The San Francisco call., 1906-07-15

jute bundle over there-they are iden-
tical. are they not2" said Dawson.
MTyes.'' said Hammond reluctantly.
Both tied. as you can see by the way
the loops run. by a left-handed man.
eh?" said Dawson.
Hammond gave an ejaculation OF
surprise.
a left-handed mani he cried.
'Unquestionably.'' said Dawson
Finally, look at that photograph
Dawson took a photograph from his
pocket and tossed it across the table
to Hammond.
by the living lingo. Grimminsr'
cried Hammond as he looked at the
portrait.
No" laughed Dawson. but BIZ
Galloway. number 39,6O7 in the Rogues'
Gallery. out of Sing Sing since a wear
ago last January, where he had served
ten years for an inside job exactly sim
liar to this. Where did you get him,
Hammond?"
"Why-I-he used to wait on me at
the Cafe Delavan downtown and-er-
later I got him JOB at the Cosmopoli-
tan Club He was so very attentive
and Mrs. Hammond liked him so much
when he waited on US at little dinner
there two months ago that. needing a
Just took him in. eh?" said Dawson
quizzically.
yes" Hammond assented, reddening
to his ears,
With or without references?" asked
He didn't need any," protested
Hammond.
Apparently not" said Dawson with,
"a laugh. But come. will you go up
stairs -now?"
You bet WILL" cried Hammond. ris-
ing from his chair with alacrity. Two
steps at a time"
After an hours search above stairs
things looked better for Grimmins. for
never a trace of the silver was to be
found. but half hour later, coming
to the wine cellar in our search below
stairs, we discovered something which
clinched Dawson's suspicious. In the
champagne section stood ten cases.
seven of which contained twelve bot
ties each of a famous brand Of brut
wine and the other three the missing
Hammond plate, together with a .32-
caliber revolver from which a single
shot had recently been fired.
Il wonder If he'll have the nerve to
come back?" gasped Hammond as the
truth dawned upon him.
After that two hundred and fiftyT.,
laughed Dawson
shut up" said Hammond Don't
talk of that-double-dyed ass that
am"
We'll. he won't be back" said Daw-
son, rising to go. Fact is, before
left home this morning I telephoned
Brinckerhoff that I'd send a frst-class
inside man down to him with mes
sage about 10 o'clock and asked him to
hold him a few hours on approval"
You knew before you Gamer" cried
Hammond.
YES, jim" said Dawson. "T recog-
III 81 Ill
when Jenkins and I dined here last
week. Fact is. it was my old teacher.
Inspector Williams. who landed Grim
Minis the first time. and I never forget
face 1 knew what he was after, all
right. didn't I. Jenkins?''
Looks that way" said 7. and un-
folded the story OF our wager to Ham
mond.
You might have told me-" said
Hammond ruefully.
NO" said Dawson. putting on his
hat You needed a jolt. Hammond.
and I-er-I think yos got it. Next
time you need a butler to take care
of Your household goods. go straight.
to some respectable penitentiary and
ask If they've got an honest. reliable
man there for the job. In that way
you may get line on his character in
time to save trouble"
Just then the telephone bell rang.
SOmcDOOy wants MI lawson, SdlQ
the maid.
What is it?" asked Hammond ner-
vously when Dawson returned
"Brinckerhon wants to know what
to do with Grimmins.' said he. Il told
him you would be down to make a
complaint in a few minutes"
Me-" cried Hammond. Not on your
life"
But. my dear man." protested Daw-
son. IF you don't go he'll go scot free
You can't hold a man forever without
an accusation of some kind"
Tell Brinckerhoff to tell him to go
to the DEVIL" retorted Hammond. 'TveN
got the stuff. so what's the odds?"
Your duty TO society" began Daw-
son.
Hang my duty to society. Do YOU
suppose 1 want this story in every
newspaper in the land? Complain? Not
on your life, 1 don't aspire 10 become
the nine days joke of this community.
Grimmins can go to the dickens for all
1 carep'
And that is why the story of the
Hammond plate never got into print.
There was no one to make out a case
against the culprit