Under ordinary circumstances I should
have at once gone to bed and slept till two or
three o'clock in the afternoon; but, on Christmas-
day, such a proceeding was not to be
thought of. So, having breakfasted, I put on
my Sunday suit, and left home with the
intention of taking a long stroll into the
country. Before setting out, I went to the
station to see if I could not induce a certain
friend to accompany me; when whom should
I meet on the platform but Mr. Choop, the
chief constable of Newstone?

Mr. Choop ia a small, wiry, active-looking
man, with a sauntering and negligent
air, as if he were in want of
something to do. Mr. Choop has a smiling
open countenance; he wears his hat very
much at the back of his head, and generally
displays an ample amount of shirt bosom;
seeming, in his quiet way, to invite the
confidence of everyone. But, tell him something
that interests him; excite him; bring him
out of the passive into the active mood,
and you will see his eyes become keen
and piercing, his features sharpen, and
his teeth glisten. He looks at such a
moment, as dangerous and full of mischief as
a tiger-cat crouching for a spring. Mr. Choop
is a distant relative of mine by marriage, and
was aware of the state of my affections. He
was in the passive mood, when I encountered
him on the platform, and looked the most
amiable and artless of men.

"How are you this morning?" he said as
we shook hands. "And how is Cary? Have
the old man and you made matters up yet?"

I shook my head disconsolately.

"Well, faint heart you know," he added,
with a smile. "What brings me down here?
Business, to be sure. The fact is,"
mysteriously taking me by the button, "there
was a daring burglary committed last night
at Ironville, and property to a large amount
was stolen. From information I received
half-an-hour ago by telegraph, I have reason.
to believe that one of the accomplices, having
in his possession a considerable part of the
stolen property, arrived here early this
morning by the mail-train. A slender young man,
fashionably dressed, light flaxen moustache;
wearing a pair of lemon-coloured kid gloves,
and carrying a small black portmanteau."

"Mr. Darke's friend, by Jupiter!"

"Eh, what do you mean?" asked Choop
sharply, with his eager ferret-look, that
changed him at once into another man.
Three minutes sufficed to put him in
possession of all I knew. Mr. Choop gave an
almost imperceptible jerk with his thumb;
and a tall ungainly-looking man, having the
appearance of a farm-labourer in his best
clothes, lounged up; and I recognised Timothy,
Mr. Choop's confidential subordinate.

Mr. Choop sent Timothy off to Number
Thirty-nine to make certain inquiries; then
went himself to the booking-office to ask
of the clerk whether he remembered to what
station Mr. Darke and his companion were
booked. The clerk booked so many passengers
by that train, that he could not
positively remember; but he thinks, through
to London. Mr. Choop then desired me to
accompany him to the telegraph office. The
eight o'clock train had hardly got half way
to London yet. By consulting a time-table,
Mr. Choop found out at what part of the
line the train ought to be; so, at his request,
I telegraphed to the station at which it would
next stop; giving a brief description of Mr.
Darke and his companion, desiring the train
to be searched on its arrival, and the individuals
in question to be detained. In a quarter
of an hour we received a reply: "The train
has been searched, but no individuals answering
to the description given by you were
in it."

"Telegraph to each station where the train
has stopped," said Mr. Choop, "till you
discover at which of them the man and
woman got out."

So I telegraphed to four stations without
success, but the fifth answered, "Yes; the
individuals you mention reached here by the
eight A.M. train."

"I'll have you yet, Jim Riley!" exclaimed
Mr. Choop, with a grim smile. "Fred,
my boy, if you want to see a bit of fun,
and like to go with Timothy and me, you
are welcome."

As the clock struck twelve, we found
ourselves at Fulwood-station Mr. Choop,
Timothy, and myself. After making a few
inquiries of the station-master, Mr. Choop
sent Timothy in one direction, while he and
I took another. Mr. Choop put cautious
questions to several individuals, but without
gaining any decisive information. Neither
was Timothy—when we met him—able to
furnish any satisfactory intelligence. Mr.
Choop considered for a few moments: "It
must be as I have suspected all along," said
he, at last. "We shall find them at the Ten
Tramps; step out, lads. Best leg foremost."

We left the village at a rapid pace, and still
keeping on the high road, got into a barren,
moorland country. Fields, hedgerows, and
trees, were gradually left behind; until, at
length, we were shut in on every side by swelling
hillocks of moor, which swept away as
far as the eye can reach, and bound the
horizon with their sinuous, graceful lines.
Following the guidance of Mr. Choop, we
quitted the high road after a time, and came
to a halt under the lee of a higher hillock
than common. Mr. Choop, taking off his
hat, clambered up the hill and took a stealthy
survey over its summit. He then beckoned
me to follow. Peeping over, I found that we
were on the summit of a ridge of country,
from which the road swept down into a
small valley, in the middle of which, and
close to the high road, stood a small square
house.