The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-27

81 can't do much until eight O'Clock,
30 l am going to try little expert
ment."
took from her the specimen of her
husbands signature, and examined it.
From my pocketbook l drew piece
of tracing paper, and this l laid upon
Mr.. Cox's signature, which l went over
carefully some thirty or forty times.
Then took the sheet of note paper
and calmly forged the millionaire's
name, making queer little curl at the
tail of the "x" similar to what l had
noticed in the signature of the 10000
| check, which was not to be seen in the
specimen signature of Mr.. Cox before
me.
Mrs. Cox watched me with an air of
profound mystification, as l put the
sheet of paper, bearing only the name,
&c. Collins-Cox," upon the table, and
covered it up in such way that no
other part of the paper was visible.
"Now," said,. "will you be good
enough to summon everyone in this
house, and let them remain in the next
room until l call them?"
She went away, and few minutes
later returned, saying that everyone
was in the room adjoining the one in
which l sat.
VERY well, then. l want them to
come in here one at time. Begin
with the secretary"
"Ask Mr.. Stainer to come here" said
Mrs. Cox.
Mr.. Stainer came. He was tall
gentlemanly man of thirty, wearing
gold-rimmed spectacles.
"Of COURSE" l said to Mrs. Cox in an
undertone, but loud enough to be
heard, as he came forward, ''if it's gen.
uine you must change it, and do as in
structed. 1t will cost you a 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 highly i'm
portant matter. Look at it closely"
He leant over it, and examined it like
near-sighted man, for some moments.
watched him, noticing his hands
trembls and his lips twitch nervously.
EYES," he said, quietly. "I'll swear
to that. But l 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 identify the
signature.
II want cab" said, smiling.
A cab was called, and l went out,
gave the driver note, with instruc-
tons to take it to the Yard and await
an answer. Then / returned to the
room, and drew Mrs. Cox aside.
"Don't breathe word to anyone"
l said; SHUT 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 husband?"
eyes," 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, turned to our
man and said:
"Chambers, you will remain in this
house until nine 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 anyone, and that no COM
munication whatever is held by the in
mates with outsiders, not even with
tradespeople. You will make it your
duty, if anybody-I say anybody-at-
tempts to break these rules to immedi-
atelv arrest them. You understand?n
Yes
AT this Stainer looked the picture of
confusion, and very pale.
II shall be here at seven o'clock,n l
said, in a whisper, to Mrs. Cox. "Have
an old dress, cloak, and hat of yours
ready for me, and room at my dis
posal, if you please" Then to Cham
bers l said. in the same tone; "Pay
particular attention to Mr.. Stainer. He
interests me. And then came away.
.
AT about half-past seven the same
evening woman, tall, agile, and well
but quietly dressed, with a rather thick
veil that hid her face, which. for the
first time in eighteen months, had been
denuded of brown silken beard and
moustache, left Mr.. Cox's house in
Carlton House Terrace, and, walking
to Waterloo place, got into cab.
She gave the driver an address, with
| N afr 60 ~ h. l.