Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-29

by seizing the letter, tearing il open. and tau
ing 1t 10 the window to read. As she read.
her pretty face was puckered up into all kinds
Of puzzled wrinkles.
II can make nothing of it," she said at last,
handing me the dead letter.
1t was dated the 10th OF June the day after
the robbery, but bore no address and no sig
nature.
RESPECTED friend-Have litel Job lot of
calicer prints, ten thowsand yards or so, sew
table for furren market. I'll come over and
see on the furst, and mind We have the sinners
reddy. Ovid place, at leven / { morning"
yem' cried Kate when j had finished
reading no light coming to me i'm the process,
was stolen with the notess''
Yes; there certainly were few. and
stamped with my name and address on the
sea-
Then that letter is from the thief. and the
ten thousand yards of calico are the notes. and
he is going 10 meet somebody on the first, that
Is tomorrow, to get rid of them"
There was no doubt that Kate was right and
l rose and Rugged her on the spot at the JOY of
her discovery, But, after all, when the first
burst OF delight was over how were we the
better for the letter? The postmark was Mid
dleton: there was nothing in the letter itself to
give any clue TO the writer. But il we could
find out the person TO whom it was addressed
and Keep watch on him. The post Office
people had not been able to find him: but al
though Sam White might have no definite adj
dress. there was no doubt that he was still in
existence. His advertisements appeared in
the papers constantly, although the crusade of
the police against betting men compelled him
to keep out of the way. My former experience
stood me in good stead. found out man
an occasional tout who knew all about him.
Sam White!' said the man. "why he's
going TO be welded this blessed morning"
He went on to inform me that White was
about TO marry young woman with a lot of
money: that he was going to retire from vu-
gar turf business altogether. and for the future
bet only with the aristocracysand at latter
SallS. lie was going away to Paris for his
wedding trip, and few of his friends We're
going to the station presently to see him off,
and give him parting cheer. Making myself
out 10 De III the category of sam Whites
friends, got permission to join the party. and
soon after noon the bride and bridegroom
made their appearance at the station and
were chased into a first-claSs carriage by the
waiting crowd of admirers, who hOwled and
cheered in the most rOwdy fashion.
The captain did not seem Over-peaSed with
the attentions of his friends, and the bride
was decidedly frightened. She was a very
pleasant looking, pretty young woman by the
way, and in form and features reminded me
a good deal of Kate. The opportunity was
not 10 be lost. and jumping upon the carriage
step, | thrust the dead letter before, and tell
ing him that ii was a matter of life and death.
begged him to say what he knew about the
writer.
He snatched the letter from my hands.
crumpled it up. and flung il out of the win
dow, bidding me BECOME for an impudent raS
cal.
The train moved off amid a salvo of cheers
from White admirers, and j picked up the
letter somewhat crestfallen and disconnected.
My TREND, the tout, sided up 10 me again.
Cut UP rather rough with YOU did Sam, sir?
Set beggar on horseback, you know? Was it
money you wanted of him?"
AS forlOrn hope sho we'd the man the let
ter, and asked him if he could make any guess
as to the writer, adding tn 1t it might be five or
ten pounds in his pocket if he could find out.
Inc mans facn frightened; and his whole
aspect change. Il don't know the hand
writing, myself, but give me three hours and
I'll find out all about it,
We made an appointment to meet at my Of
nee, and punctual TO the time the man ap-
peared. He had found out that Sam White
was i'm the habit of meeting some old fellow
not connected with the turf, on secret bust
ness at the Three Pigeons, u public house in
one OF the lowest quarters OF the town, fire.
quented by thieves and other diSagreeable
characters. The landlord of the inn, one
Grlnr0d, retired prize fighter was a fierce
and dangerous fellew, and my friendly tout
confessed that misunderstanding about
disputed debt had made him afraid to venture
near the place and he could gather no further
The whole day passed away, and nothing
more could he done. Kate looked despair
ingly at me as told her what had passed.
captain White had gone out of our ken, and
out OF English jurisdiction altogether: his cor
respondent was still a mysterious nothing
The clue that had been SO marvelously re-
Nealed To us. all came TO nOught. 1t was
enough to make us despair.
CHAPTER III.-THE THREE PIGEONS
There was dinner party at my uncle's that
nlght-a very grand one. L never saw uncle
ter spirits, and yet three days at the most
would see him ruined man. Among the
guests was Major Smith, the Chief Constable
of the town, a bachelor and bon yiyant who
was still rather ladies' man, and not averse
to making himself agreeable TO Kate. He took
her down to dinner. and kept a watchful eye
upon them. A great epergne of flowers was
general clatter ] could hear what they
, Were saying. He was very fond Of
taking anS about out the great people he knew,
lsh about his dear old friend and COM
rade, Lord --, when Kate brought him
down to the common level by the question
S Spra Ny, Major Smith, do you know Captain
winter cried the Major, rather nettled at
being cut short, white. of what regiment?"
oh, l don't know that, but he lately lived at
The Majors eyes at once assumed the keen
twinkle of the Chief of Police.
rnd Have AVE- You been Plnnging into the betting
fellow He has the character too. of being a
That was all could hear for the tide of con-
xeIsa!lon rose once more, and drowned all
individual voices.
! did not enjoy my dinner that evening. 1
felt that We were on the verge of a prscipice
Smith might soon have the task of hauling us
on to prison, on charge of fraudulent con-
cealment of property. What would become of
my aunt-mOSt good natured and helpless of
w0menIand of Kate? The thought was un-
endurable.
After the guests were gone, Kate and had
a long and serious consultation together II
the next day passed over our heads without
bringing something to light. farewell to hope
altogether. 1t was hardly likely, indeed, that
the unknown criminal would keep the ap
pointment he had made, as he had received no
reply to his letter. STILL there was the chance
that he would.
Would it be possible to get somebody to rep
resent Sam White, and keep the appointment
ON his behalf? That was out of the question.
White was too We'll known. Then, although
we assumed that the Three Pigeons was the
"Old place" mentioned i'm the dead letter, yet
we were just as likely to be wrong altogether
Then Hates face lighted up, and saw that
You say that the bride of Captain White
was good deal like me. Well, why should
not make believe to be Mrs. Sam White and
go to keep the appointment on his behalf?"
l had great many objections to urge to
such plan, but one by one Kate Overruled
them: But persuaded her to make this addi-
ton to her scheme, that should accompany
her in the guise Of her husbands clerk, or sec
rotary: Finally, We made an appointment to
meet at ten o'clock the following morning, and