The Press., 1903-10-01
THE DINING
CAR CLEW
By HEADoN HILL
Copyright. 1908, by T. C. Mcclure

i went at once TO the cn1eI Super1n-
tcndent's office and was received by my
superior officer with a friendly nod.
Good news for you, Grantham," he
said Some one has fairly given Bra
DIV away. Read that letter and look
at that photo.
The letter was undated and unsigned.
It was in these words:
Brady, the bank note forger. intends to
break cover this afternoon and make a
bolt for the States. He will leave Euston
for Liverpool by the $50 corridor express,
accompanied by his female accomplish,
named Daisy Gilbart. Brady Is certain
to be disguised The writer, however. in
closes a photograph of Daisy Gilbart,
who, not being as yet known to the po-
lice, may possibly travel in propria per-
soma.
The photograph was that Of bold,
saucy eyed young woman with profu-
sion of light hair and very showily at
tired in evening dress. A mark on the
neck attracted my attention.
"One would have thought that wO-
man of that type would have got the
photographer to retouch the mark out
of the picture" l said. what do you
make of it all, sir-a split in the camp?"
"The chances are that Jealousy of
this person Gilbart prompted the in
formation"
l could not gainsay the chiefs view.
In nine cases out of ten the anonymous
letters that lead to the capture of i'm
portant criminals are due to feminine
spite. And yet there was the chance
that the friendly letter might be a
"plant."
The warrant for Joe Brady had been
In my hands for six weeks. The only
credit l could so far take was that my
pursuit had been so keen that he had
not dared to come out into the open
and make a bolt for it.
glanced at the clock. 1t was near
ly O'clock, and had two hours and
q half to make arrangements for the
capture. l mentioned the names Of the
plain clothes men whom desired to
support me and took my departure.
So it was that at o'clock l drove up
in hanson to the terminus, carefully
dressed in the garments Of bishop
and with my face altered from all SEM
blance to the original. To be in keep
ing with my assumed character in the
probable event of Brady having con-
federates on the watch, l went into the
booking office and took first class
ticket for Liverpool, after which l
strolled out on to the platform just as
the train of vestibule cars was backing
into position.
Early as it was, my two subordinates
had by my direction preceded me to the
station, though they were not to openly
communicate with me till the supreme
moment One of them, smart young
sergeant named Parker, who was got
up as blue jacket. contrived to whis-
per in my ear as l stood at the book
stall:
1.-THE girl Is here, apparently alone.
Came ten minutes ago. Took two first
to Liverpool Now in the ladies' wait
ing ROOM"
Parker and his colleague had Of
course had a sight of the photograph.
His information was welcome, as prov
ing that at any rate the letter received
at the yard had some foundation and
was not, as I had half feared, a prac-
teal joke designed to lead us on a wild
goose chase.
sat down on a bench opposite the
dining car to await developments. A
bishop is a common object nowadays.
and my laced hat and CATERS attracted
but little attention. 1 was able to look
over the top of the Church Times, which
I had purchased, and so watch the ar
rival of passengers. A score of people
had taken their seats in the dining car,
but not one of them, allowing for the
most elaborate disguise, could l identi-
fly as Joe Brady. They were mostly
unmistakable Americans returning to
their native land in parties of threes
and tours.
Suddenly an incident occurred which
at the time caused me some uneasi-
ness. Sergeant Parker's voice reached
me, raised in tones Of expostulation.
"No, don't want drink, mate, and
by the same token you seem to have
had a full dose already" he was say
ing.
A little way along the platform my
assistant had been accosted by a half
tipsy blue jacket, who was trying to
pull him into the buffet. The sailors
cap proclaimed that he belonged to the
same ship as that which Parker's dis
guise denoted, the Majestic. To my re-
lief, the man seemed to be too muddled
to perceive that the sergeant was no
shipmate of his, but staggered off, drop
ping his bundle once or twice, to the
front of the train.
The sailor had hardly disappeared
when the original of the photograph
came out of the waiting room and
crossed the platform to the dining car.
She was wearing a well cut serge cos
tune and had made no attempt at dis
guise, even the mark on her neck being
distinctly visible above the collar of
her dress.
But where was the redoubtable Bra
dy? 1t was 5:25 now, and there were
no signs Of Miss or Mrs. Daisy Gill
bart's inteSded travelling companion.
The same question was plainly begin
ming 10 agitate the lady. She quilted
the seat which she had secured and
stood on the platform Of the car gazing
anxiously toward the entrance from
the booking office.
The warning bell rang. decided
on no account to lose sight Of the fair
Daisy. If the person she was expect
ing did not come and she went OH in
the train l would go too. If she got
out and abandoned her journey l and
my assistants would shadow her wher
ever she went.
Contriving a word with Parker,
hastily sketched my intentions and
babe him go forward to the third class
carriage into one Of which he was to
jump at the last minute IL he saw me
board the dining car.
A moment later had taken my seat
in the car, for Gilbart, after one last
distracted gaze to the station entrance.
had decided to pursue her journey. AS
the train gathered speed settled down
to the task of watching for signs Of
her fraternizing with one of the other
passengers, but nothing Of the sort Oc-