The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-18


trance. and scowling at me and my TEN
porary assistant. till l gently intimate
that wished 10 go inside and have
look at her dodgers, when she volupl
exclaimed g.
.I,odgersg ] haena haen a lodger 10
deer kcns the time. The last o them lei
me near a week ago.
Nevertheless. IN would go. ana o
course l went first 10 the kitchen--whic'
An these places generally takes the place
OF the public coffee-room I'm an hotel
and there | found the breakfast Things
SIN on the table. The cups and mugs
from which the coffee had been drunf
were heaped together I'm the middle o.
the table as for washing, and plates te
count by there were none; hut there were
other remains OF three red herrinss'
low Is this, Maggie" I said, after
noting that the herring bones lay AT three
separate parts of the table. You ve
surely had company to breakfast this
morning -
..ou. ay: there was n man cam In for
his breakfast; but he's stranger, ann
had 10 be eaun as sune as he was dune
she said. with affected coolness.
"Three, We mean. Maggie. my wuman
I observed I'm gentle correction. "A her.
rim the piece. ye ken. Naebody ever eats
mair. unless they want TO drink day
after H."
Maggie. however, resented correction
warmly. and swore by the bones OF her
father and many things much more sa-
cred. that she had given breakfast to but
one man. l was glad TO see her so strong
in her assertions Your out-and-out mar
Is a great help 20 the puzzled detective
Before had doubted--nOw | was certain.
ON the table beside the herring Ssnes,
/ picked up a darning needle with
thead of grey worsted run through Its
eye.
.Been darning your stockings. Maggie7'
] asked.
Her answer was string of adjectives,
and sudden grab at the needle, which,
however. | held back out OF her reach
.'Ou, ay was daein just that she
said. recovering herself, and probably re-
gretting her tell-tale excitement
Lets see them,".I added; but Maggie
could not oblge me She had, in factnot
a darned stocking TO show. and her ex-
ritement over the trihe made me resolve
20 keep the needle. Then Maggie got
loud In her protests. IL was the only
sane In the hoose," and she might need
II any time. She ''darned' me take it'll
at last said would be content with the
thread of worsted. and gave her back the
precious needle. though she did not ap.
pear a whit more pleased at the conces-
sion. From the kitchen / then turned TO
the bpriruonrs and iFa two beds in one of
these found the exact impression OF
three persons-two I'm one bed and one In
the other. The places, indeed, were yet
warm, as the clothes never had been
turned down or the room aired.
SLOWS this, Maggie? i said, rather
more sharply than had yet spoken; the
beds are warm. ] though you SAID no one
slept here last night?'
ssNcf aoul has silent In this room for n
week" she solemly asserted. as soon as
she had time TO make up the lie. "fe
J-st think it's warm because there's lum
at the back o. the bed. That's the warm
est place in the hoose."
oh indeed. And what OF the other bed? !?
There's no lum behind - ! answered.
having ascertained that II stood against
a mere partition OF lath and plaster.
''Oh. | sleepit in that ane myself" shc
cunningly returned.
Then who slept In the kitchen bed?
There's been some one I'm IT," | remark
ed: upon which Maggie took refuge In
storm of abuse, which would have irri-
tated me had l not been so overjoyed at
stumbling on a clue. i contented myself
with searching the bedroom and all the
other places thoroughly and soon con-
WINGED myself that the birds nad fed Not
a rag or an oil boot belonging to them
had risen early and partaken OF break
fast together pointed TO an unusual jour
ney. Were the three men | wanted al
ready Hundreds OF miles away" as the
decoy letter had limited? | thought not.
for IL is only after rare windfalls that the
funds OF three thieves will run TO" a
long railway journey. Supposing them
not hundreds OF miles away, in what di-
rection had they turned their virtuous
49, I for ha
RENE mbered, knew nothing of the mems 3
names their appearance, dress, or ante
Cedents They were as yet absolute blanks
70 me- and not one OF Maggies neighbors.
as I knew, would enighten me In the
least.
While I was rebating this point In my
mind. my eye chanced to all upon Z a
picture OF a street I'm Dundee which was
pasted above the kitchen mantelpiece--l
think IL MAS Il view of the High street
with the Pillars and Town Clock in the
centre. There was no other picture I'm the
room. and. thinking ere might be a
hide behind IL, | speedily removed Il with
my knife. I found no hide. ana destroyed
the ricture IN taking II of. but my work
was OF fruitiess. In taking the picture
Off | round that it had at one time beer
folded. as if I'm sending by post and
like fash came the thought. THE old
From this thought to the next was ar
easy step.
'Col Id the three men have gone "a
Dunde %" Thieves who are wanted dc
not lille 10 40 To "A strange town where
they know no one; they prefer n place
where friend is waiting ready 20 give
them shelter til the hue and cry is over
j determined 20 80 down 20 the railway
station at once
There | found that only one man who
was suspected as one OF my "bairns" had
appeared at the ticket window. but then
he had asked and obtained three third
class tickets FOR Dundee
The ticket clerk had an idea that, while
this man got the tickets. another had
stood just outside the rail. having under
his arm faded green carpct-hag nut OF
that he could not be certain, no could
he give me any definite description OF
their features or dress. telcgfaphed az
once TO Dundee 10 have the three wnited
Tor Oh the arrival OF the train but they
must have got out az some station outside
OF the town. for they were not in the
train when II arrived. reached Dundee
IN the afternoon. and with tho help OF n
clever msn. on the night STAFF there. and
well acquainted with all the "howfs." I
started for a hunt through the town.
got him Co take ne 10 all the likely
places, giving the preference % those oc-
cupicd by Edinburgh folks who had taken
~. f..