The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1899-02-21
A CLEVER DETECTIVE.
Wife Who Proved to Be Regular sher
lock Holmes

once.
NO, Frank; |, myself, shall sift il
10 the bottom"
"lou, wifeyY What could you doY
"Wlat have ! already done!"
This was the conversation between
Frank Dakin and his young wife tho
evening after their first at home
succeeding the honeymoon tour o.
the great lakes.
Among things presented was &
purse containing 20 crisp ten-dollal
bills
at is mine, all miner exclaimed
the bride, as playfully she tried t.
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 hel
assistance, and, seeing that he was
bested, he tossed the purse on Tho
top of large bookcase.
"There!" he cried, "it as safe now
sure, and'I'll let it stay there awhile
and he did, forgetting it altogether in
the frolicing that followed.
"Well, what have you doneY" asked
Mr.. Dakin, as he stopped eating.
"Just this. You see, while clean
ing the parlor this morning | espied
lying near the wall on the floor, Mrs
Halls letter of regret. 1t had blown
from the secretary. As | picked il
up | clearly saw the print of boot
heel upon it. Somehow / Instantly
thought of that purse, so l got the
steps and it was gone; there was nc
purse on that bookcase. In the dust
upon the back of the ornamental tof
is clearly the impress of hand, 8
mans hand, and large one it is
And it was a 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, WHEY. 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" 1.0 ....
What else, darling?"
"Well, in his boot heel are five tiny
horseshoes; there have been six, foI
the first and third are far enough
apart to admit one"
well done, sis Perhaps you fol,
lowed him by this heel
81 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
as that a fact? Whom do you sus-
pect-any of our guests?"
Certainly; who else could it bel:
1t is an awful thought, but let me
alone and III find that party between
now and Sunday, or my name ISM
Eva Dakin."
ppm glad of ii, darlingy | am proud
Of you. | was going down the street.
tonight, but now | am going to stay
home; yes, where are those fol-de-rolI
slippers of mine"'
Off came his shoes, ard as his wife
took them from him, passing him the
slippers, he said: Il always stand my
shoes on the windowsill to air"
"Why Frank Dakin!" she ex-
claimed, as she stood aghast; chow
Gould you? You are just too mean
Tor anything, so there"
what now, pet? What's wrong?
'Why, it was your heel."'
Certainly, love. You see, !
thought of that purse this morning.
20 | slipped in and took it. See here,
banked the money to your exclusive
account" and he presented her the
bank book.
Crank, you're an angelo she cried.
81 presume SO, puss," said he, ten
lerly, though it is contrary to what
'ou were making me out only a mo-
nent ago. But, by George, it is won
lerful how you followed everything |
Ida regular Sherlock Holmes. p
Boston Post.