Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-06-25
THE COINER'S WIFE
BY AN ENGLISH EX-DETECTTVE

BY AN ENGLISH EX-DETECTIvE.
I shall never forget the 18th OF De-
cemher, 1870. The streets of the
great city OF Manchester had grown
depressingly desolate, and dense,
black fog prevailed over all the
town.
l was hurrying, as fast as the night
would allow, from Victoria railway
station, along the then old and dingy
Deansgate, in the direction OF my Of
fee, just as the cathedral bells were
Ginning the hour OF IL.
Benumbed with cold, I found to my
great Joy a cheerful fire blazing in my
room, which, thanks to my comrade,
who had retired for the night, had
CONSIDERABLY prepared for me. took
off my great coat and muffier, drew a
chair close to the fender, and began
thinking over the Incidents OF case
had that afternoon brought to sue
cessful issue, when, with the sudden.
ness OF a startled night-bird's scream,
I heard piteous and prolonged shrek
issuing from beneath the unshuttered
window,
Isprang to my feet, and gazing in the
direction Of the sound saw sight /
shall never forget while memory holds
a seat in my brain. Avid, white face,
with long, dishevelled hair hanging
over an ill-clad form, was gesticula-
ting in u beseechins manner close to
the firelit panes.
Cool and collected as I usually am
under extraordinary circumstances,
must confess to q feeling. of terror
taking possession of my whole frame
at that instant, and I sat there root
ed to the spot. 1t was only for mo-
ment, thoueh-or, perhaps, as long as
it would take one to count ten-before
the apparition, as it seemed to be,
vanished as suddenly from my trans
fixed gaze as it had in coming upon
me with all it's CHASTITY whiteness.
"This is very STRANGE" Iinvolunta
rily exclaimed, land puzzles me not a
little. What can it mean?'
Then striding toward the door,
flung it wide open; but there was
nothing before me only the black,
choking fog and the dead silence OF the
street.
For little while I stood like one
bewildered. I strained my ears is the
anxious hope OF catching the sound
OF some ones football; but it was all
in vain-the quiet remained unbroken.
Pushing bach the door, I turned to
re-enter the room, when my eyes
caught sight OF q piece of white pa
per that lay upon the wide sill of the
"Ah." thought I, ''here, then, is the
explanation of this deep mystery!"
Itook it to the light, opened it, and
much to my astonishment found a
message OF deep anguish addressed
to me, in almost undecipherable
characters. The note was wet in
places as if with tears, and it bore
indubitable evidence OF having been
hurriedly written. This is what it
said:
If you would stop more crime, perhaps
| murder come at once to Is Tomson' 8
court. Am followed. Heaven save me
and my child! What shall I do? Rescue
US, and God bless you.
Be careful. Conceal yourself. Watch.
Top room at back.
Thornley-Thornley! The name ap-
peared familiar to me. I went to the
diary, turned to the letter T., and
found the following entry:
November "a, 1s7s-Bill Thornley,, ALA.
Springer, alias saxley, coiner-wanted.
Could this, then, be the man who
for nearly eighteen months had sue.
cessfully eluded our most vigilant pur.
suit? 1t seemed more than probable
Was the information, however, con.
tanned in that mysterious message oil
a genuine character? Or WAS it meant
to lead me into q fatal trap? The
promptings fmy heart answered me,
and that answer was: Bill Thornley,
desperate, you arein Tomson's Court,
and ] will have you my slippery beau.
ty, before another day is over.
It was very late, or rather I ought
to say, the day was young, when ]
put out my office lights; for the bell ol
OF St. Peter had just rung out the
hour OF one. I had decided, what.
| ever might be the consequences to my
unknown vislter, to 50 home and