The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-11

CAME ACROSS AND TOOK HIS BILLS. -
the rooms separating Mr.. Meals sanctum,
from the outer Office, he fancied he saw
the two veiled women leaving by side
door.
The first bank was quite close to
Liddle, Neal Il Liddle. There the cash
..ier who had dealt with Lsker tho day
before remembered nothing in paSSc-
ular about the interview. Many other
walk clerks had called during the
morning, as they did every morning, and
the only circumstances OF the visit that
he could say anything definite about were
those recorded in figures In the books.
He did not know Laker's name till Plum
mer had mentioned 1t in making inquiries
on the previous afternoon. As far rs he
could remem mber, Laker behaved much rs
usual, though really he did not notice
much; be looked chiefly at the bills. He
described Lakef in O way that CORE
sponded with the photograph that Hewitt
had borrowed from the bank-a young
man with a brown nustsche and ordinary
looking, fairly regular face, dressing
much as other clerks dressed-taH Ast,
black cutaway coat and so on. The num-
bers OF the notes handed over had already
been given to Inspector Plummer, and
these Hewitt did not trouble about.
The next bank was in Cornhill, and
here the cashier was personal friend Of
Laker's-at any rate, an acquaintance
and he remembered little more. Laker's
manner had been quite as usual, he said (;
certainly he did not seem preoccupied or
excited In his manner. lie spoke for q
moment or two--of being on the river on
Sunday, aud so on-snd left in his usual
way.
Scan you remember everything, he
said?" hewitt asked. "If you can tell
me, should like to know exactly what
he did and ssid--to the smallest particu-
lar"
'Well, he saw me at a little distance
off, was behind there, at one of the
desks--and raised his hand to me and
said; How dye do? / came across and
took his bills and dealt with them In the
usual way. He had new umbrella lying
on the counter-rathef a handsome UNI
brclla--and j made remark about the
handle. He took 1t up to show me, and
told me IL was a present he had just re-
ceived from q friend. II was gorse root
handle with two silver bands, one with
his monogram G. w. l.. i said il was
very nice handle, and asked him whether
was nut III MS on I1B
said he had been up the river, and IL was
very fine there. And think that was ALL"
''Thank you. Now about this umbrel-
Ia. Did he carry It rolled2 Can you de-
scribe 1t In detail9"
swell, Ive told you about the handle.
and the rest was much as usual, / think;
IL wasn't rolled-just Tapping loosely,
you know. IL was rather an odd-shapsd
handle, though. I'll try and sketch it il
you like, as well as l can remember" He
did so, and Hewitt saw in the result
rough indications of a gnarled crook,
with one silver band near the end, and
another, with the monogram, few
inches down the handle. Hewitt put
the sketch in his pocket and bade the
cas- hier good day.
At the next bank the story was the
same as at the first-there was nothing
remembered but the usual routine.
Hewitt and the clerk turned down q
narrow paved court and turned into Lom-
bard street for the next visit. The bank
that OF Butler, Clayton, Ladds &
Co.-wns just at the corner, at the
end OF the court, and the imposing stone
entrance porch was being made
longer and more imposing still, the
way being almost blocked by ladders
and scaffoid poles. Here there was only
the usual tale, and so on through the
whole walk. rhe cashiers knew Iaker
only by sight, and that not always very