ad just the man for the place, in Mr. Roch, who could follow a person
for any length of time, and never be discovered.

Having settled on Roch as the proper man for the position, I summoned
him to my private office. Roch was a German. He was about forty-five
years old, of spare appearance and rather sallow or tanned complexion.
His nose was long, thin and peaked, eyes clear but heavy looking, and
hair dark. He was slightly bald, and though he stooped a little, was
five feet ten inches in height. He had been in my employ for many years,
and I knew him thoroughly, and could trust him.

I informed him of the duties he was to perform, and gave him minute
instructions how he was to act. He was to keep out of sight as much as
possible in Montgomery. Porter would manage to see him on his arrival,
unknown to any one there, and would point out to him Maroney and his
wife, and the messenger, Chase, who boarded at the Exchange; also
Patterson, the saloon keeper, and all suspected parties. He was not to
make himself known to Floyd, of the Exchange, or to McGibony, the local
detective. I had also given Porter similar instructions. I suggested to
him the propriety of lodging at some low boarding house where liquor was
sold.

He was to keep me fully posted by letter of the movements of all
suspected parties, and if any of them left town to follow them and
immediately inform me by telegraph who they were and where they were
going, so that I could fill his place in Montgomery.

Having given him his instructions, I selected for his disguise a German
dress. This I readily procured from my extensive wardrobe, which I keep
well supplied by frequent attendance at sales of old articles.

When he had rigged himself up in his long German coat, his German cap
with the peak behind, and a most approved pair of emigrant boots, he
presented himself to me with his long German pipe in his mouth, and I
must say I was much pleased with his disguise, in which his own mother
would not have recognized him. He was as fine a specimen of a Dutchman
as could be found.

Having thoroughly impressed on his mind the importance of the case and
my determination to win the esteem of the company by ferreting out the
thief, if possible, I started him for Montgomery, where he arrived in
due time.

At the date agreed upon I went to New York to meet the General
Superintendent. I had never met the gentlemen of the company and I was a
little puzzled how to act with