" Have you?’ ‘Oh, my dear Spyers, only let me have wengeance, and I shall die contented! Oh, my dear Spyers, where is the villain?’—‘ Come!’ said Spyers, offering him a pinch of snuff, ‘none of that gammon! You did it yourself.’ So he had, and a good bit of money he had made by it, too; and nobody would ever have found it out if he hadn’t been so precious anxious to keep up appearances, that’s more!” said Mr. Blathers, putting down his wine-glass, and clinking the handcuffs together. ‘Very curious, indeed,” observed the doctor. “Now, if you please, you can walk up stairs.” a “Tf you please, sir,” returned Mr. Blathers. And, closely following Mr. Losberne, the two officers ascended to Oliver’s bedroom, Mr. Giles preceding the party with a lighted candle. Oliver had been dozing, but looked worse, and was more feverish than he had appeared yet. Being assisted by the doctor, he managed to sit up in bed for a minute or so, and looked at the strangers without at al! understanding what was going forward, and, in fact, without seeming to recollect where he was, or what had been passing. c This,” said Mr. Losberne, speaking softly, but with great vehemence notwithstanding, * this 1s the lad, who, being accidentally wounded by a spring-gun in some boyish trespass on Mr. What-d’yecail-him’s grounds at the back here, comes to the house for assistance this and maltreated by that ingenious gentleman with the candle in his hand, who has placed his life in considerable danger, as I can professionally certify.” Messrs. Blathers and Duff looked at Mr. Giles as he was thus recommended to their notice, and the bewildered butler gazed from them towards Oliver, and from Oliver towards Mr. Losberne, with a most ludicrous mixture of fear and perplexity.
