The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-10-30

convict you then We shall have no mercy |
on you. What is your answer"
Ronsh&w looked up sUilenly.
My ansN rr is as before, " lie said slow |
". y know nothing whatever o. the af |
fair. If 1 did, would say So AS don't |
I can't"
We left him alone, and l went to Mr..
Einccnt'S private room, where we spent
half IN hour in earnest consultation.
"My opinion, l said, sis certainly that
the youth is guilty and that he has dis
covered some method of hiding his spuils
from the scarchcrs night AFTER night"
But what method could lie possibly
use" asked Mr.. VincepG, putting his
hand to his forehead in despair Nothing
escapes the scarchers absolutely moth
ings"
Il am not 50 sure of that" I returned
slowly. "Sca-chcrs are only human after
all, ard possibly NEST simple trick has
dccoi}cd them. Is there any means by
which Ranshdw could be watched from
room ahoyc:'
"CuriaG-ly enough" replied Mr.. Vim |
c0nt, "rh"Ir happens to be Il sIylght III
room -. Perhaps you noticed it wher
you vcrc th,re: Through that skylighG
you would EHyu ample opportunity Of see
ing how hc employs himself"
Very well, ~ l said 1T is no use my
watching him now, as he will, of course,
II on his guard. In week time will
return. Mc&nwhile you will, of course,
keep your own counsc! and let no inkling
rs to my visit leak out in the place"
lie reHssurcd me heartily on this point,
and then we shook hands and parted
\ week later l took up my position
above the EGylight and watched tho young
assaycr closely.
must confess that he did nothing what
over of a suspicious nature He pursued
his work calmly and mcthodically, show
ing himself 70 b9 Il very industrious work
man.
lie had habit Or manncrism which
scanned ia mo rather strange in so young Il
man. l. might DC natural, or it might be-
affected, but every TOW and again he
would pause in his work and pass his
long, nervous hands through his bushy
auburn h%ir, as though trying to collect
his thoughts. 1t reminded me very fore
IDLY Of "a mannerism OF Henry Irving, and
! thought it possible that Rcnshaw might |
be y bis stage struck, aud had consciously
or unconsciUuSly, adopted the lnannerism
Of tho great actor
Throughout the day l staid in my IN
comfortable position, eliciting nothing. at
O'Clock the establishment closed, and 1
came down from my perch and went
straight To Mr.. Ninccnt's room.
Nh. Vincent l said, my search has |
hcon useless SO far. l am now going !
round t. Rensbaw's place Of residence,
ard / want you to give me his address and |
invent some arctoZt for keeping him here |
fU". Say. h..f an hour while l pursue my |
Investigations. -
Very we'll" hc replied promptly, and |
then ringing Il bell he told the messenger |
who answered it II det;lin Rcnshaw and |
not let him - until he had seen him. The |
messenger having departed, Mr.. Nincont |
w:'.ty the address Of the young man on Il
slip OF paper.
jumping Into = haEsOm, [ drove as fast |
as the cab would take ne to % Acacia |
Villas, EGiZran, where Rgnshaw lodged. !
Arrived there. l presented my card, and |
having sunirioutly oyerawed the landlady |
By the magic EamC of detective" | was |
ushc?ed Up into Rcnshaw's room and lett |
alone. l had, of course, cautioned the |
woman against giving him the slightest |
hint when ne came Of my visit.
Then l examined the room closely. In |
ono of the drawers 1 found Il collection of |
tradcsmen's bills, which proved clearly |
that my "birG'' had been going it for some |
time past. one Of the bills rather aston |
ishcd me, for it was for Il bottle of aniline |
hair dye.
What on earth SHOULD he want to dye |
his h@r for:" I pondcrcd--and then it |
flashed upon me like ii lightning stroke |
that kcnshaw's auburn hair had ncvor |
seemed to mo to be quite genuine But |
why shomld he desire 10 change its color?
As | Stood thinking l heard his step on
the stairs. IN Il moment l had darted be-
hind 4 screen. which fortunately happened |
Go bo standing in Il corner of the room, and |
waited for his entry.
He came in hulricily and sat down on |
tins bed. Then lie looked i'll lis water can
and found it empty.
He went to the door and called OUT |
Mrs. Martin! l wish yoi. would send up
some water at once. You know l always |
like H. have Il wash directly l get back.
Funny thing this desire for cleanl- |
ness. " I thought. y saw him wash his |
hands II !: o'clock tonight before leaving |
tho asSlyfug room. He is quite fanatic;4l |
on lie uriaot Of soap and water
- l reasoned, bat l was very soon 10
find out the cause Of Mr.. Renshaw' S desire |
for water.
UD came the servant in moment, car
ryirg with her hugo can. Ronshaw |
thanked hey, and having set the can down
lie locked the door and made preparations |
for washing.
He flied the basin and put his head I'M
dor water for about 40 seconds, slowly |
raising i; 1T the end of that time.
lie repeated the process again and again, |
to- my intense amaZcmcnt and astonish |
E2cnt. OF course there was nothing strange
in II man bathing his head, but when the |
process was gone through IL dozen times |
SUIT Use was perfectly natural
When ! look back on that night, I always |
wonder hoy: ! can have been so dull as not
to have guessed the reason OF his act then
and there. Bat = newborn Eabo could
probably have assigned the reason as we'll
Is / I v::3 san hapclossly i'll the dark.
But, Iccliu.: TINT If the secret WAS ever
to bo discovered it must he discovered
nov. / seized tic Opportunity, when Rem
slaw'S head WAS turned toward the win
dow, Of stealing out from my hiding place
behind the screen aud examining the basin
and its contents
Good heavens! In an instant the truth
flashed on mc-thc water was full of gold
dust washed from his head! Our sUs
picions had been correct, and Renshaw
WIS indeed tho thief.
was so taken back by the discovery
that l did not recollect his presence in the
room till he turned round suddenly and
uttered 4 low cry.
In Il moaent 1 had him firmly in my
grip.
Il arrest you, Mark RenShaw, - l cried,
ION Il charge OF theft. I've had Il nice
hunt TO run you down, but l reckon I've
done the trick at last
Ike turned az white as death.
Tho games up" he said hoarsely.
"But it was Il good game while it lasted
You can take me now whenever you like. "
could not help admiring his self pos
| session. l saw The reason for the hair dye
and the reason for his passing his hands
freq3ontIy through his hair The dye had
been ,.s,d 10 make his hair of similar color
to tae GOLD d"st and when he pat his
| Eanus to his head he quietly left II pinch
Of dust IL the hair. 1t WAS Il very clever
device buG it wa. played out now.-Ex-
change.
VIII She re Il bridesmaid:
They met on the street corner
.Way, Muudr, - said the girl in the
,--.,v- fgNE