Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-04-14

4
himself, for the inspector did not make
his threatened search that evening
Two or three days later, however, tt
Lenders secret alarm, he entered thu
1 shop. After all, he felt, it was hope
less to think of deceiying these sleuth
! hounds of the law; this detective ha6
been making inquiries, and identified
him as the man who had shared the
| hanson with the statue.
His knees trembled as he stood behind
his glass-topped counter "CoIne to
make the search, SIR" he said as cheer
fully as he could; you'll find us ready
for YOU
We'll" said Inspector BilbOW, with a
queer mixture of awkWardness and
competency, mo, not exactly. lived
die, my good fellow, circumstances have
recently assumed a shape that renders
a search unnecessary, as perhaps you
are ALVAREZ"
He looked very hard at Tweddle as he
spoke, and the hairdresser felt that this
was a crucial mOment-the detective
was still uncertain whether he had been
der's faculty of ready wit served him
better here than on past occasions.
Aware? No SIR" he said, with adj
mirable simplicity. '"Then that's why
you didn't come the other evening. /
sat up for you, sir; all night / sat up"
The fact Of the matter is, Tweddle."
said BilboW, who had become suddenly
a
myself reduced, SO to speak, to make
use of you rs q false clue, if you catch
my meaningE
Il can't say l do quite understand,
SIR
Il mean-of course, | saw with half
an eye, bless your soul-that you'd had
nothing to do with it. It wasn't likely
that poor chap like you had any
knowledge Of a big plant of that de-
scription. No, no; don't you go away
with that idea; I never associated you
with it for a single instant"'
Ppm truly glad to hear it, Mr.. In
spector," said Leander
1T was owing to the line / took up;
they were the real parties to put off
their guard, and to do that, Tweddle-I
to do that, it was necessary to appear
to suspect you. Dye see!'
81 think it was a little hard on me,
sir"' he said; ''for being suspected like
that hurts a mans feeling, sir. | did
feel wounded to have that cast up
against men
We'll, WELL" said the Inspector,
JIn4 lott DIT
on with what | was saying; my tactics
Tweddle, have been crowned with sue
cess-the famous Venus is now safe in
my hands. What do you say to that
Say? Why, what clever gentlemen
YOU detective officers are, to be sure!'I
cried Leander.
We'll, to be candid, there's not many
the job neatly; but, then, it
was Il case I'd gone into and thoroughly
got upr
THAT | am sure you must have done,
SIR agreed Leander. ''How ever did
y on come on it?' He felt a kind of
to bear the answer.
'1wedelie,' was the solemn reply,
iitet - u b't11S YOU IltiSt tolISeIb 10
leave in its native mystery" (Which
Lcand>~ undoubtedly was). I'VE in the
Criminal Investigation Department
nave Our secret channels and our under
9 "ound sou ces for obtaining infor1na-
ten. but 10 lay those channels and
sources bare to the pubic would serve
no useful end, Tor would it be an cx-
oCdient act on my part. All YOU have
my claim to be told is that, however
-oSty ard complicated, however danger
)Hs even. the means employed may
pave been Chat | say nothing about.
The ultimate end has been obtained. The
Venus, sir, will be restored to her place
IN the gallery at Wricklemarsh court
without scratch on herr
You don't shy so! Lor'." cried Lean
Ter, hoping That his countenance would
keep his secret. We'll there now!
And my ring sir, if you remcmber-isn'tI
that on her.
You mustn't expect us to do every
reason to expect it would be missing.
But | shall be talking the matter over
with Sir Peter Purbecke. who's just
continent, and. provided ahem,- YOU
won't go talking about this affair, |
should feel justified III recommending
him to make you some substantial nc
for any-well, little in-I
YOU may have been put to
Oh account of your slight connection
with the business. and the steps l may
+n f.II-
quence. And. from MI | hear of Sir
Peter, I think he would be inclined to
come down uncommonly handsome
We'll, Mr. Inspector" said Leander,
''all l can say is this: If Sir Peter was
TO know the life his statue has led me
for the past few days / think he'd say l
deserved til do. indeed
Conclusion.
The narrow passage off southampton
row is ut present without hailairesser's
Ieander having resigned
his shop long since in favor of either L
or Il Stationer.
But i'll one Of the leading West End
there is 4 large and pros
porous hair-cutting saloon. over which
the name Of 'Tweddle" glitters re
Splendent, and the books OF which would
prove too much for Matilda. even if
more domestic duties had not begun to-
claim her attention.
Leandcrs troubles are at an end.
Thanks to Sir Peter Purbecke's muniti-
cence. he has made fresh start and so
far Fortune has prospered him. The