The broad ax., 1896-05-16

~ -. ana long cloak, rifhfis On wrong
1.,.ss. 49, PIT him down as decidedly
Suspicious Character
,ss We happened to have a passen-
81 ooard-a Brazilian named he
49, -Wno tallied In eyerT war with
s description. But for the fsrf
- conclusive evidence 10 show he
! not have been directly concerned
ne robberies-for inouirsex nrove'i
- nao remained on deck the vhci.
ssssahg-he certainly would have heen
eated to private infarviev IN ~
apAin's cabin. As II was yss
forced TO conclude that black t.fr
swarthy Complexion. siouched h, 80
Sioak were quite comuatibie vf,s :
mans innoceflce.
NoIing further occurred to excite
49, PISTON until the last day or two OF
voyage. Then, one evening after
s, .. word was brought 10 me that
- e otner state rooms had been rifed
same mysterious manner.
mwaucnes. 5ewelry and even money had
disappeared, though In all three cases
me passengers stoutly declared they
nso len their doors locked.
Hhen the alarm reached me I han
Pened to be standing In my deck ONCE.
1 nao IN my hand twenty soyereigus
winch 1 had just taken In exchange
LOT american money to accommodate
one OF our passengers. 1 didn't wait
70 lock up the gold. simply placed
IL on my desk, switched on the light
and hurried away. HAD no fears for
the safety OF the sovereigns, NV door
ID wing particularly intricate lock, In
which took good care to turn the kew
before leaving.
l remained below for an hour or so
investigating these fresh complaints.
Dut, as In the other cases. / was ut
terly unable to make head or tail of
them. fexed and bewildered, I went
back TO my office, unlocked the door.
turned on the light, and mechanically
stretched out my hand to take the SOW
ersigns from my desk Ny hand closed
upon nothing more solid than thin air
my little pile OF gold had vanished!
For q minute or two i stood there
gazing hankly before me, so utterly
confused and dismayed that could
scarcely bring my wits to bear upon
the mysterious affair. Then 1 man
aged to pull myself together and took
a look around the little cabin. In the
course OF my observations my eyes
to rest upon the portfolio,
which stood wide open, the weather
being oppressively hot.
regarded the innocent looking port
hole with the air of a yeritable Sher-
lock Holmes. / went outside and
thrust my arm In through the opening,
but my hand did not reach within fully
H.. - H. a. -
me as being the only way by which
the thief could have got at the money,
and / determined to put my theory to
practical test.
! hurried down into the saloon,
where most OF the passengers were
As yet few Of them
were aware OF the robberies, for we
had kept the matter as secret as pos
sible. went straight up to a young
American gentleman, who / knew had
a great many trinkets in his state
room, and was rather careless, too, In
the way he left them lying about
"Don't show any SURPRISE" whis-
pered, giancing round at the occupants
of the saloon, ''but might ask wheth-
er your state room Is lockedT
at is"
sAnd is the port hole openf"
II should think so. don't want TO
find the place as stuffy as the engine
room when 60 to turn In"
"Well, just pass me your key.
want to try little experiment. Wait
TIL I'm gone and then stroll up on
deck. Let yourself be seen-on the
lower deck particularly-but don't pay
too close attention to any one you may
notice lettering there"
He fell In readily with Lily Scheme.
1 went and shut myself In his state
room, crouching down so that could
lust keep an eye on the port hole over
the top OF the lower berth. remain
ed in that cramped position until my
limbs fairly ached, and was half in
clIned to give 1t up as bad job.
But suddenly. as glanced up az tne
port hole, my blood ran cold, and In all
my life I never had such difficulty TO
keep down n yell In the dim light
saw long, thin, hairy arm thrust IN
through the opening! The next mo
ment q small black hand had fastened
upon q leather case lying close to the
Window and withdrawn it as quick as
almost.
: 6Drang 10 my Ieet anu Doiteu oue
INTO the passage. dashed up the sa-
loon stairs and made for the lower
ieck. There, just above the spot where
[ Judged the state room to be situated
came fact to face with the Brazilian,
De Castro. In spite Of the heat ne
vas wearing his long cloak with the
ieep cane and had his eternal cigar.
ztte between his teeth He looked at
ne with an air Of frank surprise. ana
/ looked at him with an air OF profound
suspicion. a
Suddenly a happy thought flashed
through nv mind. I turned round and
.prang down the saloon stairs, run
ling run TIT against the chief stew
nd. who was standing at the bottom;
.sNuts!' I cried, without giving lin
fine to recover from his surprise.
Really he looked ut me with suen
ufter CONSERVATION verify believe ne
VS. convinced had taken leave OF
nv senses. ,.x
ssDo Won hearY' went on excifeny.
Get me handful Of nuts-quickF
when he brought them. l hnrrieo
..ct IN deck. The Brazilian mao
-tA4>-A~ - hn CfnFn