The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-02-13

about" said Mr.. Mortimer, with an uneas,
laugh.
sits In connection with the alleged robbery
OF jewels at your house." said Mr. Gimblett
with startling abruptness, looking hin
straight In the face. .#
Mr.. Mortimer dropped his eyes to the car
pet before the detective's gaze, either from
sudden nervousness or from constitutions
inability to meet direct glance He pu
his hand In his trouser-pockets, and, looking
Mt the tops Of his boots, merely nodded.
THE fact is, there Is q young person whit
7sed to be in your service who seemed to b,
unjustly suspected by the police-or some
body" said MIR. Gimblett In his most incisive
tones "She Is being watched and incon
venienced, though she isn't the guilty party.
"You msan the girl Martha-Martha
Chale, suppose" hastily added Mr.. Morti
mr. @Well, don't suspect her. My wife
sent her away. think II was devilish hard
| lines!"
IS, it t. In fact it's persecution, and
must be put stop to"
III isn't my fault" said Mr. Mortimer
sul< ly. Il can't do anything in the matter.
"You will have to, SIR, or else"
-. else what, siri What the deuce d.
You meanP cried Mr.. Mortimer, blazing up.
I" clt Aliss 1uhic uOH you any
malice Tut she does happen TO rscollect your
starting OF Oh journey with a small wallis,
on the evening o. the 9TH Of july" said Mr..
Gimblett significantly. at might bs de-
sirabls TO inve stigate that littls trip You
were supposed to have gone to Birminsh I'm
On business, ut"
The ex-detective's remarks were inter-
rup Ell by Mr.. Mortim.r suddenly turning
rkunl md making Inn ratti N .
in the empty CRATE with the poker. appa-
renty oblivious of the fact that there wa,
no fire. But ero he etfe 1t 81 this tran spareit
man .uver Mr.. Gimblett had remarked the
guilty glow which had sl:fuss his brow.
at wouldn't do OF course, for Mrs. Nor.
tim,r to suspect" resumed Mr.. Gimblett
qui.tly, as soon a. he coul make himself
hearI again.
No. No. Conn, out with it. Lot us have
no beating about the bush. What il IL you
wantP inquired Mr.. Mortimer. dropping the
po.er and fidgeting about the mantel shelf.
"Only a letter to the police-inspsctor, that
can deliver" said Mr.. Gimblett, readily.
3Nothing more than that"
Mr.. Mortimer hurriedly seated himself at
the nearest table and took up pen.
what shall sayf" he inquired.
"Only that you have reason to know that
Martha Chale Is innocent Of the robbery,
and request that the police will CEASE to an
noy her." said Mr.. Gimblett, glibly.
Reason to believe-not know" said Mr..
Mortimer, commencing to write
Know" repeated Mr.. Gimblett, emphati-
cal;y.
"D-n it, then, have 1t your own way"
exclaim cd Mr.. Mortimer, as he rapidly
dashed off the note. ~What shall say,
though, TO the police, IL they ask me what
meant" he added, looking up.
"They WON'T sir. I'll manage that" said
Mr.. Gimblett
"And my wife needn't know anything
about this, / suppose" he continued.
Which, siri Ohi you mean the note to
the police. No, sir; certainly not" said
Mr.. Gimblett
"very well There you are thsn," said
Mr.. Mortimer, fiinging the sheet Of paper
across the table.
ats rather a delicate job, sir; may re.
quirs little oiling," said Mr.. Gimblett,
coughing behind his hand
"How muchf' demanded Mr.. Mortimer,
after an uneasy pause.
swell, perhaps-perhaps tenner."
Mr.. Mortimer's only answer Was to hand
Mr.. Gimblett a bank-note rather tremu-
lousy. and, with this, the interview ended.
Mr.. Gimblett bowed politely and took up his
hat, while Mr.. Mortimer opened the door to
him, looking particularly sheepish and crest
fallen.
Mr.. Gimblett chuckled to himself when he
got outside, and proceeded in the direction
Of Scotland yard, having first securely
slowed the 10 pound sterling note. Whether
the "oiling" process extended beyond Mr..
Gimblett himself Is by no means clear. Suf-
fee 1t to say that five minutes cha, with the
inspector having charge Of Mr.. Mortimer's
case, the production of the letter, and q few
nudges and winks exchanged over friendly
glass, seemed all that was necessary to show
how the land lay. From that day forward
Martha Chale ceased TO be a suspected per-
son, even as matter Of form, and the mys-
terry Of the robbery was considered to DO
solved In manner not altogether uncom-
mon.
Mr. Gimblett was gallant enough to pay
Martha Chale q visit at her mothers humble
abode to report what be had done, and re-
ceived the young woman's thanks, which
were rendered without the least enthusiasm,
rather to his disappointment The ex-de-
tective evinced an inclination to follow up
the acquaintance thus suspiciously com
-
when he happened to be passing soon after
ward. But on the latter occasion Martha's
manner was so abrupt and inhosp;table that
he did not care TO repeat the experiment,
though he was surprised how very mil lily he
resented her treatment Of him.
Shortly after this Mr. Gimblett ha l to 60
over TO Paris on business missing persons
traced" was one Of the announcem ants upon
his professional prospectus, and this branch
afforded him plenty Of employment The
supposed elopement Of a publican's wife with
q sprightly grocer's assistant was the cause
Of his visit to the French capital on this oc-
casion, and in course Of his inquiries in
connection with this thrilling case he picked
up little piece OF Information which re-
called Martha Chale wildly to his recollec-
tion. Perhaps IL the truth were known her
image suggested itself to his Imagination
rather frequently, for there Is no denying
that for the first time In his life Mr.. Gimblett
found the gayeties OF Paris decidedly de-
pressing, and was constantly detecting
fanciei ressmblances between casual passers-
by and certain young woman who had i'm
pressed him SO much with her clevernesl
But the trifiny discovery he made In Paris
suggested an uncomfortable suspicion as to
whether Martha Chale's cleverness had not
been rather too much for him. In other
words, he began TO have o disgusting idea
that the young woman had m lde cats
paw OF him; and, what was worse, he learned
TO doubt whether she was really as innocent
of the disappearance Of Mrs Mortimer's
jewels as she had pretended. Up,n his re-
turn to England Mr.. Gimblett made some
inquiries which resulted In his payin, Miss
Martha another visit in q frame Ut mind
which wavered between furious Indignation
and bitter disappointment His perturba-
ton was increased by a strange Ion ying that
he might after all have wronged her, and
this charitable sentiment came uppermost
when he mat her face TO face.
aMiss Chals,n hs said, as soon as he got an
OF speaking to her alone, you
remember the story you told me about Mr..
Mortimer"
YES; do" was her calm reply.
1You declared you had seen In the valiss
he took away with him the jewels that were
supposed to BE- stolen proceeded Mr. Gin
blett.
II know did; but it wasn't true, returned
Martha, returning Mr.. Gimblett's gaze al
most de6antly.
II know It wasn't true retortsi the ex-
unable to conceal his resentmentl
Il have discovered the mystery about Mr..
Mortimer's little trip have had an inter.
view with the lady
3You seem TO have taken good deal Of
trouble" said Martha, quite
tArtly. could have told you all about his
goings on"
swell, you made . fool Of me. any howl"
exclaimed the inspector, more crestfallen
than angry. you might have gone to Mr..
II yourself, but neither you nor he would