The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-05-16

past life and his future plans. He picked
up an acquaintance with his valet, and
from him discovered that his master in
; tended to carry out his threat of going
to clearinghouse. The valet had or
ders to have his portmanteau ready,
packed with everything necessary for a
few days stay from home.
On the evening preceding the day on
which he was to see Lady Noodle at
clearinghouse, Count Ulrici drove to
Euston. Mr.. Wylie who had ascertained
beforehand the train by which he in
tended to travel, was there awaiting
him. The detective was disguised. He
was an ADEPT at that business, and now
his own mother would not have known
him. He had provided himself with q
first-class ticket to Peterborough, the
station nearest to Sir Charles Noodles
seat.
The Count came to the station unac-
companied by his servant. Mr.. Wylie
noticed that his luggage consisted of
large portmanteau only-no doubt the
one the servant spoke of, 1t was marked
on the side with tie Counts initials. "R.
u" As it was too big to be taken con-
veniently into the carriage, its owner d.
rected it to be placed in the luggage
van.
Having marked well the portmanteau
and the van into which it was put, Mr..
Wylie took his seat in the train IN a
compartment not far from the Counts.
When the train reach Willesden he got
out and went into the refreshment room.
There he remained until the train had
begun to move, when be rushed upon
the platform just too late to get in.
"Confound it I" he exclaimed, in af-
fected vexation, "Tm left behind"
Very sorry, cir" said a porter.
where are you for"
"Rottenbcrough, When ia the next
train ?"
mo other train tonight, Sir. You'll
have to wait until four tomorrow morn.
ing"
MY gracious |" exclaimed MIR. Wylie,
apparently much put out by the infor-
nation. "What on earth am l to do /?
My luggage is gone on ~
Train stops at Harrow, cir. "Ill tel
egraph there, and have it sent back by
the next train"
Thank you, wish you would. II
am to stop in town over night l must
have it,"
Every well. What is your luggage
like p
"It's large leather portmantelu and
was put into the through van for Rot
tenborough. They'll be able to distin-
gush it easily, as it has my initials upon
it,
And they are, sir p
"R. u"
The porter went off to telegraph, and
the detective returned TO the refresh
ment room.
When the next train arrived at Will
lesden the porter pointed out to him the
returned portmanteau. Sure enough il
was Count Ulrici's, Lifting it remain
where it was, Mr.. Wylie jumped into
compartment and proceeded with it to
Euston.
At Euston, Mr.. Wylie claimed the
portmanteau, and boldly putting it on
the top of hanson cab, drove to Kings
cross station on the Underground rail
way, and there he to- k ticket TO Char.
ing-cross. Carefully choosing an empty
compartment, he contrived, during the
course OF the journey, to effect change
in his disguise such that while no more
like himself than ever, he was still a
very different looking man from the one
who claimed the portmanteau at Willis.
den. When he arrived at Charing cross
it was quite dark, and there were few
people about. Taking the heavy port
manteau in his hand, he carried it him.
self from the station to his office in
Duke street.
The moment he got safely into his
private office he produced bunch of
skeleton keys and set about picking the
lock. Succeeding in this, he eagerly
searched through the articles in the bag
for the letters he waDted. To his cha
grin he could discover no trace of them.
Over and over again he search, d the
contents, but each time with the same
result. At length he paused in his work.
almost faintlng with anxiety and disap-
pointment.
another failure" he said to himself,
And worse one than before"
AS he spoke he continued aimlessly
turning over the portmanteaus con-
tents.
''What fop the fellow is ~ he ex-
claimed. why, half of his luggage is |
brushes. And now that l notice it, what
strange brushes they are What heavy
backs they have !"
The backs OF the brushes certainly
looked very thick, and when Mr.. Wylis |
examined them closely, he found that
they were even thicker than they looked |
for the hair in the centre was much |
shorter than at the sides, and the backs. |
therefore, must be deeper there. Indeed, |
they looked 30 suspicious that the de-
tective at once began to try if they did |
not open in someway or other. He soon |
discovered that they did. The top scale |
OF polished 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 bis
delight they were the very ones he was
in search of
There were two cases, each contain
ing two brushes. In the first brush he
opened there were sixteen letters from
Lady Noodle; In the second there were
fifteen. They were all in English. The
brushes in the other case had also NOV
able 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 inno-
cent character, mere commonplace n
CALCULATIONS, condolences, and inquiries
such as a friend would write to d friend.
81 don't see," said the detective to
himself, why she should be afraid OF
her husband getting these. But she said
there were over forty Of them, and there
are only about thirty here, Let me see
By Jove, have it She told me there
were only few OF them that were of a
doubtful character. 1t is just those few
that are missing. He has them in his
pocket, and I've failed again p
He sat silent and still for a moment,
dazed by this discovery; but he quickly
regained his habitual GOODNESS and de-
cision.
"Well," he said, II may as we'll 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 bad seen before, These
letters were signed simply with an "H."
and were couched in the most affection =
ate terms.
Il wonder who this H. can be ~ he !
said. "Shes evidently very much gone. ,.
On the Count and no mistake. There's a !
love- or a darling for every other
work. Here's an invitation for the 10Th;
how sweet il is. But here is one in
which she has gone farther than the H
It's signed Helena Now, l wonder 7
who Helena is D.? Hello, what's here ? 4
A letter from a man, and signed Sven :
1eleri 1.-THE OLD Jewish money lender a
and receiver of stolen goods. That at /
all events looks suspicious" :
He read the letter over carefully. :
When he had flushed It he lay back 10 I
mis- chair and drew a long breath. a
Good heavens" he said, when he had q