Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-23
AN ARTIST IN CRIME.
Continued from Second Page.


caught that man fett1ng1II. And now
tell me, are you going to catch the man
who robbed the woman on the Boston
train yesterday"
"How do you know that it is a
man:'' asked Mr.. Barnes, amused at
her impetuosity and pleased at the turn
taken by the conversation.
"Oh, it is not a woman! / am sure
Of that. read about it in the papers
this morning. bought three, SO as not
to miss anything. No woman would
have been clever enough to plan it all,
and then carry it out SO thoroughly"
This is very interesting" said Mr..
Thauret. "Of course, I, too, have read
the papers, but besides that, as you
know, Mr.. Barnes, was on the train
myself, and the first to be searched. /
have thought of the case ever since. In
my own country we claim that our de-
toctives can unravel any mystery, and
| am curious TO know how you will man
age in an affair Of this kind. The thief
evidently is clever; do you not think so?"
Mr.. Mitchell had drawn apart and ap-
parently was absorbed in conversation
| with Emily. Nevertheless Mr.. Barnes
| was confident that he missed little of
| what was being said by the group Of
| which lie himself was enc. Under Ordi
| nary circumstances he would not for a
| moment have thought of speaking of so
| important q case before one who at least
might be suspected of completely. But
these We're not ordinary circumstances.
Here were two men, about both of
whom there was a mysterious connection
with the crime, or crimes, which he was
investigating. If either, or 10th, wee
guilty, it was evident from their couy-
| age III visiting unconcernedly at the very
building in which the murder had been
committed that extreme skill would be
required to obtain conviction. The de-
tective therefore considered that these
| men must be net with methods as bold
as their own. Speaking i'll a tone loud
enough to reach Mr. Mitcheli ears he
said:
Il think that the thief is clever, but
that he is not SO clever as he considers
himself
''How is that?"
| III Ic, DSCuuSc, Alhc
Miss Remsen, think it is a mani
"How delightful Of you to agree with
me-" said Dora.
"This man, then," continued Mr..
Barnes, considers that he has misled
me. He thinks that when l directed that
all the passengers should be searched
did so hoping to find the lost jewels,
whereas l was not looking for the jew
els, but for the thief. -
"How could you do that?'
"You may think me egotistic, but
hoped to detect him by his conduct.
was entirely successful. l know whs
stole the jewels" This was bold as
sertion, especially as Mr.. Barnes hat
not decided the matter in his own mind
He wished to note the faces of these mel
when be made the statement. He gained
nothing by the maneuver. for Mr.. Mitch
ell seemed not to have heard, while thu
Frenchman quickly said:
Bravo! Bravo! You are better thai
Lecocq. 1t is like wizards trick. Yo,
pass the suspects before you in review
and then, presto! You pick out the Grim
inal with your eye. That is a charmin.
method, and so SIMPLEX
"Mr. Thauret," said Dora, "you ar
laughing at Mr. Barnes, and that is no
good natured Mr.. Barnes says he know
the thief. believe him."
Pardon! l believe him also. di,
not mean to laugh. But tell me, Mr.
Barnes, how did the man secrete tn
diamonds suppose they were dia
monds, were they not:"
Diamonds and other jewels. But lie
me ask you-how would you have hid
; den them had you been in his place.
This time the shot went home. Plainl
the Frenchman did not like the sugges
ton of being himself the criminal. Fl
quickly recovered his eqnanimity, how
ever, and answered:
"Do you know, l have thought Of tina
very thing. OF course l would probabl
make a bungle of it. Still / hav
a thought of way"
"a way by which he could have hid
: den the jewels, so that search coul
not have found them, and yet in plac
accessible to himself afterwards
II think so. PeShaps l am wrong
4 but I think my little plan would d
% that much. The newspaper says tn
= jewels were unset stones. should hay
pushed them into the cake Of soap j
the washroom. No one would think
look for them there, and, even if 81
there would be nothing against m,
Afterward 1 should have gone bacl
taken the soap, and the jewels woul
have been mine.
J, "You are mistaken.
1' "How SOP
Il "You We're the first person searched
and / watched you till You left IL
train. 1t would have been difficult Il
you to come to New York from Stan
ford on another train. and then gain a