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


caught that man fert1ng1II. 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
MANI" asked MIR. Barnes, amused at
her impetuosity and pleased at the turn
taken by the conversation.
"Oh, it is not a woman! I am sure
of that. read about it in the papers
this morning. I 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. I
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 SOP"
Mr.. Mitchell had drawn apart and ap-
parently was absorbed in a 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 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 mysterious connection
| with the crime, or crimes, which he was
| investigating. If either, or 10th, were
| guilty, it was evident from their couy-
| age i'll 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 met with methods as bold
as their own. Speaking in a tone loud
enough to reach Mr.. Mitchel's ears he
said:
Il think that the thief is clever, but
that he is not SO clever as he considers
himself"
"How is that?''
"He believed-I sag he, because, like
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 mislet
me. He thinks that when directed tina
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. ~
Chow could you do that?"
"You may think me egotistic, but
hoped to detect him by his conduct.
was entirely successful / know VIII,
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 he made the statement. He gaine'
nothing by the maneuver, for Mr.. Mitch
ell seemed not to have heard, while tn
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 charmin
method, and so SIMPLEX
mr. Thauret," said Dora, "you ar
laughing at Mr.. Barnes, and that is nc
good natured. Mr.. Barnes says he know
the thief. believe him.
pardon! l believe him also. di
not mean to laugh. But tell me, MI
Barnes, how did the man secrete tn
diamonds suppose they were dis
monds, were they not?'
Diamonds and other jewels. But Il
me ask you-how would you have hit
; den them had you been i'll his place:
This time the shot went home. Plainl
the Frenchman did not like the sugge
ton of being himself the criminal. q
quickly recovered his equanimity, how
ever, and answered:
"Do you know, I have thought of til;
very thing. OF course would probabl
make a bungle of it. Still / la,
, thought of way"
"a way by which he could have hit
: den the jewels, so that a search con-
not have found them, and yet in pla'
accessible to himself afterward:'
Il think So Perhaps l am wron;
| DuG tnlEk Illy llttlc pan "Ouiu
that much. The newspaper says II
jewels were unset stones. should ha'
pushed them into the cake of soap
the washroom. No one would think
look for them there, and, even If 6
there would be nothing against m
Afterward l should have gone bac
taken the soap, and the jewels wou
have been mine.
!. "You are mistaken.
"How so?"
: you were the first person searche
and / watched you till you left Il
train. 1t would have been difficult I
you to come to New York from Star
ford on another train, and then gain a
cess TO the coaches on a side track and
oI the hands of the scrubWomen. lev