The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-24
CHAPTER VII.
THE PLAID SUIT OF CLOTHES.

night In safety. his presence on tho
boat having apparently escaped the no.
tice OF any OF the crooks.
On the following morning, precisely at
the hour appointed. Mr.. Barnes was an
nounced and ushered IN.
"Ah! Good morning. Mr. Barnes" sad
Mr.. Mitchell. II hope YOU have not over
worked yourself on this case OF yours.
Feeling we'll this morning2"
quite we'll, thank you" was the re-
joinder. why do you ask"
''Oh, did not know but tha; you had
been up all night watching somebody.
Mr.. Barnes. ! have often admired the
patience OF detectives when ] have read
OF some OF them sitting all night watch
ing a doorway through which he had seen
a criminal pass. The fact that the crimf-
nal seldom comes out again does not
seem to deter him at all. Tie watches on
and hopes for the best. Some day a criml-
nal may come back and be caught Who
knows? That sort OF thing always makes
me think OF our cat. Remus is his name,
and he Is truly wonderful fellow m
many ways. only he has that Inevitable
failing OF his kfnd-he must watch some-
thing. / suppose he feels II a sort OF
duty In repayment for his food and loig-
ing. The rrst nights on which he came
10 use he caught a mouse. and while he
was playing with II the little creatura
escaped and ran into my wlfe's slipper,
from which hiding place Master Remus
soon d.slodged him. But do you know
whenever that cat sees that slipper lying
about he sits down and watches It, IL is
really very amusing Come up some ngnS
when my wife is at home and | will have
Remus so through HIS performance for
you. 1t nigh. prove usefui object les
SON.
II have n,tered patiently to your cnaf-
Nr
becoming dignity "and should vc
pleased 10 have you tell me why you
have spoken thus. What have l done
TO deserve it7
You had me sped upon" answered
Mr.. Mitchell sharply.
You are mistaken" said Mr. Barnes
quietly.
do you near 10 deny that one OF
your men followed me about yesterday
mo. but Il was not at my nstiga-
tion."
Then why vas II done9"
He knew you, and. seeing you In the
company Of one OF the shrewdist bun
ko men in town, he thought IL best 10
keep you both f. sight"
Dear mel So your man thought that
Leroy Mitchell Is not capable OF protecting
himself In New York city, We will .et
that pass then. But now tell me why you
followed me personally last night"
How do yea know that dld?"
That In not answering my question"
Well Mr.. Mitchell. while I certainly
think you capable OF taking care OF your
self, from what my man told me con-
ciuded that you meant to accompany Slip
perry Sam on last nights excursion. Nor
having the same confidence In that per-
son which you seemed to have / thouEnr
that as your frenod 1T was my duty to
De on hand In case OF trouble. Bur 1
was not spying upon you
So you even went so far as to ois-
guise youself as waiter and serve beer
TO lot OF crooks, just TO be near me-
i am truly Indebted TO you But I do
not admire this Incorporating 1t is too
theatrical ] savors too much or me
dime novel detective. And | suppose
or course. you had to bribe one OF the
regular walters, who allowed You TO take
his place. eh?" ,
Not exactly" said Mr. Barnes hesi-
tatngly. somewhat abashed by the crti-
clsm upon his methods. but. Mr.. Mitch
el. we cannot always choose. have
has been put all summer. and | realized
that II would be wise and might become
or extreme Importance TO me 10 have Il
] therefore arrangei matters with the
mead waiter. and have played waiter on
that boat so often that now my presence
attracts no suspicion"
That Is just the conceit common to
al OF your profession. Your dlsg;hses are
never penetrated. You are like the ostrich
your oMn ns head %lod IN she sand nySes
IDENTITY was very well known on the
Indeed. How do you know .that?"
The lecturer OF the evening was talk
lnF TO me about you. He considers you
rather clever. but expressed his surprise
that tDs, you should stoog to such antllquated
says that II he were In your place he
would use his brains instead"
>. linen % ne would accomplish little, for
angrily. for he had begun to lose pa
tence. lie thought that Mr.. Mitchell
went too far in his adverse criticisms.
truth was Mr.. Mitchell was exceedingly
annoyed. not so much because a spy had
followed him. but because for the nrst
discovered the fact He had therefore
given vent to his feelings by resorting to
Mr.. Mitchell had decided that Preacher
Jim was possessed OF quite superior
quality OF brains. and consequently he
was attracted by Mr.. Barnes words. we'll
40 ,ass W. hgS wese ire nSs ay lpS@sssn
Barnes replied.
On what subiect7'
oh, on the subject OF last nights iec-
ture! know his history very well. having
observed him for many years One OF
his decisions is that he n himself a great
with you. he would undoubtedly lead YOU
20 suppose that he had committed many
crimes, and that through his marvellous
skill Sc has not only escaped arrest. but
has oven avoided suspicion"
But 10 not this true7''
True as 70 his keeping out of the
clutches Of the law. but that has not
required any skill. He has committed no
crimes since he left the reformaiory and
he entered that place when n child. The
man is not sound here" concluded MIR
Darnes tapping his forehead siSnln-
csnfly.
Ire does not impress me as being un-
sound mentally" said Mr. Mitchell. doubt
ingiy.
Very likely, not at n single interview.
Perhaps indeed you may even have con-
cludcd that he ls endowed with unusual
intelligence. But suppose that YOU were
20 meet him again and that his conver-
sation should be substantially the same
and that ~ many subsequent interviews
With you he should always descant upon
the same topic IN much the same words.
Such has been my experience, and ( am
satisfied that his aprarent brlliancy ~
really lusterlese. As said at frst he -
q monoma mac"
Nevertheless, Mr.. Barnes. he has
proved the faiiacy OF one of your fa-
vorife theories with scarcely an effor,
% bis feeble brain