Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-17

4 Satisfactory Interview With the Doctor.
will associate someone with you" He
stretched his hand toward his bell.
Inspector Robertsl' said, with a gasp
81 should lose the reward-and honestly
believe can put my hand on Sigismund
! Hannay in 48 hours"
The Inspector paused. "It's great re.
sponsibility, Sergeant Dryland," said he,
ga great responsibility. I'm an Inspector
of police, but 1 feel for you-don't disap.
point me-" he said. AS he spoke he raised
the lid OF his desk, and without word he
placed in my hands pair of light steel
handouts.
"On nv own responsibility, he said, 81
give you go hours leave, Sergeant Dryland.
Don't, don't dissapoint me-" I thanked
him, and putting the handouts in my
pocket, left his Office.
As walked down the stairs felt that
the Inspector had trusted me. and that l
must not abuse his confidence. Unless sue
ceeded in clapping those neat handouts of
his on Sigismund Hannay. never could
hold up my head again. The die was cast,
and had staked my all upon the throw.
1 reconnoitered Selby House; it was in
Chelsea high wall-nothing remarkable
door was a very small plate, Mr..
Blank, the proprietor's name. Another
smaller door at the side Of the house with a
bell-handle and the old-fashioned bell in an
iron cage, as was once common in big
suburban houses; on this door was written
in staring white letters, Servants en-
trance" In the door was small grating
with an inner shutter. l rang the bell; the
shutter opened; I saw the face of an old
man. "Can see Mr.. Stewart, an attendant
here?"
"What's your business?'
"Merely friendly call; name ofDryland,
please"
"Ill see."
the shutter closed with snap. waited
patiently five minutes, ten minutes; as /
raised my hand, nv patience being ex-
hausted, to ring the bell a second time, the
door noiselessly and suddenly opened, and
Stewart, bareheaded. stood before me.
Nothing wrong, I hope" said he, hold
ing the handle of the door in his hand;
nothing wrong, I hope?"
"No, nothing with them at Hoxton-
nothing. Can you give me a few
minutes?"
''step inside" said he. SCI can't leave
the house; I'm on duty"
Nothing could have happened more op.
portunely if had planned it; Stewart had
evidently no suspicion of me.
"Take seat" said he, pointing to a
bench Just inside the door. We were in a
small tagged courtyard, half of which was
covered with a roof Of corrugated iron;
three sides a dead wall evidently the back
of Shelby House; two windows only on the
ground floor. These were heavily barred as
is usual with the basement windows of large
houses; they were evidently the kitchens.
The smell of cooking came from the half
opened windows; the hustle of active work,
and the elatter of crockery could be heard.
busy place, said 1.
"Boarders' dinner, said he.
"You feed them well" said I, as a most
appetizing display was carefully arranged
on small tray by kitchen maid. Plated
entree dish, two vegetables, roll and butter
and a pint bottle of claret.
"Winker's luneh," he said. 81 must
take it up. Wait for me-"
1 nodded, and composed myself comforta-
bly, on the bench. Just as Stewart was
about to enter the kitchen door, a suriv-
looking young man, with the appearance of
a gentleman's servant, and carrying car
pet-bag, entered the courtyard, followed by
an old man in a striped jacket-the
old man who had asked nv business
at the grating in the door; he was about to
open the outer door; he held bunch of
keys-doubtless the hall porter.
fGoing, Randali?" said Stewart, turning
to the surly-looking young man.
eyes, Mr.. Stewart, I'm of, and glad of
it."
'Better luck next time, Randall, !" said
Stewart hurrying in; "g0odby."
They nodded, and the surly-looking
young man and his carpet bag disappeared
into the street.
The porter looked at his watch and gave
yawn, then he shifted the balmy odors of
the kitchen, sat down by me and gave a
sigh. Friend OF Stewart's?" said he.
I'm our line2" he added, looking me
over.
''No such luck" replied; "they didn't
feed us in my late business"
"What was that?" said he, carelessly.
"Police," said l.
"Le,t it long?" said he.
'Hrhis very morning; an hour ago.
"Um,' grunted the porter, stretching his
legs, she was in it-Randall was, before he
came to US.
"WhatI the young chap just gone out?"
Eyes, bad-tempered chap; couldn't keep
his temper with the boarders-sack," he
said, laconically.
whats the screw?" said I.
''Varies," said he. "a pound to begin
ners, and found three square meals day:
but we only recruit steady men,
81 suppose SO, said 1.
Here we subsidized into meditation. How
was to see the man Hoffmann?" was az
far from my goal as ever. Hoffman,. alias
'the Winker," might be really lunatic.
or he might not be Hannay. A sight of him
would be enough for me; but how to get a
sight Of him? Why had 1 told the porter
that had left the police that morning?
Because hoped to replace Randall, if only
for few hours, and so to see, if but for an
instant, the man called Hoffman,. Doubt
less i'll suggested my being engaged at
Selby House they would be suspicious; the
suggestion must come from them. From
the porter-why not? or from Stewart2
This had been my course of reasoning; there
was no other way of getting sight OF Hoff.
w.anu he MAYA Horun- he