Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-03-04
MY Strangest Case
BY GUY BOOTHBY.
Author of DR. NlKoLA" BEAUTIFUL WHITE DEVIL,
"PHARos, ThE E0YPTIAN," Etc.
copyrighted, 1901. BY Ward. Lock 9 Col

taSnlOu OF any OF CnaC SOrG OF Truck
showed into me, you'll understand.
You needn't be suspicious, cabby,'
seq he, TIL make it suverings, if you
like, and half one over for luck, if
that will satisfy yer?' When told
him it would, he give me two poun'
ten in advance and away we went
again. We weren't more than 'arf a
mile away from here-thank We, sir,
don't mind if do, it's cold drivin'
well, as was q sayin' we wasn't
more than 'arf mile away from
here, when the gent he stands up
and SEE to me: Look here, Kebby,
turn the next corner pretty sharp,
and slow down at the first bye-street
you come to. Then I'll jump out
Right yer are, guvnor,' seq I, and
with that he lands me up the other
two poun' ten and the extry half
suvering. fobbed it and whipped
up the old 'oss. Next moment we
was around the corner, and a-drivin'
as if we was trying to ketch
train. Then we comes to a little side
street, an slows down. Out e
jumps and down he goes along a side
street as if the devil was arter him.
Then I drives on. my way and pulls
up ere. Bilked you were, guvnor,
and don't mind sayin' so, but busi-
! ness is business, and five poun' ten
amt to be picked up every day. I
guess the old woman will be all
there when get 'ome tonight"
1 ss0ThafSC oil varry n, LJ,x, ~
said. "but it's just likely you want
to add another sovereign to that five-
pound ten. II you do don't mind
putting another in your way. 1 tell
you that want to catch the man 1
was after tonight. He's as big a
thief as ever walked the earth, and
it you will help me, to put my hand
upon him, you'll be doing service,
not only to me, but to the whole
country at large"
What is it you want me to do?"
he asked, suspiciously. "He treated
me fair, and he'll take it mean of me
1t help you to nab him"
II don't want you to do anything
but to drive me to the side street
where you put him down. Then you
can take your sovereign and be off
home as quick as you like. Do you
agree?"
He hesitated for space in which
a man could have counted 20, and
then set his glass upon the counter.
I'll do il" he said. "Ill drive yer
there, not for the suvering, but for
the good of the country yer speaks
| about. Come on"
gave my own man his money, and
then followed the other out to his
cab. He mounted to his box, not
without some help, and we presently
set off. Whether it was the effect
| of the refreshment he had imbibed,
or whether it was mere elation of
spirits cannot say, the fact, how
ever, remains that for the whole of
the journey, which occupied ten or
twelve minutes. he howled vocifer-
ously. A more joyous cabman could
scarcely have been discovered in all
that part of London. At last he
pulled his horse to a standstill, and
descended from his seat
"This 'ere's the place." he said,
"and that's the street he bolted
down. Yer can't mistake it. Now
let's have look at yer suvering,
gunner, and then I'll be off home to
bed, and it's about time too"
paid him the sum / had prom
ised him, and then made my way
down the narrow street, in the direc-
ton Hayle had taken. 1t was not
more than couple of hundred yards
| long, and was hemmed in on either
hand by squalid cottages. AS if to
/ emphasize the misery of the locality,
and perhaps in measure to account
for it, at the further end I discov-
cred q gin-palace, whose fiaring
lights illuminated the streets on
either hand with brazen splendor. A
small knot of loafers were clustered
on the pavement outside the public,
and these were exactly the men I
wanted. Addressing myself to them
inquired how long they had been
in their present position.
BEST part of an hour, gunner"
said one of them, pushing his hands
deep down into his pockets, and
executing sort of double shuttle as
he spoke. Amt dom any harm
ere. l 'ope. We was 'opin' as 'ow a
gent like yourself would come along
in the course of the evening Just to
ask US If we was thirsty, and wot
we'd take for to squench it,"
"You shall have something to
'squench' it. if you can answer the
questions am going to ask you," I
replied. ibid either of you see a
gentleman come down this street.
running, about half an hour or 30
ago?"
WAS he carrying rug and a
bag?" asked one of the men, without
hesitation.
"He was" I replied. "He is the
man Iwant. Which way did he go
when he left here?"
HE took Jim Boulter's cab" said
another man, who had until a few
moments before been leaning against
the wall. 'sThe Short I'm was alook-
In after 1t for i'm, and heard him
call Jimmy myself. He tossed the
Short I'm bob. he did, when he got
In. Such luck don't seem ever to
come my way"
Where is the Short I'm, as you
call him?" I inquired, thinking that
it might be to my advantage to in
terview that gentleman.
"A.drinkins NJ hts boh IN &baro -