The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-03-16

you please" Then to Chambers 1
said in the same tone, ''Pay particular
attention to Mr.. Stainer. He inter
ests me-" And then L came away.
At about 7.3O the same evening
woman, tall, agile and we'll but quiet
ly dressed, with rather thick veil
that hid her face, which, for the first
time in eighteen months had been de-
nuded of a brown silken beard and
mustache, left Mr.. Cox's house in
Carlton House Terrace, and, walking
to Waterloo place, got into a cab.
She gave the driver an address, with
instructions for it to be reached by a
roundabout route, and placed beside
her on the seat of the cab black
handbag. The cab eventually stopped
in Oxford street.
The woman sprang out, paid the
driver and hurried eastward. Pres
emily she encountered four or five
cabs plying for hire at the curb. With
a quick glance around her she sprang
INTO once of these, gave the driver an
address through the roof trap, and the
cab rolled off at quick rate
The cab ratified eastward past New
gate, the Exchange, through Fen
church street, and finally pulled up a
few yards from a small beer shop in
Whitechapel. The woman alighted,
paid the cabman, and crossed to the
other side of the road, where four la
Iorara ,,,or, 90 a., 1;nc, 4oll,;n,, tocat1,o,
She went up and held an animated
conversation with them for few min
utes. Then the four men moved off
in different directions, leaving the
woman standing alone in the shadow
of doorway. Here she remained un-
til a neighboring clock struck 8, when
she issued from her hiding place and
turned down by-street.
The street in which she now found
herself was narrow, dark and de-
serted. The light was barely suffi-
cient to enable the woman to see
white cross upon flagstone in front
of No. II, and upon this she put the
handbag she carried. The moment
she had done so, she started to run
down the street, but she did not run
far, turning sharply into the deep
shadow of a projecting wall. From
here she could see up and down the
street, the mysterious house and the
handbag. The house was apparently
empty. Not light was there in any
window.
She was attentively Watching the
windows of No. II for an indication of
life, when she heard q strange grind
ing sound that made her start. No
one was to be seen. Everything was
exactly as it had been before, except
that the bag had gone Vanished!
''Fool!" she cried, ST might have
guessed it,"
Running out of hiding she drew a
a police whistle and blew it thrice, and
then set about to examine the flag
stone. Yes; the cement around it was
in loose powder. Some one had shift
ed the flag; some one in the cellar be-
low and the bag was gone and the flag
pushed back.
There was no area door, so the only
way to gain admittance to the house
was by the front door.
She flung herself against it again
and again. But it resisted all her
efforts, and she stopped TO consider.
At that moment laborer ran up.
"It's all right" he said. "We've
got him-bag in hand. He had laid
his plans for quick escape at the back,
but ran into my arms as we entered.
The house is quite empty"
"Oh, are you sure?" 1 asked, for, of
course, the agile female was myself.
Perfectly certain. The house is
empty of everything and
every one"
"Ah, then 1 think I can understand.
Get me a cab and take the chap to the
station in another"
Two cabs were procured. In one
we put our prisoner well-dressed
man of a pronounced American type
between two of my Scotland Yard
laborers and sent him to the local sta
ton. The second cab l took myself,
and in it L drove to Carlton House
Terrace.
When: II arrived at the Coxes Isfound
the footman just paying off another
cab.
"Oh, then Mr.. Cox has returned?"
1 said.
Eyes, sir. Just this moment ar
rived"
"Where's Mr.. Stainer?"
''Your friend has him locked in the
pantry. He arrested him by your in
half an hour ago"
Running up the steps / pounced
right upon Mr.. and Mrs. Cox locked
in each others arms. He wore an air
of mystifcation, while she was simply
over with delight.
"What does all this mean?" asked
Mr.. Cox, turning upon me. "It's
mystery upon mysteryl Who is this
'"This woman" I replied, sis De-
tective Sergeant Wiseman, of New
Scotland Yard, who has just discov-
cred one of the neatest little plots ever
invented. Your secretary is a ge-
MUS"
81 don't understand, he said, look
ing at me as if he fancied was play
ing joke at his expense.
"You had telegram yesterday?" /
asked.
eyes, which took me to Paris on a
wild goose chase. Some one has been
making a fool of me. The telegram
purported to come from an old friend