The Sunday herald., 1886-10-31

"After quite long talk said: DO you
happen to know where can buy any valu-
able old pictures or chinai'
sLor', no, sir said the man in unmis-
taxable astonishment.
"'0h, well,' said, excuse me, but |
thought | saw well-known picture dealer
in your shop Just before entered
"'What, that mani p he exclaimed; Il
don't know what he is, but do know he
ordered the funniest hat ever heard Of
Indeed, said |; what was II likef'
WE'LL was the answer, IT'S to he an
inch higher than the ordinary and be
double. First of all, there's TO be a hat
shaped this way
"And he drew OH piece Of paper the
| figure Of hat"
"'Now,' said he, lin that there is to be
the entire hat, which Is TO ft the broadest
part, and have round tho bottom, next the
brlm, the hatband; so that there is TO be a
space Of three .fourths Of its height, and
the outside Is 10 be movable so that he can
take II of aud put IL on as he dasires.'
| "'What is the object of itY I asked.
| "'Thats none Of my business, he replied;
She pays good price for II and that's all |
care about
"I went away, thinking about the new
fashioned hat. What did IL meauf II
Stanley had got possession Of the picture II
was worth small fortune to him. But IL
would be pretty hard thing for him to dis
pose Of It, even In London, without ultimate
| detection.
.'f went toward Argyle Square and mused
as went. The hat was to be done the next
day at O p. NJ; SO Stanley was safe,
thought, until that time. The picture was
tbirty-six inches by twenty-five. | went down
with Holborn aud bought piece of artists
canvas that size. took IL home, folded II,
and found that IL would Just about NJ irto
the spaoe.which was to be left between the
false inside and the outside of Mr.. Stanley y
new hat. Il have got you, my gentleman,
said TO myself.
swell, 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 . o'clock. Then he was dressed
for travelling, attired In scrupulous clerical
garb, and wearing tho new hat. | was now
dressed as an ordinary gentleman, but SO
done up as to defy detection. | had n cab
waiting at hand, aud when he got into his
cab aud drove to London Bridge Station |
followed. He was of for the Continent, |
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 aud ordered breakfast. Stanley 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 ms II meant to dc
anything, and yet hardly knew how ia
go about it. have always been accustomed
to watclf for opportunities aud to use cir.
cumstauoes as they occur. | had great luck
In such matters before and 1t did not fail me
nov. A gentleman, whose hat and coat
were hanging next TO Stanl-y's, in 10
moving them, knocked down Stanley 8 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 TIL.
outside. Mr.. Stanley rose hastily, took TIL.
hat from my hand, rubbed with his sleeve
and replaced it on the peg. Then Ii,
thanked me for lifting it from the floor.
looked him squarein the face and said:
"'Mr. Stanley, that's not the same ha
you wore when met you recently at tn,
Duke of IS
"He turned deadly pale and gasped fol
breath. saw had my man.
Come said l, there need be no trouble
Give me the Claude Lorraine you have con
cealed in that hat
'IIe sat down aud looked steadily at III,
for fully half a minute.
Il know you now,' at length he said
Il will give you the picture
"Te took down the hat, removed the out
side, and there was the Claude Lorraine.
eve went back to London by the sam
train. ."-7id. Bits.