The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-03-09

fer To past" which was not entire
Iy creduable: Criminals are divided
into two classes very much like other
people. There are those who believe
ia sticking to the old-fsahi0ned meth
obs, and those whose taste lies in
the direction of inrova ion and REFORM:
Conservatives and Liberals. so to
speak. Joe Clumber, as an illustration,
chung tenaciously to the views he had
inherited from a father in the same
line OF business, and couldn't see be-
you'd the Jenny and the life-preserv-
er and so forth. l. on the other hand,
perhaps because I'd merely drifted in
to crime and hadn't been born to it,
shrank from the use of such imple-
ments, and preferred stratagem to vio-
lence. And. in spite of what | am
about to tell you, Pm not going to
admit that 1 was altogether wrong"
He paused, slipped his whiskey and
water, gave a short laugh, and pro-
ceeded.
well, you see Climber and hadn't
had much luck for long time, when
one day ] happened to spot an adver-
tisement of n big picture sale to be
held in Bond Street the same after
noon. / showed the newspaper to
Joe. and after some discussion it was
arranged that | should go, on the off
chance Of getting wind of something
to our advantage, as they say. Ac-
col dingly, l dressed myself in suita-
bile toys and went, having told Clum-
Der l should expect good feed when
| returned at six. Joe, l may men,
ton, never took on jobs requiring a
swell get-up. Frock-coats and light
kids didn't become him, and he knew
his limitations.
Il couldn't find fault with the meal
awaiting me when l got back from
the sale. On the contrary, enjoyed
it 81 much that it was some minutes
before l could spare time for CONVEX
satlon. Then l said, magnanimous-
ly:-
Now, Joe, I'll satisfy your curiosi-
ty.'
It's about time you did, grunted
my partner; but ignoring the observa-
ton, l continued
Most Of the things sold to-day
were more or less rubbish, but there
was one-quite small picture, about
SIT. by 2ft.-tbat went for three thcu
sand pounds
"Clumher's eyes sparkled. Three
tbOucapd ouidc, ha aohoad
Yes. 1t was Gainsborough.'
"A what?
"A Gainsborough. That's the name
Of the painter, you know
'Qh--wellT
We'll, Joseph, do you think if we
could get hold of that picture, the re-
ceiver, or fence, as you call him, we've
dealt with before would take it off
our hands?
But amt this all a little previous,
Rotherby? We amt got the picture
yet, ave weP
Not yet, certainly, but
paused, and added impressively, ]
know who's bought it, and when it's
going to be sent to his house. l man
aged to overhear what he said to the
auctioneeTs clerk. He's an old gen
tleman-his name is Buckleigh, and
he lives at ''The Lindens," Cocker
mouth Gardens, Highgate The picture
is to be delivered there between six
and seven tomorrow evening.
after some parley it was agreed
that we should proceed at once to
COckermouth Gardens to see what sort
of locality it really was. So a little
later we left our rooms-we were lodg.
ing in Soho-and caught the yellow
bus to the Archway Tavern. Then, af.
ter mounting Highgate Hill, and max.
ing one or two inquiries, we found the
place we were in search of.
The Lindens' was one of eight
houses, each of which was detached
and fronted by long garden sur,
rounded by quickest hedge, and con.
tanning as rule some pretty big trees
That the houses were as much alike
as peas In pod was obvious, even in
the darkness of an October evening
We discovered from notice board sus
pended from tree, however, that the
house next door to The Lindens' was
to be sold, and, on going forward tc
the light wooden gate that gave access
to the garden, we found that the place
was called The Films Evidently tn,
house was In charge of a caretaker
for only the hah was lighted. TheI
we made two other discoveries; tn,
houses were named, but not numbered
and the name was in each case dis
played on a gate precisely similar t.
that which | have already mentioned
"These were the facts l turned owe
in my mind as we rode homeward 81
lently on the top Of the bus, and be
fore we got down to the corner of Tot
tenham Road, l had developed plar
at once simple and daring, which
felt certain could not possibly fail
'Clumber, my boy l cried, whe
we had made our way into quie
pub, 4 see it all. It's as clear us. day
light
HIM murmuEed Clumber, so 20
said in that diamond affair the othe
day, and yet we were as nearly a
possible COPIED, to say nothing of loi
ing the swag.'
Listen, joe said |. I've though
of the difficulties you mention and
see exactly how we can get over then
You remember that The Elms,' tn
house next door to THE Lindens,'
to be soldp
'He nodded.
well, this is my scheme. We mus