Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-29
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do you happen to know where | can
buy any valuable old pictures or chinaY'
"LOr' no sir. - said the man in unmis-
taxable 6stonishmcnt.
"Oh. we'll | said. excuse ME, but /
thought | saw IA well known picture
deale- in your shop just before entered"
What, that man. he exclaimed; Il
don't know what he is, but do know he
ordered the funniest hat ever heard Of
Indeed " said l. what was it like''
We'll. " was the answer, its to be an
inch higher than the ordinary and be
double First Of all, there's to be a hat
shaped this way
And he drew on a piece of paper the
figure of "a hat.
Nov" said he. lin that there is TO be
the entire hat, which is to fit the broadest
part, and have round the bottom next
the brim, the hat band: so that there is
to be n space Of three fOurths of its
height and tie outside is TO be movable
so that he car take it off and put it on as
he desires.
What is the object of it," asked.
That's none of my business" he re-
piled; he pays good price for it and
that : all | care about"
went away, thinking about the new
fashioned hat. What did it mean' II
Stanley had got possession of the picture
il was worth a small fortune TO him.
But it would he n pretty hard thing for
him TO dispose of il, even in London,
without ultimate detection.
went towardArgyle square and mused
as | went. The hat was to be done next
I day at p. M; SO Stanley was safe,
| thought, until that time The picture
was thirty six inches by twenty two |
went down with Holborn and bought a
! piece of artists canvas that size. l took
( it home. folded it, and found that it
would just about fit into the space which
was To be left between the false inside
and the outside of Mr.. Stanley new hat.
Il have got you, my gentleman" / said
/ to myself.
Well, to make long story short, the
! hat went home at the time agreed upon,
and Mr.. Stanley did not leave the house
until next morning at 8 o'clock. Then
/ he was dressed for travelling, attired in
! scrupulOus clerical garb and wearing the
new hat. | was now dressed as an or
iinary gentleman, hut so done up rs to
defy detection. | had a cab waiting at
| hand, and when he got into his cab and
drove TO London Bridge station l fol
lowed. lie was off for the continent, l
felt that; going to Paris to get rid Of
the swag. When we reached the Crown
| hotel at Dover. both of us went into the
coffee room and ordered breakfast. Stan
ley hung up his Overcoat and his new hat
above it. We both ate a hearty meal, as
the boat did not start for Calais for two
! hours. The time was growing short for
! me if | meant to do anything, and yet
,rII hnNt- 70 nhn1,t I hoUa
| always been accustomed to watch for op-
portunities and 10 use circumstances as
they occur. | had great luck in such
matters before and it did not fail me now.
A gentleman whose hat and coat were
hanging next to Stanley's in removing
them knocked down Stanley's hat.
picked it up instantly, and with one
hand inside and the other out, had an
opportunity TO feel it. Ii was heavy, and
there was something between the false
inside and the outside. Mr.. Stanley rose
hastily, took the hat from my hand,
rubbed it with his sleeve. and replaced il
on the peg Then he thanked me for
lifting it from the floor. | looked him
square in the face and said:
"Mr. Stanley, that's not the same hat
you wore when met you recently at the
duke of -
He turned deadly pale and gasped fol
breath. ] saw had my man.
Come, said !. there need be nc
trouble Give me the Claude Lorraine
you have concealed in that hat
He sat down and looked steadily at me
for fully half minute
Il know you now" at length he said
II will give you the picture"
He took down the hat, removed the out
side, and there was the Claude Lorraine
We went back to London by the samt
train.-Tid Bits.