News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-04-05

2 turning over the pOrtmGnteau' s contents
| "What fop the fellow Isl" he ex
claimed. "Why. half of his luggage i,
r brushes. And nog that notice It, What
4 strange brushes they arel What heavy
backs they have!"
The backs of the brushes certainly
5 looked very thick, and when Mr.. Wvlie
t examined them closely he found that
: they were even thicker than thew
looked, for the hair in the centre was
( much shorter than at the sides, and the
backs, therefore, must he deeper there.
r Indeed, they looked sosuspicious that
the detective at once began to try if
they did not open IN some wav OF
other He soon dis<csared that they
did. The top ssale r. lsegssshed wood
ran in kind OF groove, and was easily
movable. He pulled it back, and there,
in the middle, was hollow space
crushed full of letters. Trembling
with excitement, he lifted them out and
looked at them. To his delight they
were the very ones he was in seach
of.
There were two cases, each containing
two brushes. In the first brush he
opened there were sixteen letters from
Lady Noodle; i'll the second there we're
fifteen. These were all in English,
The brushes in the other case had also
movable backs, and contained letters,
but glance at the handwriting showed
him that they were not Lady Noodles.
He glanced rapidly over the letters.
Their contents were of the most
innocent character mere commonplace
congratulations, condolences and in
quiries such as friend would write to
friend.
:" I don't see," said the detective to
himself, "why she should be afraid of
her husband getting these. But she
said there were more than forty of them,
and there are only about thirty here.
Let me see. By Jove, I have it! She
told me there were only few of them
that were of doubtful character char
acter. 1t is just those few that are
missing. He has them in his pocket
and I've failed again.
| He sat silent and still for moment.
dazed by this discovery; but he quickly
regained his habitual decision and cool
| ness.
"Well, he said, ''I may as well see
what the other letters are about
He began rapidly to read them.
They were in various handwritings, but
| most of them in one which he somehow
| or other thought he had seen before.
These letters were signed simply ''H,
and were couched in the most affection
ate terms.
81 wonder who this H can be?" he
said. 'She's evidently much gone on
the count, and no mistake. There's a
love or darling for every other word.
Here's an invitation for the 18th; how
sweet it is. But here is one in which
she has gone farther than the III It is
signed Helena. Now, I wonder who
Helena is? Hullo, what's herea A let
ter from man and signed 'Savendeleri'
the old Jewish money lender and re-
ceiver of stolen goods. That, at all
events, looks stlel.icio4ss.'' -
He read the 1oE6es% ,,vu.. ...-,f,j1~-
When he had finishlSa il he back,
IL his chair and then drew in a long
breath.
"Good heavens!' he said, when he had
recovered his composure, ''this is dis
covery. Was there ever anything so fortu-
nate? Tn off by themorning train, and
our friend will be safely in quod before
he has chance of seeing Sir Charles" {"
''But stay, he said to himself, sit isn't
quite so simple as [ thought. I must
account for how came by this paper,
which will he difficult. Besides, Tn
not sureit will be evidence against him
unless it is found in his possession. Let
me see.
He paused and reflected. Then, after
few moments, with cry of triumph,
he set to work replacing the contents of |
the bag. When everything was in ex-
cept the letter from Savendeleri and Lady |
Noodles correspondence, he selected |
about ten of the most innocent of her |
letters, and, replacing the remainder in |
the back of the brushes, locked up the |
portmanteau. Then he placed Savende-
leri's letter in one of Lady Noodles, put
them Ill his pocket. restored his disguise
to what it was when he claimed the
counts luggage, and, taking the portman-
tenn in his hand, left the office. When
he reached the Strand he called han
some and drove to Euston.
At Euston he asked for the station
master. That official was duly forth
coming.
"This I fnd," said the detective to
him, ''ls not my portmauteau after all.
thought it was at first, as it has nv
initials on the side and is about the
same size, but 1 find that my key won't
go into the lock, so it can't be mine"
'No, sir, it isn't yours" replied the
'itis Count Ulrici's. He's
been kicking up deuce of a row about
it. We've had half dozen kilograms
from Rottenborough already. I'm glad
it's recovered. What about your own,
sir?"
''That's the question. You had better
telegraph down the line about it. It
must have been put out at one of the
stations the five O'Clock train called at, |
suppose. III call and hear what news
you have tomorrow, Good night" And
the detective walked off.
Before four O'Clock the next morning
Mr.. John Wylie was at Euston, not dis
guised this time, hllt in his usual cos
tune. He took AZ ticket for the first
train for Rottenborough, where he ar
rived about eight. After swallowing a
hasty breakfast at the hotel in that in
teresting town, he obtained n cab and
drove to Darklingbourne. There he in
quired for Sir Charles Noodle. Sir
Charles at once saw him,
He explained to Sir Charles that he
was detective. He had long, he said.
been shadowing a foreigner who was
of great crime, and who, he
learned, lately, was about to trv to lew
blackmail upon Sir Charles by pretend
ing to have letters from Lady Noodle
which reflected upon her reputation.
He was anxious to have a talk with this
gentleman IN an unsupported character,
in order to try and obtain some un-
guarded statements from him. He
begged Sir Charles to allow him to re- :
present himself as Sir Charles when the
'coundreI came to the house. The
Oaronet was very adverse to such
course, but Lady Noodle, who was ,,
called IN Tor consultation, SO strongly
1t, that at last he was induced
20 consent.
About mid day Count UIrici arrived.
He sent up his card to Lady. Noodle, {
)ut she refused to see him, Then he
asked for Sir Charles. He was at one
shown to the library, where the detect
We was. The Count had never seen Sir {
Jharles, who, involved in business 7
ares, seldom went into the gay company {
lis wife so delighted in. /
The count at once proceeded to bust '
less Ill the coolest and most impudent I
manner: He had no .diffidence or hest ,
alton about stating what sort of rela-
ions he wished Sir Charles to believe
lad existed between him and Lady I
doodle. He said he had letters in her I
ndeniable handwriting to prove the |
ruth of his statements.
"Show me them" said the detectivo
The count handed over the letters,
fteT fumblincr Will, Al, ~, g., . .,,-......L