DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22217#0018
6
A PEDESTRIAN'S PLOT.
tions, and much of The Gander's after proceedings had to be
founded on mere acute inferences. The spot to be chosen for
the Attack he guessed at by one of Yorky's questions, and the
night most likely to be selected for the attempt was Saturday,
for, of course, when the robbery was to be done, it might as
well be for a big sum as a little one. He made sure of this last
point, however, by trying hard to get Yorky to engage to meet
him that night after business, but failed, as Yorky gruffly indi-
cated that he was engaged.
So far all had succeeded to The Gander's satisfaction. It
only remained for him to give the finishing stroke. He got a
sheet of note-paper, of a kind used in the theatre, and penned
the following note to me :—
"IfM'Govan will watch at the west end of Barony Street between
eleven and twelve o'clock on Saturday night, he will see a gent attacked
and robbed by a desperate thief who can run like Deerfoot. The gent
always carries a tin box, and, as it's supposed to be full of money, it's the
box that will be grabbed at. There had better be more than one at the
catching, or he's sure to get off."
There was no signature, and at first I was inclined to believe
the thing a hoax, or worse—a plot to draw me away from some
spot where I was likely to be more useful, but in the end I
decided to act on the advice.
I had no idea that the gent described was the worthy treasurer
of the theatre, and I suppose The Gander had purposely re-
mained silent on that point lest I should warn the gentleman
threatened, and so spoil the little plot.
I was down at Barony Street before eleven o'clock. I took
the west end, and planted M'Sweeny under shelter at the east.
It was a dark night, and scarcely any one passed me at my
lonely lurking-place. I was so suspicious of a hoax that I was
positively surprised when a gentleman appeared at the other
end of the street carrying the tin box in his hand, and whistling
away as cheerily as if there were no such thing as street robbers
in existence. He had scarcely appeared in sight when another
man turned the corner walking rapidly in his wake, and look-
ing hastily round to make sure that they were alone in the short
street.
The distance between the two rapidly diminished, and then,
looking anxiously along behind them, I had the satisfaction of
seeing M'Sweeny's head cautiously appear from his hiding-place
at the other end of the street. I had scarcely noted the fact
when the footpad was on his victim, making a dash from behind
A PEDESTRIAN'S PLOT.
tions, and much of The Gander's after proceedings had to be
founded on mere acute inferences. The spot to be chosen for
the Attack he guessed at by one of Yorky's questions, and the
night most likely to be selected for the attempt was Saturday,
for, of course, when the robbery was to be done, it might as
well be for a big sum as a little one. He made sure of this last
point, however, by trying hard to get Yorky to engage to meet
him that night after business, but failed, as Yorky gruffly indi-
cated that he was engaged.
So far all had succeeded to The Gander's satisfaction. It
only remained for him to give the finishing stroke. He got a
sheet of note-paper, of a kind used in the theatre, and penned
the following note to me :—
"IfM'Govan will watch at the west end of Barony Street between
eleven and twelve o'clock on Saturday night, he will see a gent attacked
and robbed by a desperate thief who can run like Deerfoot. The gent
always carries a tin box, and, as it's supposed to be full of money, it's the
box that will be grabbed at. There had better be more than one at the
catching, or he's sure to get off."
There was no signature, and at first I was inclined to believe
the thing a hoax, or worse—a plot to draw me away from some
spot where I was likely to be more useful, but in the end I
decided to act on the advice.
I had no idea that the gent described was the worthy treasurer
of the theatre, and I suppose The Gander had purposely re-
mained silent on that point lest I should warn the gentleman
threatened, and so spoil the little plot.
I was down at Barony Street before eleven o'clock. I took
the west end, and planted M'Sweeny under shelter at the east.
It was a dark night, and scarcely any one passed me at my
lonely lurking-place. I was so suspicious of a hoax that I was
positively surprised when a gentleman appeared at the other
end of the street carrying the tin box in his hand, and whistling
away as cheerily as if there were no such thing as street robbers
in existence. He had scarcely appeared in sight when another
man turned the corner walking rapidly in his wake, and look-
ing hastily round to make sure that they were alone in the short
street.
The distance between the two rapidly diminished, and then,
looking anxiously along behind them, I had the satisfaction of
seeing M'Sweeny's head cautiously appear from his hiding-place
at the other end of the street. I had scarcely noted the fact
when the footpad was on his victim, making a dash from behind