Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-01
CHAPTER XXVlI.
Mr.. Lanes Romance.

Ine seven Secrets, each distinct from the
other and yet connected, each one in itself
a complete enigma, formed a problem OF
which even Amber Jevons himself could
not discover the solution,
Contrary to his usual methods, he al
lowed me to him in various
directions, making curious inquiries that
had nothing apparently to connect them
with the mystery Of the death of Mr.. and
Mrs. CourteDay.
In reply to a wire l had sent to Ethel
wynn came a message saying that her
mother was entirely prcstrated. therefore
she could not at present leave her. This,
when shown to Amber, caused him to purse
his lips and raise his shoulders with that
gesture of suspicion which was a popularity
Of HE. Was IL possible that he actually
suspected her?
The name Of Slade seemed ever In Jevons'
mind. Indeed, most Of his inquiries we're
regarding some person OF that name.
Ore evening, after dining together, he
took me in a cab across the city to the
Three Nuns hotel, at Aldgate-where, in
the saloon bar, we sat drinking. Before
setting out he had urged me to put on a
shabby suit Of clothes and a soft hat, so
that in the East End we should not attract
attention as swells. AS for his own per-
sonal appearance II was certainly not that
OF the spruce city man. He was an adept
at DISCUSSES, and on this occasion wore a
REFER Jacket, a peaked cap and a dark
violet scarf in lieu of a collar, thus pre-
senting the aspect of a seafarer ashore. He
smoked a pipe Of the most approved sailors
type, and as we sat together in the saloon
he told me sea stories, in order that a
group OF men sitting near might overhear.
That he had some object in all this was
quite certain, but what is was l could not
gather.
Suddenly. after an hour, however. a little,
understood, old man, OF dirty and neglected
appearance, who had been drinking at the
bar, shufied up to us, and whispered some
thing to Amber that I did not catch. The
words. nevertheless, caused my companion
to start, and disregarding the fresh whisky
and soda he had Just ordered, he rose and
walked out-an example which l followed.
'Lanky sent me, sir" the old man said,
addressing Amber, when we were out in
the street. e couldn't come hisself. e
said you'd like to know the truth"
"of course, / was waiting for it," replied
my companion, alert and eager.
We'll" he said, II suppose I'd better tell
yer the truth at once, sir"
Certainly. What is it?"
well, Lanky's dead"
Dead" cried Amber. Impossible. I
was waiting for him"
II know. This morning in the Borough
market. e told me to come ere and find
you, because e wasn't able to come. e
had a previous engagement. Lanky's en-
gagements we're always i1terestin'," he
added. with a grim smile.
well, go on" said Amber, eagerly.
What followed?"
"'E told me to go down to TAFT street
and see i'm at s O'Clock, as e had a mes
sage for you. l went and when / got there
I found i'm lying on the floor of is room
stone dead"
you went to the police, Of course?"
mo, didn't; I came ere to see you In
stead. / believe the poor bloke's been muir
dered. e was a good lin, too-poor Lanky
Lane!"
What" l exclaimed. 'Is that man Lane
dead?"
1T seems so,' Jevons responded. III he
is, then there we have further mystery"
'If you doubt 1t, sir, come with me down
to Shadwell," the old man said in his cock
ney drawl Nobody knows about 1t yet. l
ought to have told the perlice. but l know
you're better at mysterious affairs than the
silly coppers in Leman street.
Jevons' fame as an investigator Of crime
had spread even to that class known as
the submerged tenth. How fashions
change! A year or two ago It was the mode
of society to go Stunning" Today only
social ~eformers and missionaries make ex-
c%ursions to the homes Of the lower class In
East London. A society woman would not
dare admit today that she had been further
east than Leadenhall street.
Lets go and see what has really hap
pened," Amber said to me. If Lane Is
dead. then It proves that his enemy is
yours"
81 can't see that. How" I asked.
"You will see later. For the m
we must occupy ourselves with his death
and see whether 1t is owing TO natural
causes or to foul play. He was a heavy
drinker and it may have been that"
mo" declared the little old man.
''Lanky wasn't drunk today-that I'll swear.
sam i'm in Commercial road at Z, talkin'
to a Teller wot's in love wiz is sister"
Then how do you account for this dis
covery OF yours ?" asked my companion.
"I can't account for T., %guv'nor. ]
simply found i'm lying on the floor, and 1t
give me a shock. / can tell you. e was as
cold as ice"
= > XVI AZ 3Nt
said; so together We hurried along the
WhitechapeI High street, at that hour
busy with It's c~ostermonger market, and
along Commercial road east, arriving at
last in the dirty insalubrious thorough
fare. a veritable hive Of the lowest class
OF humanity-Tait street, Shadwell.
Up the dark stairs OF one Of the dirtiest
OF the dwellings our conductor guided u.s.
lighting our steps with wax vestas struck
upon the wall, and on gaining the third
floor Of the evil-smelling place he pushed
open a door and We found ourselves in an
unlit room.
Don't move, gentlemen" the old man
urged. you may fall over i'm. Els right
there, just where you're standin'. I'll
light the lamp"
Then he struck another match, and by
its tickle light we saw the body of Lane
the street-hawker, lying full length only
a yard from US, Just as our conductor had
described.
The cheap and smelling parrafhn lamp
| being lit, took a hasty glance around
the poor mans home. There was but little
furniture save the bed, a chair or two and
a rickety table. Upon the latter was one
OF those fiat bottles known as a quar-
tern" Our FIRST attention, however, was
10 the PROSTATE man. A single glance was
| sufficient to show that he was dead. His
a "a a1nnahaH and