Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-01-16
"Al right What are you afraid of?
You are not the thief, are youF''

nocent, let them 60 through you." Then
with n light laugh no turned to the glass
and began arranging his cravat. His
friend looked at him moment with an
expression which no one but Mr.. Barnes
understood. The detective had recog-
nized by their voices that it was Bob
who ha 4 made the wager TO commit
crime, and it was plain that his friend
already suspected him. His fright was
/ occasioned by the thought that perhaps
Bob had stolen the jewels during the
night and then secreted them in his
clothing, where if found the suspicion
would not be ON Bob
Mr.. Barnes was amused as he saw the
young man actually searching himself
In few minutes, with sigh Of in
tense relief, having evidently discovered
nothing foreign in his pockets, he turned
10 the conductor who stood waiting aud
expectant.
"Mr. Conductor, he began, Il fear
that my conduct has seemed suspicious.
can't explain, but nevertheless am
perfectly willing to have you make o
search Indeed l am anxious that it
should be thorough one. >" The exam
| ination was made, and, as with the
/ others, nothing was found.
Here is my card. l am Arthur Ran
dolph, of the firm Of J. Q. R.a6 h s.
4 Son, bankers. F." Mr.. Randolph 9d
trifle more erect as he said this, q ! the
/ poor conductor felt that he had done
him a grievous wrong. Mr.. Randolph
/ continued: "This is my friend, Robert
Leroy Mitchell will vouch for him. "
At the name Mitchell Mr.. Barnes was
trifle startled. 1t was the same as
that which had been given by the wom-
an who had been robbed. At this point
/ Mr.. Mitchell, man of 45, with clas-
sic face, spoke:
Thanks, Arthur, can take care Of
myself"
The conductor hesitated moment,
and then addressed Mr.. Mitchell:
Il regret very much the necessity
which compels me to ask you to allow
yourself to be searched, but it is my
duty. F."
my dear sir, understand perfectly
| that it is your duty and have no per-
sonal feelings against you. Nevertheless
l distinctly refuse. p"
"You refuse7" The words came from
| the other three men together. 1t is diff
cult to tell which was the most sur
| prised Randolph turned pale and
leaned against the partition for support
Mr.. Barnes became slightly excited and
said:
THAT amounts to a tacit acknowledg
ment of guilt, since every other man
T.
ply to this was even more Of surprise
than what he had said before.
"That alters the case. II every one
else has submitted, so will l." Without
more ado he divested himself of his
clothing. Nothing was found The
satchels Of both men were brought, but
the search was fruitless. The conductor
glanced at the detective helplessly, but
that gentleman was looking out Of the
window. One who knew Mr. Barnes
could have told that he was angry, for
he was biting the end Of his mustache.
Here we are at the Grand Central,
said Mr.. Mitchell. care we at liberty to
leave the train?'i Receiving an acquies-
| cent nod, the two friends walked to the
other end Of the coach. Mr.. Barnes alb
ruptly started up, and without word
| jumped from the train as 1t slowly roll
! ed into tho great depot. He went up to
a man quickly, said few words in an
undertone, and both went back toward
the train. Presently the woman who had
been robbed came along, and as she
passed ont Of the building Mr.. Barnes
companion followed her. He himself
was about to depart, when, feeling a
light tap upon his shoulder, he turned
and faced. Mr.. Mitchell
"Mr. Barnes" said the latter, II
want few words with you. Will you
breakfast with me in the restaurant"
"How did you know that my name is
/ Barnesf"
II did not know, though l do now, +"
and he laughed in a complacent manner
| which Jared on Mr.. Barnes. The de-
tective felt that this man was getting
the best of him at every turn. But for
| all that he was only the more determined
TO trap him in the end. Accustomed to
think quickly, he decided to accept the
invitation, considering that he could
lose nothing and might gain much by
further acquaintance. The two meh
therefore went below to the eating room
| and seated themselves at small table.
| After giving the waiter liberal order
Mr.. Mitchell began:
Won't il be best for rs to understand
one another from the outset, Mr..
Barnes?"
II don't know what you mean"
II think you do. You asked me mo-
ment ago how knew your name. As
said, l did not know it, though l suspect
ed it. Shall tell you whyG"
Certainly, if you wish.
Perhaps 1 am a fool to show you
your first blunder in this game, since
you are evidently enlisted against me,
but as / sent my friend off alone pur-
posely for the chance of doing so can
not resist the temptation.
"Stop a moment, Mr.. Mitchell. am
not such fool as you take me to be.
know what you are going to say.
"Ah, indeed That is clever. "
lyon are about to tell me that made
an ass of myself when l spoke in the
coach upon refusing to be searched.
"Well, should not have put 1t quite
so harshly, but the fact is this: When
YOU deliberately followed Randolph In
to the toilet room, became suspicious,
being, us l was, at your heels When
| the conductor spoke to me, refused
purposely, to watch the effect upon you,
with the result, rs you now see, that l
had my suspicion confirmed. l knew
that YOU were a detective, and, that
point gained, there was no further rea-
son for refusing the conductor.
"As l said, acted like an ass. But
did not need this warning. 1t will not
occur again, assure you.
"Of course l see now that you over
heard our conversation last night, and,
such being the case, you naturally sus-
pected me of this robbery. But am
wondering, if you did oyerhear our talk,
why you did not watch me all night "
To this Mr. Barnes made no reply. Il
have one favor to ask. "
"What is it?'
"That you reveal to no one the fact
that / have undertaken to commit
crime. You of course are at liberty to
play the ferret and convict me-if you
can. >"
LAS surely as you commit crime, SO
surely will l convict you of it,, replied
Mr.. Barnes ut will be perhaps to my
interest to keep what know to myself,
but it will not do to make any promises
to you. l must be free to act as circum-
stances direct