Evening journal., 1899-12-12
ONE THOUSAND
DOLLARS REWARD


raped out my chief, one morning.
Camden town-your own neighbor-
hood. twenty bales Of rare silk,
worth thousands, consigned all the
way from Lyons TO Jowetts, the big
West end diapers. Jowetts' agent
rushes off to the station TO meet it.
and finds that some smart rogues have
got there one hour before him. present
ed forged credentials, and driven of
with the stuff in van in broad twi-
light
"Soon after midnight constable
noted Just such a van as described
suspiciously rounding the corner Of
Windygate St, Camden town, and at
that very minute. mark you, some
one ran up and led him Off with n
bogus tale of murder going on at the
other end Of his beat When he got
back-yan gone, and all beautifully
quiet.
"Jowetts, half mad because the kind
Of silk spoils in no time unless kept
very dry, have been here and offered
81 900 for immediate recovery.
"Windygate st. is a cul de sac, with
about 80 or GO houses tn it. The silk
may be slowed In any one Of them,
and all the local police have done is
to put an extra man on watch at the
open end, on the chance that there will
be an attempt to remove the bales.
give you "a hours"
In less than an hour l got to Windy
gate sta quiet double row Of houses
OF q featureless three-story type--and
was in time 70 see the special man
exchanging chaff with a servant girl
at the opposite corner. He said some
thing, and she trippcd Off.
Thought / knew you, Mr.. Girdle-
stone. That's the girl at a house half.
way down-knOws nearly everyone in
the street, and ready TO talk all day,
No, not a ghost of a clew so far, sir.
except the van business. There's the
rut by .le curb where IL turned. and
then n much lighter one where it was
turned back. unloaded, no doubt;
there's been rain since"
HumDh. Shift your point a dozen
yards higher up. out Of sight, and let
me know anything that happens
rherell be a rag-and-bottle man along
here presently-you understand"
4 hurried home-It was barely n 10
minutes walk. Half an hour later
was leaving again by the back en-.
trance. so dirty and disreputable that
my own wife had given a start. To
hire a barrow and stack some rubbish
on It was simplicity itself: within tn,
hour l was wheeling it into WindygatC
ST., shouting hoarsely a record price
for rags and old bottles. At the enc
of my arduous round I was only tn,
richer by a borrOwload Of unconsider
eu trifies.
It must have been about s O'Clock
when, as / sat studlng the Camden
town directory, the most curious, un
ldreamed-of coincidence occurred. The
hell rang hesitatngly; a pause. and
then my wife tapped TO say that q
young person, apparently In trouble
wished to see me upon private bust
ness. Next moment a young lady, IL
widows weeds, had hoated impress
lively into the room and was raising
her veil from a white, worried face
"Mr. Girdlestone-the police inspect
Tor? Then l hope you won't think ms
silly, but really, l felt could put NJ
with Ii no longer. o, IL my dear hus
lband were only here. My name Il
Varney. | live at . Windygate st-ii
you know 1t. sir II may sOunt
strange. hut 7 90 in fear of something
happening almost in fear of my life
You know. when dear Harold died
HAD to let the ground and first floor
to n man named WiRton and his wife
"They seemed strange from the first
land kept all their doors locked. theI
lihey began 10 have mysterious visitor
Hong after dark. and my servant KEEP
waking me at night 10 say she coulS
not sleep for the queer noises. Thos'
Hast two days there has been a con
ltinual digging sound down in the base
lment especially at night | lie ans
lquake: 1t sounds Just as If they ar,
lburrowing under the street"
Indeed? And what made you COM
Ito me. madamw
sero yOu? Oh. OF coursel Why,
gave them notice TO go six weeks back
land they simply laughed. Since thei
lthev have not offered a farthing rent
Ii have thought of going TO the policl
lfor advice. and always hesitated. Bu
this evening my girl said there was
lhOmely constable at the corner; thl
WinstOns happened 10 have gone out
lso / slipped on my Things. ran up an,
laslled him ii he would mind coming II
Ito see what was going on, and how
lcould get an ejectment notice. III
Wrote this address on a piece of pape
and told me to come straight TO You
as YOU would see into It Immediately.
was at the door i'm two strides
I FItfa ...r.,r. aaat.Irrrk ahct4