The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-02
n Dangerous Suindler.
BY LESLIE THRALE.

I'VE place ourselves entirely In your
hands,
Detective Clay considered for a min
ute.
What room Is just above this he
asked at length, Cooking out over the
front door,"
Our bedroom answered Miss Clut-
tcrbtick.
THE best thing I can do, them said
the detective. 'if you Indies Will kindly
allow me. is to take up n position ut the
window UP there. Then I can get Il good
look Mt the man MS he comes in. II. as
suspect. he turns out to be our friend,
I will slip quietly downstairs and go and
secure assistance. Then / Will return
and arrest him.
well. you had better lose no time go
ing upstairs" observed Miss Marin; Tho
may come any minute now. I Will lead
the way"
So saying, the sisters conducted the
detective up to their bedroom. n large,
airy apartment on the second floor, the
windows OF which commanded a clear
view of the road beneath.
Clay. ~ shall be able to see in Il min
ute IL your visitor is the man I want.
His disguise will have to be very com
pIete to take me in. BY the by, Miss
Clutterbuck, 1t would facilitate matters
very much + we could catch the man
in tho very act OF stealing. GIVE him
every opportunity to pocket something.
i promise YOU he shall not get away Win
his booty"
Trembling with excitement, the sisters
went downstairs. and again settled
themselves in the drawing-room to
await the coming of their visitor.
IA the minutes slipped by and no Wis
itor appeared. the good ladies began to
fear that Sunny Jack was going to
%disappoint them.
After half an hour OF fruitless waiting
Miss Eliza grew impatient. IT don't be-
licve anyone is coming" she said at
length: "the man must have been
warned that the police are after him. and
has taken alarm. Anyhow / am not go
ing to have that detective up there In
our bedroom any longer. I shall go and
tell him to come down."
Even as she spoke. they heard Inc
front-door bell ring violently.
There he is exclaimed Miss Maria
In great excitement. Dear me. I feel so
nervous. 1 wonder what he will be
like"
A minute later a stout, red-faced lit
tie man was showned into the room.
The Miss Clutterbucks looked up in
bewilderment. Surely this fat, elderly
man was not going to I'VE the effrontery
to pass himself off as their newphew.
Excuse me, ladies' said the new
conner, "for intruding upon you in this
manner. but my business is urgent. I
am Detective Moss OF Scotland Yard
What! Another desective!' ex-
claimed Miss Eliza. in surprise. Have
you come after Sunny Jack too.
Yes said the little man, quickly.
that is just what l have come for
What do you mean by another detoc-
tive?"
Why said Miss clutterbuck. DE
tective Roderic Clay. also of Scotland
Yard, is at this moment in the house
awaiting the arrival Of the notorious
swindler Sunny Jack who we believe
Is about to pay us a visit this afternoon
IN the guise of our nephew Dick Clutter
buck"
For a minute the new detective SEEM
ed puzzled. "Roderic Clay" he repeated
slowly. Il don't think Suddenly a
ight seemed to break upon him. .In
this house. now" he cried, excitedly;
where is he?-quick,"
IN our bedroom upstairs" replied Miss
Eliza. Why, what is the matter?'
Without waiting to reply. Detective
Moss dashed up the stairs. and entered
tie bedroom, followed by the sisters,
who were greatly puzzled at his vehs-
DeIiuSiDT. .FlHey VIII = never get
over the shock caused to their nervous
system by the sight that met their eyes
as they entered the room. The place
was in utter disorder their wardrobe
ra~nsacked, and the less valuable con-
tents of the drawers strewn about the
room. Worst of all, it needed but a min
ute to assure the Miss Clutterbucks that
their jewel case was missing from It's
accustomed shelf in the cupboard.
ri NJ, rnnrI pnnIyIaao ~, 1900 RI. g.
ria, my amethyst bracelet. Where are
they??"
Miss Eliza was scarcely less over
whelmed.
Where is Detective clay?" she de-
manded; "he shall be answerable for
this. The thief must have robbed us
before his very eyes
Detective Moss surveyed the desolate
scene with a grim smile.
Detective Roderic Clay, alias Sunny
Jack has gone Off with your property
himself. madam" he said; evidently he
has had a most successful afternoons
work.
do you mean to say cried Miss
Maria. Historically. that Detective Clay
was Sunny Jack himsclf?"
'.Of course, madam" said the little
man.. quietly; there can't be two opin-
Ions about 1t. / should like to know how
~ Soab'S ''BOoS NlchA ~ ~ II
While Miss Maria e%ndeavorcd to re-
store her shattered nerves with salvol-
atilc. her sister proceeded to give the
real detective an account OF what had
occurred that afternoon. and ended up
by showing him tho telegram signed
Dick Clutterbuck.
My word! but he is a clever scoun-
drel," he said. when Miss okltterbuck
had finished her story. N doubt Mr..
Clay sent tho telegram himself. He has
Just come from Australia. so / suppose
he heard out there about your nephew
coming home. It's marvellous how he
gets to know about other peoples af-
fairs"
Why did you not arrive sooner if
you knew he was coming here?" asked
Miss Clutterblck, angrily.
Unfortunately I did not know he was
coming to this particular house. He
was seen in the neighborhood this morn
ing. and, consequently. we have been
round warning most Of the h~ousehoAders
his afternoon