The Red Cloud chief., 1886-08-20
ALMOST 4
How a Counterfeiter Was Pre-
vented from Becoming Ono.

HOW a COunterfelter :" as RE-
vented from Becoming Ono.
! shall never forget the 18th Of De-
cembcr, 1873. The streets of the great
city Of Manchester had grown de-
prcSsin"ly desolate, and a dense, black
fog prevailed all ovcr the town Be
numbcd with cold, ] found, 10 my
great joy, a cheerful fire blazing in my
room, which. thanks To my comrade.
who had retired for the night, wascon-
sidera,cly prepared for me. ! took
off my great coat and muller, drew a
chair close 10 the fender, and began
thinkin" OF the incidents of q case !
had that afternoon brought to a sue
c"s,ful issue, when, with the sudden
ness Of "A n~ight-bird'S startled scream.
l heard a pitcouS and prolonged
shrek issuing from 5rncath the un-
suffered window. | sprang to my
feet. and. gazino in the direction of
Abe sound. SAW a wild. white face. with
l"ng. di>hcvclc,i hair hanging ovcr an
ill-clad form, gc~sticulating i'm a be-
Sccchnng manner close To the iirc-lit
panc>.
This is very strange ! involun-
tarily exclaimed. land puzzles me not
a little. What can il mean"
Then striking toward the door l
a., a. I'D. .,,.,- liant sh.r. un- nn-b Ia
in" before me only the black. choking
fnw and The dead silence of the street.
Pushing back the door | turned Ia re-
enter the room. when my eyes caught
sight of a piece of white paper that lay
u,,on the wide sill of the window. This
il what it SAID:
fiyou would stop moro crime. perhaps muir
Ter. cuIn,, al once Ia No. J.; Johnson court
Am followed. Heaven saw" me ami my child
" hat shall do. Iic-cac ne, aud t,od bless
you. IIZzIE TiioRNLEf.
lie careful. Conceal yourself. Watch. Tcp
room AT back.
Thornlc,-Thornlcy. The name ap-
pcarri familiar t" me. put ont the
office lights. for the bell of ~. Peter :
had lust RUM out the hour of one. |
had decided. whatever might be the
consequences Ia my unknown visitor.
to ~o home and sleep over the matter
and then report the circumstances
To the Inspector 81 aS I" Receive
his sanction To the step before putting
my plans into execution. Late in the
forenoon of The same day | returned To
thr office and duly reported IN, cNpr-
rirncc of the previous night.
This looks like Il serious job for
you. LomaN.' SAIL Inspector Jones. rs
soon a. | had finished my report just
Turn t. the album there aul look II =
and + for a portrai. of Springer. or
.>axlc,,' or .Thorndyke.' He has done
seven wears. but has not accounted for
himself for a long time past. l. that
il? All. good. Take IL with You. and
if Won get a chance of comparing II
with the original and You find they
a"rcc. nab him. that's all. Would you
like Schoiicld with you:?'
No." | answered.
..Wcll, i'm any ease. DC quite pre-
pared To face rough WORK. for II your
man should turn out IL h. the one
suspect. look sharp l advise You
After these and other timely hints
retired To the wardrobe adjoining
ZONES room. | went i'll 4 clean
shay.n. cosd-looking man of TWEEN
ty-,cycn. and in half IN hour
a~ftrrward came out again in the char
actcr of a miidle-agcd woman. dressed
in a rather sccdy suit of black. ! mus
not forget to mention. though. that !
took with me 4 small wallet OF pins.
needles and tape. under the pretcNt OF
having these for sale. My gct-up was
perfect: looked all the world like one
who had seen better DAYS. but WAS re-
-duced now Ia a state of gcnteel pow
crty.
1t was close upon three o'clock IN
the afternoon when l sailed out of Al
bert street. and a drilling rain was
making matters most nnchrcrfnl.
had no difficulty IN finding Tomson 5
court. Proceeding along the dark and
narrow yard. i passed into No. Is I'M
seen bv anv one. The room was sit
.ua,ed at the end of a long. dark and
winding lobby. and the stencil that me
me was almost overpowering. lpauScN
= listening. but not 4 sound
did | hear. Then l knocked ut the
door. vcry feebly at first. then oude'
and louder. and vet there came no re
Spouse to me.
..SurclY l am the victim of a hoax.
/ thought To myself. The room l.
evidently tcnan,les>.
Stooping down. pecrcd through th'
kev-hcle. and. by the very dim 9
that stoue within, saw what | though
was a chair upset. l knocked agar
so as to be certain there WAS no one II
the room, and still received no answer
NJ curiosity was now aroused. ltoot
from my pocket a small ms o
skeleton kevs-l never went out win
out them-and noisciessly opened III
door. As soon rs l entered l >too'
aghast at the sight that me. my eyes
In one corner of the room. stretched
upon a heap Of straw. l saw the torn
half paEni and motion