The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-10
CHAPTER ",

alton he's not heard OF the old man
| He was nobody by birth or blood, the son,
IN fact, OF some poor north-country folks
| thence his favorite dark when on diff
cult duty was that Of an old countrymap),
| but by dint Of triumphing over obstacles
the greatness Of which is known only to
those who engage in the perilous crusade
| against crime he bad risen step by step In
the trade until Of all the clever aud jealous
men employed there was not one who was
sooner trusted than he to graphic with these
hidden dangers which Turk 10 the corners Of
all our great cities.
The King of Scotland Yard he was called -,
the head Of the silent band of blaok-coated
soldiers. the English detectives, and, curl
ously enough, godfather Of one Of the clev-
crest culpri of the age. the notorious
housebreaker, who was nicknamed THE
Rat"
So far, Mr Ferret had been no more
lucky In the chase after his godson than the
rest Of his brethren but 1t was generally be-
lieved that sooner or later he would be sue
cessfuL His confidence in his own powers
was not so great; for there are no two classes
who better appreciate each others skill
than detectives aud their game.
Mr.. Ferret was clever man, but he
knew that the Rat was more than his match.
and In his heart rendered generous homage
to the man who brought all his plans to
naught, and went quietly on with bis crimes
as II there was no such place as Scotland
Yard, ald no such person as Andrew Fer
ret.
But to suppose that he admired the Rat
merely ecauss he had beaten him would
be to misjudge the Old mau entirely. There
was no such vanity in him. Even the most
fastidious culprits could not but feel that in
him they had to deal with a gentleman as
well as with skillful detective-not exactly
such a gentleman as the Rat, but rather
one of Natures gentlemen-wIth as kindly
a heart aud as we'll cultivated a mind as
ever existed in any man. Many a time had
an instinct Of that clear, open mind saved
the country frem q scene of horror. Many
time had the gentle reasoning OF that no.
bio heart rescued a sinner from the last step
on the short road to ruin. Mr.. Ferret's his
| tory was a curious one, but in spite OF the
! position it had won him as chic. Of the silent
| army all his interiors ackno wledged that
he had thoroughly deserved it, while, as for
those on v hom he had laid his hand, more
| than one had owned that it was no disgrace
10 be beaten by such master.
Andrew Ferret in private say in his own
chambers in WhitehalD was a well-pre-
served old gentleman, neither handsome nor
ugly, with large irregular features, clear
| blue eyes, and clean-shaven lip and chin, re-
| vealinR a mouth which at rest told his char
aoter PLEASANTLY, and In smiling gave the
rugged features a Uene violence which fully
! atoned for their lack of beauty. Certainly
| he did not look like a human bloodhound.
In public Mr.. Ferret wore coats Of many
colors. Public attention had for him more
inconvenience than charm, and he had no
desire to scare the birds from his net. To
the courage Of a soldier he added the ad-
dress Of an actor. Consequently the fact OF
young Philip Sly, who was merely a raw
recruit In the ranks in which his father had
/ anA 81 al
surprising, but rather compliment to his
chiefs capital disguise. The further mis-
| take, however, into which Sly
| had been led was none the less
| laughable. On discovering, as he
expressed 1t afterward. what q c)nsum>
mate ass he had made of himself, he stood
stock still, all the dandy gone out Of him,
his eyeglass dangling at the end OF It's cord,
his cane swsying ainlessly in his hand, the
polish OF bis boots rapidly perishing in the
slush into which he had stepped in his as.
| constituent.
Never in all his life before, and only once
after, was the dandy detectives equilibrium
so upset.
But Mr.. Ferret reused him with the rope
| tition Of the dry remark:
mo, certainly not the Rat, Mr. Sly"
sold! Sold by all that's green!" fell
from his lips, as he stared at the we'll
known face, the rustic hat, and homely oom-
forter. Then dropping his eyes he snatched
up, from puddle. the handouts, and, re-
gardless OF the mud which they smeared
upon his gloves and handkerchief, ..crushed
them into his pocket with ludicrously
tragic gesture "Jovel" he added, what q
mess have made Of it." This remark did
not only refer to his sotled gloves, though
from force OF habit he regarded them pite-
ously. "Once this story gets TO the Yard
| I'm ruined
| Mr.. Ferret had believed that the whole
affair was trick of the youngsters. whom
| he looked upon as a foolish fop, more likely
to do harm than good in the ranks, il only
by the contempt he always inspired. He
had for the moment felt annoyed, because
an expose Of him in public such as he
thought was intended might prevent him
| from assuming his pet character again. In
deed, the old fellow with his quaint speech
| and ways was well-knoYn In many parts of
| London, without so much as a suspicion as
| TO who IL was. He knew that though men
breathe more freely when a terror they
have dreaded is weeded from their midst,
yet they prefer not TO be told how the man
has been dogged and run down by his fell
low creatures. This feeling ia not too com-
mon IN MIR. Ferrets profession; indeed Often
the less the skill the greater the boasting.
The sight, however, of young Sly's conster-
nation prevented all idea of joke, and Mr..
Ferret, keenly appreciatng the ridiculous,
ness OF the affair, burst into fit OF uncon-
trollable mirtb, holding his sides and laugh
ing until the tears rolled down his cheeks
"By Jovem he gasped, wipipg his eyes
with his flaming red handkerohief-"By
Jove It's the best business I've ever heard
OF in my life. It's nearly killed me. bel
ton aud Shirley will never get over it. My
boy you'll be famous forever. Why, to
have caught and very nearly handcuffed
Andrew Ferret will bring you greater no
toriety than IL you had been lucky enough
to catch the Rat' ~,'t-rar.1T
'lt's just my luck" groaned the young
man, trying to hang his head, in spite of
the starched linen wall which he called a
collar.
Luck" repeated Mr.. Ferret, giving
fresh reins to his mirth, my boy, your
fortunes made. But tell me, where In the
world did you start your scentm
"At Houghton, last week.
"Where / called to look into the diamond
robbery. Worse and worsel The Rat was
never in it, far too bungling job for him,
my boy, saw that at a glance. And you
found me poking about in this get upn
81 knew it was DARK " put in the young
man. feebly.
And even then mistook me for the vii
lain Just as II he would have played into
your hands as have. BY jove, thought
was the one who was hbelled, but think 1t
is really he" Then with fresh burst of
laughter, "Sly, my boy, what would your
father have said 70 this btlsineysFn