The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-01-31

twenty-siX-juSt married, ana Win q
reputation to make. At that time the
whole detective staff were engaged On
the mysterious Damian case, WHICH
you no doubt remember. NO?
II was this: Miss Damian was
wealthy old lady who lived on Tue
outskirts of Windsor. She was eccen-
tric, but generous, and lived alone
with a man and his wife as servants,
whom she treated very kindly.
One morning the female servant, al
most dead with fright, crawled into
the Windsor police station win the
intelligence that thieves had broken
into the house during the night ana
that something dreadful had happen
ed.
Miss Damian had heard them ana
cried out Petworth, her husband, had
gone to Miss Damian's aid. She her
self was so terrified that she dared
not move She heard a groan, ana
lay paralyzed with terror till 1t was
light, and had then crept down the
back staircase, and brought the news
What had really taken place she did
not know.
Two officers went back with her.
They found Petworth on the STAIRS
unconscious from a great wound III
his head, and Miss Damian outside
her bedroom door, stone dead.
Petworth was taken to the inhrm-
airy at once, and the hue and cry was
raised. Windsor telegraphed to us
Two of use went. We came TO the
conclusion that 1t was London job.
II appears that Miss Damian kept
large sum of money in the house, and
there was valuable plate besides and
with all this the thieves had made of.
We found jimmy, but with no dis
tinctive marks that would give us
clue. Petworth rallied little, but
was unable to give any very decided
account of the affair. There were two
men, but his description of them was
so vague as to be quite useless for the
purposes of Identification. Poor fell
low Inflammation of the brain set
in, and more than twelvemonth
elapsed before he was well again.
We worked hard to secure the muir.
derers. We made every inquiry at
Windsor and at the railway stations.
We closely watched all known thieves
in town, and arrested on suspicion
those whom we thought likely. But 1t
was useless. For several weeks we
exerted ourselves to the utmost, but
a. hnaa mo nf th crimes
that seem fated to be a secret OF
course the papers, who were wiser
than We, were very severe with us on
account of our failure. We had come
to the conclusion that Il was one of a
series of robberie3 that had taken
place within a radius Of thirty miles
from London, which had all of them
completely baffled us.
One evening, about a month after
the murder, being off duty, my wife
asked me to take a message to her
brother, Strand topacconist's assist
ant. My wife used to tell me l was
the handsomest man of the force and
smart as possible. AS | was going
out she plucled a carnation and stuck
1t in my buttonhole, laughingly de.
claring looked lust lovely" Little
did we guess that that simple flower
would bring fortune to one and death
to another.
found my brother-in-law was not
there, being out on business, but was
expected back by the train due al
Charing Cross at lis; so | strolled VI
TO the station TO meet him. A trair
had just arrived, and | sauntered III
and down the platform watching thu
arrivals,
Everybody had cleared away from
the platform when a yelled lady came
hurrying by. She looked at me and
l observed, took particular notice o.
the flower in my coat. She made al
II to pass me, but turned around.
Good evening, Mr. Trenchard," SHE
said In an inqulring tone.
| do not know what spirit of mis-
chief it was that prompted me, but
answered Good evening"
81 should have known you by the
description I've had OF you, sir, a:
well as by your flower, but thought
you would speak first"
What did that woman mean? A de-