The news boy., 1896-09-05

,ne aHair. IL did would say so; as
don't, I can't"
we left him alone, and I went to Mr..
Vincents private room, where we spent
nail an hour in earnest consultation.
MY opinion" I said. ais certain,v
that the youth is guilty, and that he
has discovered some method of hiding
ms spoils from the searchers night after
But what method could he possibly
user asked Mr.. Vincent, putting his
hand to his forehead in despair; "noth-
ing escapes the searchers- absolutely
nothing"
| u am not so sure Of that" re-
turned, slowly; "searchers are only hut
man.. after all. and possibly most
simple trick has deceived them. Is
there any means by which Renshaw
could be watched from room above ~
"Cnriously enough" replied Mr..
Vincent, there happens to be
skylight in room Ii. Perhaps YOU no.
ticed it wien you were there? Through
that sk)light ycu would have ample
opportunity Of seeing how he employs
himself"
"Nery WE'LL" said, at is no use of
my watching him now, as he will, of
course, be on his guard. In weeks
time will return. Meantime. you will,
OF course, keep your own counsel, and let
no inkling as to my visit leal; out in
the place.
He reassured me heartily on this
point, and then we shook hands and
parted.
week later. took up nv position
above the sl;ylight, and watched the
young assayer closely.
must confess that he did nothing
whatever of suspicious nature. lie
pursued his work calmly and method
ically, showing himself to be very
| industrious workman.
lie had habit or niannerisTh which
seemed 10 inc rather strange in so younw
p man. 1t might be natural, or it might
he affected, but every now and again
he would pause in his work. and pass
bis -ohg, nervous hands through his
bushy, auburn hair, as though trying
to collect his thoughts. 1t reminded
HE very forcibly of mannerisni of
Henry Irving, and ! thought it possible
I that Eenshaw might be n bit ctage-
| struck, and had consciously or uncon-
sciously adopted the mannerism of the
great actor.
Throughout the day I stood in my
uncomfortable position, eliciting Moth
ing. AT five o'clock the establishment
| closed, and | came down from my perch,
and went straight to Mr.. Nincent's
room.
"Mr. Vincent" I said, my search has
| been useless so far. | am now going
round to Renshaw's place of residence,
and ] want you to give me his address
and invent some preteXt for keeping
him here for, say. half an hour while 1
pursue my Investigations
Very WELL" he replied. promptly;
and then. ringing bell, he told the
messenger who answered it to tictnin
Renshaw and not let him go until he
had seen him. The messenger having
departed, Mr.. Vincent wrote the adj
dress of the young man ON n slip of
paper.
Jumping into hanson. 1 drove as
fast as the cab would take me to %,
Acacia Villas. BriXton, where Rershaw
lodged. Arrived there l presented my
card. and having sufficiently overawed
the landlady by the magic name cf de
tect:ve," l was ushcred up into Rem
shaw's room and left alone. l had. of
course, cautioned the woman against
giving him the slightest hint when lie
came in of my visit.
Then l examined the room closely,
In one cf the drawers l found co!lec.
tion of tradcsmen's bills. which proved
clearly that my "bird" had been goinG
it for some time past. One Of the bills
rather astonished me, for it was for a
bottle of aniline hair-dye.
What on earth should he wan. to
dye his hair for?" l pondered-and
then it flashed upon me like a Lightning
stroke that Eenshaw's auburn hair had
never seemed to me to be quite senu'
inc. But why should he desire tc
change its color?
AS l stood thinking. l heard his ster
on the stairs. In n moment | had dart.
ed behind screen, which, fortunately
happened TO be standing in corner
of the room, and waited for his entry.
He came in hurriedly and sat down
on the bed. Then he looked in his
water can and found it empty.
He went to the door and called out:
"AIrs. Martin. wish you would send
up some water at once. You know
always like to have wash directly
get back"
Funny thing, this desire for cleanli.
ness" 1 thought. 81 saw him wash his
hands at five o'clock tonight before
leaving the assaying-room. He is quite
fanatical on the subject of soap and
water"
Up came the servant in a moment
carrying with her huge can. Rem.
shaw thanked her, and having set the
can down, he locked the door, and made
preparations for washing.
| lie filled the basin, and then put his
head under water for about 40 seconds
slowly raising it at the end of that
| time.
He repeated the process again and
again, to my intense amazement and as.
tonishment. OF course, there was moth.
ing strange in mans bathing his head
but when the process was gone through
a dozen times, surprise was perfectly
natural.
But, feeling that if the secret was ever
to be discovered, it must be discovered
now. l seized the opportunity, when
Renshaw's head was turned towards the
window, of stealing out from my hid.
ing-place behind the screen and exam.
ining the basin and its contents.