Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-11-26
THE EARL'S DOUBLE.

Y
criminal investigator you've GOT to show
you re fit fer lido something out of the
coululur maze u smart capture or follow
mn some blind elew.
But one day l was sent for by the big
boss at the Yard.
.Flycove." says he to me quite quietly,
screwng glass in one eye and fixing me
with 1t rs II It was a gimlet, II hear
vou re smart young chap and that you
want to come to headquarters
got rather red and felt like fool. but
I stammered out something like Yes. -
$50 you shall, he went on sharply,
"when you've earned IT. Now, tell mo
how much do you know about your dis
trict and the swell people In it -
said knew my way about hit and
bad seen something of the blokes and
Johnnies, but that my game had been
mostly the chaps on the cross.
Have you ever seen Lord Stutterton,
who lives in Plantagenet squareY Would
you know him AGAIN."
Now there / was In luck The old swell
had been shown to me the first time by u
friendly cabby, and again by pals who had
been ON beat through the square. He was
always dressed up to the knocker, but in
CDJlIit3it olo Aushitltu way. snort, IgHU
brown cutaway Newmarket and brass
buttons, buff waistcoat, white spats and
a low crowned hat. Looked like sports
man, with a chin tuft over his blue belcher
tie, and AS often AS not wisp of straw in
his mouth.
told tho chief all this, and he seemed
pleased.
We'll, you got to shadow him, mark
E,r -, ~, Ill
about and see him home again
That isnt all. He's IL BIT peculiar
You understand Hos-he's'-
"Dotty. Is Tint it, sirs
Exactly, and the way he shows it Is
likely to get linn into mischief, He
doesn't always remcmlcr what's his and
what isn't -
"prigs, In short, sir
You've hit il, Flycove. ard some day
he'll lie getting run In Ey those who don't
know his little Ways There Il be scan
Dial or worse, and that's why want you
10 keep your eye IN him.
The long and short If it was that the
old lord was In the habit Of going to all
the west end salps aid lifting what be
could - jewelers. and silyersmiths for
choice.
1t was my business to watch him
through tAe plate glass, and he ready, II
there was any trouble to 80 in and ex-
plain.
but tiass YOU, the shop people didn't
mind. They liked it 1t suited their
book, for they lost nothing
! hey sent in their bills and either got
the things back with n big fine or sold the
goods ut their own price
The old pe.r had a confidential valet
who emptied his pockets every evening,
compared the things with the invoices and
cleared up the " hole IN Il regular business
Ike way
Ny lord starts Ell along liccadilly, look
ing into all tie shop windows Us he goes
then up Bond street, across Conduit street.
down Regent street and home by Waterloo
place,
He'd done right well--made II big haul
You could SEE that in his face.
But one day there was IL bit Of u fuss
The chief sent for men, and rs much rs
said WASH doing my duty.
1t appeared that the family had COM
plained-my lords daughter, l believe,
who lived with him
The complaint was That the bills SCI
from the shops diGn tally with what was
found i'll tho Old chaps pockets.
My young lady had been smart enough
to find this out, and she suspected the
valet So did |.
Only the young lady insisted one fine
morning on comparing tho goods with in
voices herself and abe had found they
didn't agree
The shops were all straight spoken and
fair They could swear to the goods that
had gone and who'd taken them.
So put watch on the valet l soon
got my chance / was free enough Of an
evening, you know, for my lord played
his game hy daylight, generally during
his afternoon walk.
One night about 8 the valet comes lop-
ing up the area steps, looks around slyly,
doesn t see me, and give chase.
He makes straight for the circus, through
Cockspur street to Seven Dials, and stops
short opposite II rag and bone shop.
1t was IA fence's-a receiver's-w"ll
known to the force, although we nv r
could lay hands upon the cid man as k-Ft
it. l called up the constable on the beat,
meaning to run in the whole blooming
lot But Iow-who should come grinning
round the corner at this moment but my
lord himself.
He goes straight up to his valet, slaps
him on tho back and says
"W hat cheer, old paE Here l am with
a fine haul Seven tickers, two sets OF
sparklers and rings.
Then looked at him again more close
ly, and seemed to see "A difference.
1t wasn't his lordship at all, only S
double, and u monstrous good double too.
We run 'em in-sham lord, real valet,
the fence and all-and soon got on the IN
side track OF the whole game.
1t was the valet who planned it, and
as he had my lords cast OF clothes he
had more than enough to disguise his i'hi.
The rest of the game was easy as soon
as the real lord was safe home With his
takings and was out of the way. ne
sham chap started off on the second round,
but q different road, and swlped all hs
could. Daily News.
Higher Than Kite.