"Look here, Mose! I have obeyed orders and locked you, up. Now I have unlocked the door, and am going to let you out, if you choose to act as my deputy." Gladly enough, I consented and entered at once upon my duties. It would perhaps be unnecessary to say that the sheriff had a few years since contributed by his own patronage to my success as a pop-corn merchant, and had subsequently been acquainted with my theatrical struggles. In addition to this, he had heard the history of my connection with the case, and felt a kindly disposition to befriend one who had been unfairly implicated in the matter from the beginning. CHAPTER II. AS A DETECTIVE--HUNTING UP A HORSE AND BUGGY--A RUNAWAY FROM THE SHERIFF--ON THE TRACK--THE HIDDEN CORPSE--FOLLOWING THE MURDERER UP--STRUGGLE AND CAPTURE--QUICK JUSTICE--A GOOD "UTILITY" MAN--MOSQUITOES AND AN OLD STEAM-BOILER--"HOW RICH YOU BE"-- BECOMING A RUM-SELLER--WHAT IS IN THE BONE WILL OUT OF THE FLESH. As his deputy, I endeavored conscientiously to answer the good opinion of the sheriff. Suffice it, I so far succeeded, that he recommended me very strongly to Pinkerton, the celebrated detective of Chicago. At this time, Pinkerton was going to Waukegan for the purpose of arranging the means with the authorities there for breaking up a gang of counterfeiters, then flooding the whole of Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin with bogus money. After a brief interview with me, Pinkerton appointed me upon his staff, and on his return from Waukegan, left me in that city. Shortly after this, I received a telegram from my chief. It stated that a man, very gentlemanly in appearance (his description was given), had stolen a horse and buggy in Chicago. The fellow had gone northward, and Waukegan was designated as the place where he might probably fetch up. When I received the despatch I was with the sheriff, and had just handed it to him, when an individual drove up with a horse and buggy, both of which closely answered Pinkerton's description. This person was hailed with the familiarity whose command is peculiar to the functionaries of the Law, and as politely, and with even more oppressive familiarity, requested to-- "Get out!" The stranger was necessitated to obey this peremptory injunction, and requested information of its object in a blandly imperturbable manner. "You are my prisoner," curtly responded the sheriff. "For what, sir?" demanded the man. "For stealing that horse and buggy." "Good God!" was the instantaneous ejaculation. "You were never more mistaken in your life." Certainly, the rascal would have made his fortune upon the stage, his look of astonishment was so perfect, while the touch of indignation in his manner heightened this appearance on his part so admirably. The sheriff looked at me as if in doubt. I nodded my head slightly. That which the fellow was only doing as an amateur, was within my professional experience.