Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-05-05
A CLEVER DEFECTIVE
Wife Who Proved to Be Regular Sher-
lock Holmes

once.
NO, Frank; I, myself, shall sift it
to the bottom"
You, WHEY? What could you do?"
"What have ] already done?"
This was the conversation between
Frank Dakin and his young wife the
evening after their first cat home"
succeeding the honeymoon tour of
the great lakes.
Among things presented was a
purse containing 20 crisp ten-dollar
bills.
ct is mine, all minel" exclaimed
the bride, as playfully she tried to
take the purse from her husband.
"Yours, if you can get it." he
laughed. holding it above his head
just beyond her reach AT this many
of the young folks rushed to her
assistance, and, seeing that he was
bested, he tossed the purse on the
top Of large bookcase.
"Therew he cried, cit is safe now,
cure, and I'll let it stay there awhile"
and he did, forgetting it altogether in
the frolicing that followed
"Well, what have you done?" asked
Mr.. Dakin, as nc stopped eating.
Gust this. You see, while clean
ing the parlor this morning I espied,
lying near the wall on the floor, Mrs.
Halls letter of regret It had blown
from the secretary. As picked it
up [ clearly saw the print of a boot
heel upon it. Somehow I instantly
thought of that purse, so I got the
steps and it was gone; there was no
purse on that bookcase. In the dust
upon the back Of the ornamental top
is clearly the impress of a hand, a
mans hand, and large one it is.
And it was large hand that CROPPED
about for that purse as it lay in the
dust on top of the case.
Who did this?' asked myself
A large man, surely, for that heel
print is large, the hands are large.
and had their owner stood upon a
chair even then more than the tips
of his fingers would have dragged
through the dust as he poked for the
purse; so, then, he is tall man, for
he reached up there on tiptoes and
his heel crushed into that letter as he
stepped back. Do you see?"
eyes, wiley. Have you more?"
ooh, yes. He is no real gentleman,
for he wiped his dusty fingers upon
the under side of my lovely table
scarf"
"What else, darling?"
"Well, in his boot heel are five tiny
horseshoes; there have been six, for
the first and third are far enough
apart to admit one"
EsWell done, sis. Perhaps you fol-
lowed him by this heel
ri did, Frank, and he was one of
the last to leave the house, as those
horseshoes nearly obliterate all other
footprints, and they can be seen down
the path and even to the corner"
E'1s that a fact? Whom do you sus-
pect-any of our guests?"
Certainly: who else could it be?
It is an awful thought, but let me
alone and I'll find that party between
now and Sunday, or my name iSn't
Eva Dakin."
''I'm glad of ii, darling; I am proud
of you. l was going down the street
tonight, but now l am going to stay
home; yes, where are those fol-de-rol
slippers of mine?"
Off came his shoes, and as his wife
took them from him, passing him the
slippers, he said: 81 always stand my
shoes on the windowsill to air"
"Why, Frank Dakin." she ex-
claimed, as she stood aghast; chow
could you? You are just too mean
for anything, so there
"What now, pet? What's wrong?''
"Why, it was your heel"
Certainly, love- You see,
thought of that purse this morning,
so l slipped in and took it. See here,
I banked the money to your exclusive
account" and he presented her the
bank book.
Frank, you're an angelr she cried,
81 presume SO, puss," said he, ten
derby, though it is contrary to what
you were making me out only a. mo-
ment ago. But, by George, it is won
derful how you followed everything
6id-a regular Sherlock Holmes %
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