The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26
BIGGS AND HIS FRIEND.
A FAIR OF PRINCIPALS IN a
BOARDING HOUSE MYSTERY.
They Affiliated first = Bosrder, Then = House-
full Of Boarders, ana Finally y whole
BiockruI or Persons-Trinls OF RIrS, stalker,
Tho LandlnhH. nna Her DelINernnce.

BlOckfut OF Fern0ns-TFihls OF Nre' Sthkert
tho LandIady. asd Her DeiiVerance.
All tho boarders had read about Can't.
O'Brien's deposition from the head of the De-
tectivo Bureau, just as they read most OF the
news, and supposed in a general sort OF way,
as far as they thought of tho matter at oil, that
his methods of slcuth work had gone out OF
vogue with his departure. Not that it mat
tered much from q personal point of view.
There isn't n person in Our Boarding House
who everhad any closer relations with the police
than asking directions of some decorative pa
trolnan at a street corner. That was before
the New Boarder came. Now there Is widely
different information on police matters In the
house, and extending from the house through
the length and breadth OF the street.
The New Boarder came one noon. He wore
q diamond stud In his shirt front. With him
was q companion. He wore a diamond stud In
his shirt front, too. Both stood high on boot
soles two inches thick and of amazing area.
They inquired for the landlady. The mild
soul Of Mrs. Stalker was somewhat disturbed
when she came downstairs and found the two
ample specimens OF masculinity awaiting her.
rs this q boarding house. ladyi" asked ono
of them.
Yes, replied Mrs. Stalker. ''but I don't
think that"
I'VE want a front room"
There Is only one Of US wants It." said the
New Boarder. That's me-"
Mrs. Stalker looked at the New Boarder's
triple-plate feet, at his fancy waistcoat, deco
rated with an enormous gold chain. at his large
and glowing diamond stud, and then at his
large and glowing nose, and thought with min
gled amusement and dismay OF what the other
boarders would say II she took in such q speci.
men.
.rpnr - 49, -, - ~, Nnyr nonrJ,rt, ~a-,
panion assured her, constituting her hesitation as
due to financial apprehensions.
Money to burn, added the other assuringly.
NAME your price"
"It-it-it isn't that, gentlemen" said tho
landlady. Il haven't any room for YOU
"S'pose we'd better tell herl' said the COM
panion with the intonation OF the villain in the
third act when, amid the low means Of all the
stringed instruments in the orchestra, he re.
veals to the heartbroken father that his bcauti-
full Imogene has eloped from her ancestral halls
with a brakeman on the Harlem road.
Yes: go ahead and tell her." replied the
New Boarder.
Thereupon the companion struck an attitude
I'm Miggs. This here is Riggs. we're
from the station house round the corner.
So obvious was Mrs. staker's bewilderment
you've heard OF us. We're detectives.
Everybody in the precinct knows US"
done tho trick on swift sol and Piggy
the Dub added Biggs. you must have seen
it in the papersi"
oh, don't git ratified. - said MisRs sa~llantly.
We amt after ANYTHING here. only e room.
One half. suppressed gasp being all that Mrs.
Stalker was able to contribute TO the CONVERSE
ton, Riggs took up the word.
It's the house across the street we're watch.
ing. There's a cashier-this 10 on the dead
and he's got a cousin boarding in the house
across there. We've got word he's coming to
see Ibis HI, cousin ,oSs and were laying r. for him, hor. -
that5housei" asked Mrs. Stalker. That is a
boarding house
such amt our methods" said Miggs loftily.
Detective work is mighty delicate work,
and Of course, ma'am. you wouldn't refuse to
help the law catch a criminal"
But l haven't got any front room that l
haven't. They're all taken"
should have a rear room and the privilege OF
sitting at the front parlor window at any, time
opposite. Ali the time that he passed in the
house was Put In at that window; except np the
room; At meals he seldom appeared. for
which the ~landlady was deyoutly thankful, but
his presence was soon noted, and he was chris
cussion in Our Boarding House than all the
other boarders put together. Nothing could be
alleged against him. His conduct was mos,
window. Nevertheless. all viewed him with
suspicion in no wise alleviated by Mrs. Stalk
ers reticencc on the subject. The first com.
plant came from the i'll prescrved spinster on
the third floor front. Her trouble was that the
heavily that he always woke her up. also. his
snoring was so powerful that, although her room
was at the other end OF the nall. the noise kept
81 don't believe he's respectable she do
olared in emphatic accents TO the dinner table
Next. old Mr.. Pike, who lives in the cheapest
room In the house, and Is therefore suspected
Of having money, put in his objections TO the
Il have noticed" he said to Mrs. Stalker. "a
very s1spicious-lqoking person coming IN ia
in his room, and ii is my opinion that they are
plotting to murder us all. l shall have to re-
quest that an extra lock be put on my door"
The notwithstanding person was Nigga
Al Unfortunate error of the Sew Boarder,s
Eet Of fruit to the ChumpIcys,, Who have, The
back parlor. and the fruit was left in the hall
The New Boarder, in passing by, coolly helped
himsel, TO a peach ana two bananas, to the
scandal of the landlady, who happened to come
downs:airs just then, When he saw her thu
New Boarder started, put back The fruit, ant
Excuse me-forgot-thought 1 was back OF
This was his only mistake. Day after day
no sat patiently in tho window Watching tn,
house Opposite, Did a caller go to that ho9s'
curtains pressed closely TO the pane. Did an!
one emerge. the New Boarder happened u
saunter out upon the front steps; DID q car
paraded the sidewalk. During the week tina
he stayed he must have learned the habits o
the dwellers by heart. In a few days the PEG
pie In the house began TO notice and. wonder
Presently over came tho landlady OF the hous,
to see the landlady Of Our Boarding House.
Its made the boarders most uneasy" sh
said. 'He sits there all day staring and stCr
ing and staring, and II he isn't an invalid ! be
lieve he's crazy. One of the young ladies say
he has stared at her 30 she breads to so in an
out"
II can't help It," said Mrs. Stalker. "Ho
a perfectly respectable man. II he wants to 81
in the parlor window and look out, i don't sc
why you should object"
''Oh. of course" cried the landlady. fror
across the street; IF you choose to take a
you've got the right"
ar / told you what he was here for Mr.,
my house"
Not only did the house opposite note the Axe
eccentricity OF the New BOarder, but many c
the other jewellers on the block. Soinebod
started-a rumor that Mrs.:Staker's long-lo,