The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-10
Prize NoveIettes-No. 8.

Lyster, as soon ns might be, made for
Messrs. Liddle, Neal a. Liddle's, that the
investigation might bo begun.
The bank premises were quite near
in Leadenhall street-Gnd, arrived |
there, Hewitt and Mr.. Lyster made |
their way TO the firms private rooms.
AS they were passing an outer waiting |
room Hewitt noticed two women. One,
the elder, in widows weeds, was sit
ting with her head bowed on her hand
over a small writing table. Her face
was not visible, but her whole attitude
was that OF person overcome with un-
bearable grief; and she sobbed quietly.
The other was young woman OF twenty
two or twenty-three. Her thick black
veil revealed no more than that her feat
ures were small and regular, and that her
face was pale and drawn. She stood with
a hand on the elder woman's shoulder,
and she quickly turned her head away as
the two men entered.
Mr.. Neal, one OF the partners, received
them in his own room. "Good morning,
Mr.. Hewitt" he said, when Dir. Lyster
introduced the detective. "ThIs Is
serious business-very. think l am
sorrier for Laker himself than for any
body else, ourselves included--or, at any
rate, / am sorrier for mis- mother. bhe is
waiting now to sec Mr.. Liddle as soon as
he arrives-Mr. Liddle has known the
family for @ long time. Miss Shaw Is
with her, too, poor girl. She is govern
ess, or something OF that sort, and i
believe she and Laker were engaged to be
married. It's all very sad"
"Inspector Plummer, i understand.
Hewitt remarked, "has the affair In hand
on behalf OF the police"
eyes" Mr.. Neal replied; "in fact, he's
here now, going though the contents OF
Laker's desk and so forth; he thinks 1t
possible Laksr may have had accompilces'
| Will you see hlm?"
presently. Inspector Plummer and
are old friends. We met last, think, In
| the case OF the Stairway cameo, some
months ago. But first, will YOU tell me
| how long Laker has been walk-clerkF
"Barely four months, although he has
been with us altogether seven years. lie
was promoted to the walk soon after the
beginning OF the year"
| "Do YOU know anything OF his habits
what he used to do in his spare time, and
so forth2"
"Not a great deal. He went in for
boating, believe, though have heard IL
whispered he had one or two more expen-
sive tastes-expensive, that is, fora young
man in his position" Mr.. Neal explained.
! with a dignified wave of the hand that
| he peculiarly affected He was stout otd
gentleman, and the gesture suited him.
"You have had no reason to suspect him
Of dishonesty before, / take it?"
ooh, no. He made a wrong return
once, believe, that went for some time
undetected, but 1t turned out after all TO
be a clerical error--a mere clerical error" :"
"Do you know anything OF his asso-
| ciates out of the Officer"
"No; now should II i believe Inspec-
tor Plummer has been making inquiries
as to that, however, OF the other clerks.
Here he is, by the bye, expect. Come
in"
1t was Plummer who had knocked,
and he came in at Mr.. Meals call. lie
was n middle-aged, small-eyed, impepe-
trable looking man, as yet OF no great
reputation in the force. Some of my
readers may remember his connection
with that case so long public mystery,
that have elsewhere fully set forth and
explained under ths title OF "The stan
way Cameo Mystery" Plummer carried
his billycock hat in one hand and few
papers in the other. He gave Hewitt good
morning, placed his hat on chair, and
spread the papers on the table.
There's not great deal here" he said,
"but one things plain-Laker has been
betting. See here, and here, and here. "
He took few letters from the bundle in
his hand-'two letters from bookmaKer
about settling (wonder he trusted clerk ,
several kilograms from tipsters, and lot
ter from some friend, only signed by in
itials, asking Laker to put sovereign on
a horse for friend with his own.' I'll
keep these, think. Ii may be worth