VINDICATING HIS HONOUR.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1628, 13 May 1903, Page 10

VINDICATING HIS HONOUR.

P. Mixley was a private watchman and a trood. all-round sort of man, too. Mixley was a man who watched, not one place, but 25 or so. The scene of his operations was in an aristocratic dwelling house district of the town. He was employed by the owners of the 25 houses —each man paying him so much. If you paid him, your house was watched—if you didn’t, it wasn’t, that’s all. Nothing happens—nothing much. Burglars a few, that’s all. But Mixley is such a gooff watchman that the burglars confine themselves entirely to the houses that Mixley doesn’t watch. “They dassent tackle my places,” says Mixley.' with a threatening shake of the head; “not by a blame sight, an’ they know it.”

But the burglars still continue at other places—Hallowell’s. Blinksop’s. J ones’s, Thomasson’s —none of these is exempt, and none of these, as luck would have it. employs Mixley. “Twice running now,” said Mr Hallowell to Mr P. Harker Jones, “those fellows have entered my place—and got a whole lot, too. The people next door have never been touched. But then. “Employ Mixley,” quietly completed Mr Jones. “Exactly. Of course, they do. We must pay the powers that rule to protect us from the powers that ?rey. And fox that reason I’m taking on . Mixley.” Mr Hallowell gasped. “Good Lord !’ he exclaimed, “do you mean ” Mr Jones laughed quietly. “Exactly,” he continued. “It’s a good trick and a safe one. Mixley is the head of the gang, the robber baron of the bandits. Pay Mixley and he keeps his hands off—that’s all. But if you don’t pay him, you’re a marked man, see!” Mr Hallowell saw. And he. figured out a little scheme „ “I’ll get rip a test case, he remarked to himself; “the outsiders vs. Mixley. and see what comes of it. One night a/fc dusk the w&tchinan uras skimming noiselessly along in overshoes when a large. Burly figure darted put or the shadow and laid its hand on Mixley s arm. Mixley "turned quick as a wink and turned his light upon the man s face. “Lord, cully,” said the man. “don t do that.* I want to see you’se. I’m a new one to you. You’re Mixley, ain’t you?” Mixley smiled and nodded. “Yep,” he replied easily; “what's up?” The other shuffled around a bit uneasily. “Sa,y, here,” he blurted out. “what’s it goin’ to cost me to do a turn here an’ there in this neighbourhood? You put up half-a-dozeu houses and I’H go whacks with you, fair and square—* better 'n the other fellows. What’ve you got that ain’t on your list?” Mixley smiled again. “Well, I don’t know,” he returned. “I like your looks, and if you’re on the square, why—. But say. see here.” he continued', “I don’t write nothing down. You keep the places in your head, see? And you whack up every time, see? If you don’t, you know what comes. I’ll be Mixley after you good an’ strong, don’t you forget.” The other nodded uneasily, but reassuringly. “I’ll play you fair.” he returned,-

! "Well, then,” said Mixley, “I’ll give i ’em to you one at a time. Take this I Hallowell place on the corner —it’s a f good haul, lots o’ stuff, and Hallowell i hissef is a great big coward. You’ll have no end of an easy time.” Circumstances favoured the burglar.. Everyone in the Hallowell house went out that night, except a servant • girl, way up in the peak of the roof. A big, i burly figure crept warily across the lawn. I He reached the basement window, and 1 there was a slight clink of metal as he pulled forth a jimmy which was so brand new that it twinkled as he used it. He , seemed to be an amateur, for he fumbled at the window for some time. “Blame these things,” he said, “I thought it would be easy work.” Finally there was a snap, and the window was raised and the man started to crawl in. At that moment a firm hand was laid on his shoulder, and he turned fearfully and hastily around. There stood Mixley with a revolver levelled at him. _ “So ho. my buck,” said Mixley,, “this is a new one o>n me.”

The man uttered an exclamation and turned incontinently to run. Mixley let him run across the lawn, and then, fired —in the air. “Don’t shoot—don’t shoot,” exclaimed the man weakly; “I won’t run away,” and he didn’t. A crowd came running up, among them a policeman. Mixley and the cop secured their man and marched him through the town down to the station. The burglar made no attempt to escape, but attempted all sorts of explanations to account for his predicament. Mixley* and the cop merely laughed at them. - “That’s all right, old man,” said Mixley, getting a good straight hold on the prisoner, “that sort of stuff don’t go down with Mixley—he’s too old a bijd,” , _ ' And, then it all came out. The big, burly ruffian abjectly removed his hat and a big wig and ‘ wiped the dirt off his face, and stood before them in his true character —as Hallowell, the unbeliever in private watchmen, the doubter of P. Mixley. Hallowell explained—he didn’t* do it very well. He cut a sorry figure. Mix. ley explained. Mixley did it well —for a reporter was present to take down all he said. Mixley felt very sore, he said, his oracular way, that any of the residents of the town should doubt him. At this juncture Hallowell mad© overtures. He employed P. Mixley as pr'vate watchman at lOdol a month. He purchased a champagne supper for the cap-' tain and the whole force. He has been treating everybody everywhere, ever cffnoe —Mixley most of all. So Hallowell s test ended satisfactorily for everyone but Hallowell. . , , The next night the residences of Blenkinsop and Thomassen were entered and robbed of some choice silverware by the same old gang. The morning after Blenkinsop and Thomassen made terms with Mixley—the one honest watchman in the town. Thereafter, they were undisturbed. And the burglaries keep on—but not among Mixley’s clientele. And Mixley he takes his left hand in liis right and shakes it surreptitiously, and winks to himself and laughs.