Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-26

the building that faced my headQuar- ters, so that he can spoil the game without mourning suspicion. It was very prettily planned, and, no doubt, if we knew the truth the poor man who went to his account over that at tempt on Lord Cranthorpe was vic- tim of this same Judas's treachery."
 As he spoke he spurned the body on the floor with his foot.
 It seemed to stir.
 ''Damme! I don't believe he's dead, after all,'' said Councillor Number Six. Kneeling down and placing one hand on the prostrate mans shoulder, he began to undo tho buttons of the waist coat.
 "Umph!" he grunted. There's g pound or two of stiff horsehair pad ding in the mans shoulders. You can feel it jutting out where the coat joins the sleeve. Wanted to make himself look broad and military, I suppose. A rum fancy. Now let's see if his hearts going" Opening the shirt at the collar, he slipped an open palm over the victims left breast
 Then he sprang to his feet with startled cry. My Godl mates," he said. "It isn't a man at all, but a woman!'
 "A woman!" chorused the con- spirators.
 "Yes, it is a woman right enough!" said the fellow. He stood for a mo- ment or two staring meditatiyely at the body, and then, with eyes nar- roWed to slits, he looked curiously at each of us in turn, as if expecting to find on one of our faces something which might indicate a previous knowledge of the victims sex In this he was disappointed, for watched the faces of the others meanwhile, and could detect no such sign as he sought.
 This, in fact. was hardly to be won- dered at under the circumstances Some physiognomists tell you that if you suspect man of lying, or an ene- my of finching, you should look him in the eyes. Do so by all means, but better still, watch his mouth. Many men will brazen it out boldly with their eyes, but all their hardihood can not quite control the traitor mo ath from betraying secrets to those who can read the signs alright. Several times eyes have looked unwaveringly into mine, as if steadied by ths con- sciousness of truth, even while the word liar was plainly written on the lips.
 | On the occasion of which am writ ing, the lips of those present were hid- den by the false boards and mus taches which we wore, and physiog- nomy q never yet met man or wom- an who did not plume himself, or her self, on being an adept in that science) was disadvantaged thereby. But, if the l expression counts for anything, one and all were taken aback and be- wildered by the surprise which had been sprung upon them regarding the victims sex.
 Did you know it was woman?" asked the man who had made the dis covery, wheeling round sharply upon Number Two.
 Indeed, did not" was the calm but decisive reply. @'The possibilities of such a thing never as much as oc- cured to me. But what you say about her shoulders being padded goes to prove that was right in accusing this person of having played tricks with my plan for celebrating the jubilee. I I distinctly said that the man saw watching me was high-shouldered as well as 1ong-faced."
 Do you think the chief knew this l person was Woman?" inquired the man who had constituted himself l spokesman.
 t'He must have done so. Each mem- Der of the council was selected by him, and was known to- him personally. 1 No doubt he had good reason for what
 he did. In fact. if you think of it, there were one or two little affairs l planned by him and carried out under l his superintendence that, if we had l thought of it at all, we might have I known only woman could have l worked successfully All the same, if l I'd suspected we had woman amongst us, I'm afraid should have funked the whole business. The woman isn't
 born yet, and never will be born, that .I I'd trust my neck to. Sooner or later they're bound to play you false. I've l known good many bad men in my time-men who were sensual as hogs and as cruel as tigers-but the biggest brute of a man living couldn't stoop to the black treachery that some women
 are capable of. And they can be as treacherous to the man who's faithful to them and works his fingers to the
 bone for them, as they can to the
 blackguard that kicks them to death with hob-nailed boots. I tell you what it is, my friends, it's lucky for us We
 have made this discovery while our necks were safe. Some one has been i playing us false ever since our chief
 died (and we don't know that some
 body didn't play him. false, and that
 he wouldn't have been among us to-
 day but for that same somebody.
 But there lies the traitor, beyond all doubt, and you see if things don't work better with us now that the Judas who
 has been trying to circumvent us is
 out of the way"
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