Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-09-04
A KnaVe Of
OnScienCe
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
Copyright 1900, by Francis Lynde.J
CHAPTER IV.-CoNTINuEp.

Griswold smiled when he remem-
bered how, in fiction of the felon-
catching sort-and in real life, for
that matter-the lawbreaker always
did leave a trace behind him, and
determined for once in way to
demonstrate practically that it was
quite as easy to create an inerrant
fugitive as an infallible detective.
Joining the throng on the sidewalk,
he made his way leisurely to Canal
street, and thence diagonally
through the French quarter to the
French market. In narrow alley
he found what he was looking for
n dingy, sailors barber shop. The
barber was a negro, fat, unctuous
and sleepy looking; and he was
alone.
"Yes, sab; shave, boss?" he asked
as Griswold entered.
"No; a haircut" Griswold pro-
duced silver half-dollar. Go
around the corner and get me ci-
gar to smoke while you're doing it.
Get a good one, if you have to go to
Canal street." he added, climbing
into the rickety chair.
The negro shuftled out, scenting
tips. The moment he was out of
sight Griswold snatched the scissors
and began to hack recklessly at his
beard; recklessly and swiftly, but
with thoughtful purpose. The re-
suit was complete metamorphosis
speedily wrought. In place of the
trim beard and curling mustache
there was a rough stubble, stiff and
uneven, like that on the face of
man who had neglected to shave for
a week or two.
81 think that will answer" he said,
standing before the cracked looking
glass to get the general effect. "And
it's decently original. l fancy your
professional blunderer would have
shaved, and the first amateur detec-
tive he met would reconstruct the
beard on the sunburned lines. Now
for an uncle the more avaricious
che better"
He went to the door and looked up
and down the alley. the negro was
not yet in sight, and he walked
swiftly in the direction opposite to
brokers' shop of the kind he required
was not far to seek in that locality,
and when it was found Griswold
drove hard bargain with the Portu-
guese Jew behind the counter. The
pledge he offered was the clothes
he wore; and the bargain was con-
sluded for pair of jeans trousers,
b calico shirt, sailors cap and
red bandanna handkerchief. These,
and trifling sum of ready money,
Che inconsequence of which Griswold
depIored piteously before he would
consent to accept it.
The Portuguese, most suspicious
of men, suspected everything but the
truth, as Griswold had intended ac-
cusing his customer fatty of having
stolen the clothes. And when Girls
void departed without denying the
accusation, suspicion became CON
viction. and the clothing, which
might otherwise have given the po-
lice most important clew, was
carefully hidden away until time
should have quieted the Jews ap-
aprehensions.
Having thus disguised himself,
Griswold made the transformation
artistically complete by walking for
a quarter of an hour in the dust of
a loaded cotton float on the levee.
Then he made a tramp's bundle of
the manuscript of the dead book
the pistol and the money, in the
red handkerchief. and having sur
veyed himself in the bar mirror of
sailors pothousc, was minded to test
ais disgui>1 by going back to the