Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-15
DAILY SHORT STORY
JAMES HOPE, INSPECTOR.

OF The Brown Eyes" to work up. The
beginning of the case was a murder
committed in London omnibus.
| While the vehicle was rolling along
with only two passengers in it-One a
banker and the other lady-the bank
er was stabbed to the heart. and the
lady swung herself off the step and dis
| appeared among the crowd. The bank
er lived long enough 10 say that she
was a Young and handsome woman.
richly attired, and that she had large
| brown eyes She had not robbed him.
| nor could he tell why she had sought
his death. She sat near him. but they
| had not spoken q word when she sud
| denly drew a dagger aud plunged 1t
| into his side. Fifty different people
| saw the young woman leave the Omni-
| bus bait five minutes later. when the
| alarm was given. no one could say in
which direction she had disappeared.
Even in his dying hour. as was after
ward ascertained. the banker had lied.
Many years previously and I'm another
city he had wrOnged a trusting girl
and left her to die I'm shame and dis
grace. That girl had sister and the
murderesS OF the omnibus was I'M
doubtedly she. The banker had two
sons both Of them young men. One
held ~ responsible position in a large
jewelry house, and the other was Just
setting up as a barrister. The police
thought it would he an easy matter TO
pick up the woman with the brown
eyes. but they found to the contrary.
She did not have half an hours start
90 ~ u. 81
cover a trace For weeks and weeks
they were looking for brown eyed wo-
men and keeping them under surveil-
lance, but nothing came of it,
One day three months later young
woman who spoke French fairly we'll
but who was undoubtedly English. call
ed nj a jewelry house In Bond street
and looked at a lot of valuable gems
and asked that they be sent to her
rooms at certain hotel at n certain
hour. She would then pay for what she
finally selected. II was the house in
which the bankers son was employed,
and he was selected to go with the val
uables. He reached the hotel, was con-
Quoted to the lady's rooms and two
hours later was found dead there. He
had also been stabbed AS none OF the
gems had been taken and as the WON
an had mysteriOusly disappeared II
was set down as case Of revenge
According TO the clerk and the servants
Of the hotel. the murderess had large
brown eyes, and her general descrip-
ton fitted that Of the woman of the
cab
AT this time two events happened in
the life OF Inspector Hope He was
given the case OF the brown eyed wOm-
an to work ont and his wife had II par
tial stroke of paralysis and engaged a
young woman to act az nurse and com
paniOn. She had advertised and In an
swer came n stranger who knew good
deal about nursing and who brought
the very best of characters. Inspector
Hope saw and talked with her himself
and was pleased to find her intelligent
and anxious TO please. She freely an
swered all questions and took the place
on probation. The inspector was to
write to certain parties in regard TO her
recommends When two weeks had
passed she asked II he had written. He
had not. His wife was so we'll pleased
with her nurse that he decided to take
chances.
For five weeks the nurse never left
the house. and for five weeks Inspect
or Hope brought all his luck logic
and acumen to bear on the last muir
der case. but he made no progress. He
was In despair. but still at work, feel
Ing that his reputation WAS at stake.
when third mysterious murder was
committed. The son OF the banker
xHvh In 10 4
client one afternoon young and
halfbsome woman wearing a half veil.
Sire was IN his office an hour. During
she first half hour two people saw her
there. No one knew when she de
parted. hut when n caller opened the
door the young lawyer was found
breathing his last He had been stab
bed as his father and brother had
been. and 10y the same dagger and the
same hand. Again the murderess had
disappeared and left no trace
As member Of the family, almost.
The nurse heard q great deal Of talk
about the strange murders and seem
ell Interested to an extent. She knew
now fervently the Inspector desired TO
make caBEure and was kind enough |
10 hope d1at he would succeed. Two |
days Hfter the murder of the lawyer
Ars Hope and the nurse went to the |
co4lyrv for a two months stay. and |
dhe Inspector set to work as he never |
had before. Spurred by the rewards |
offered. thousand detectives and /
were on the lookout for the |
woman with brown eyes. When six |
weeks had passed and their ardor had /
begun 10 cool Inspector Hope received |
word that his wifeS nurse was /
strangely missing He went down to
the farmhouse and found that such
was the case. She had simply walked /
out Of the house in the evening and /
been swallowed mp In The darkness
The inspector sat down and thought
for an hour. Then he rose I'D and /
made a search OF the bs ggage the
woman had left behind One simple
hing betrayed The whole case TO him.