Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-12-12

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ooh, no." I said, cheerfully. 81
want to see you alone" She dis
missed the man, and then sank into
chair.
''Yes, I've got the money, after the
greatest difficulty" she said, answer
ing my look. "But have you discov-
cred anything?"
''Yes, two things" I replied. 'I
want these things: A piece of cream
note paper-get it from your cook-a
steel pen, ink and specimen of your
husbands signature. Please get these
things yourself, and let no one know.
Now, tell me-who is in this house?''
''Myself-you mean usually? Well,
Mr.; Cox, myself, the secretary, three
male and five female servants"
''They all live here?"
Except the secretary-yes."
'"This gentleman, has he been in
your employ long?"
Three years."
"We might get some information
from him, perhaps. However for the
present, I'll see no one. Will you
please get me those things?"
Mrs. Cox went out, and returned
after a few minutes with what [ had
asked for. 1 smiled as saw the note
paper. Though it was not the same
make it was very like what had been
used for the check for 100000.
"What are you going to do?" Mrs.
Cox asked.
81 can't do much until o'clock, so
l am going to try a little experiment. -
81 took from her the specimen of her
husbands signature and examined it.
From my pocketbook drew piece
OF tracing paper, and this laid upon
Mr.. Cox's signature, which I went
over carefully some thirty or forty
times. Then / took the sheet of note
paper and calmly forged the million
aires name, making a queer little
curl ut the tail of the "x" similar to
what l had noticed In the signature Of
the 100000 check, which was not to be
seen in the specimen signature before
me.
Mrs. Cox watched me with an air of
profound mystification as I put the
sheet of paper bearing only the name,
80. Collins-Cox," upon the table and
covered it up in such way that no
other part of the paper was visible.
"Now," L said, "will you be good
enough to summon every one in the
house, and let them remain in the
room until 1 call them?"
She went away and in few minutes
later returned, saying that every one
was in the room adjoining the one
in which l sat.
Every we'll, then. I want them to
come in here one at a time. Begin
with the secretary"
"Ask Mr.. Stainer to come here, :"
said Mrs. Cox.
Mr.. Stainer came. He was tall,
gentlemanly man of 80, wearing gold
trimmed spectacles.
'Of course" 1 said to Mrs. Cox in
an undertone, but loud enough to be
heard, as he came forward, ''if it's
genuine you must change it, and do as
instructed. 1t will cost you cool
e10, 900, but that can't be helped.
''Mr. Stainer," and | turned to him
quickly, "can you tell me if this is
Mr.. Cox's signature?"
eyes. it is"
"Be sure, please. It's a highly i'm
portant matter. Look at it closely. "
He leant over it and examined it
like near-sighted man, for some mo-
ments. l watched him, noticing his
hands trembling and his lips twitch
nervously.
Yes, he said, quietly. "I'll swear
to that. "But 1 fancy he was unwell
when he wrote it, for it is very shaky
for Mr.. Cox"
All the others were brought in in
turn, but no one else was able to iden-
tify the signature.
81 want cab," I said, smiling.
A cab was called and l went out,
gave the driver note, with instruc-
tions to take it to the Yard and await
an answer. Then 1 returned to the
room and drew Mrs. Cox aside.
Don't breathe a word to any one, "
| said; "but does it not strike you as
strange that the man who best knows
your husbands writing should be the
one to say most emphatically that my
forgery was written by your hus-
band?"
yes" she said, in a whisper.
Ten minutes later, the cab returned
and landed one of our men. He was
shown in to me; and at my request,
all the servants were recalled. When
they were assembled, 1 turned to our
man and said:
Chambers, you will remain in this
house until 8 o'clock tonight. You
will allow no one but Mrs. Cox to leave
while you are here, and you will see
that nothing whatever is passed out of
the house by any one to any one, and
that no communication whatever is
held by the inmates with outsiders,
not even with tradespeople. You will
make it your duty, if anybody-I say
anybody-attempts to break these
rules to Immediately arrest them. You
understand"
"Yes."
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