Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-28

ny HIS cap anu general dutOuoDlle TIE
 In despair of carriage all of these walked slowly up the hill in the dlrec ton of Restmore, although in the fact that, save the farmer and the blair clothes official, each pursued his way alone, holding no communication witl the others, was conclusive proof tha, their simultaneous arrival and theil common destination were merely coin cidences. MT. Renwyck and his com panions arrived long before the others
 With the two detectives he went i'm mediately into the library, where he met his wife and Mir. Corrigan. The safe was wide open, showing the tum bled contents just as they had been found when the door was unlocked two hours earlier by Uncle Michael In utter silence the two sleuths made an examination, but beyond one tiny scratch near the keyhole of the inner door the safe showed no evidence of having been tempered with. Besides Mr. Renwyck. there was no one else who knew the combination except the old butler, who was confined to his bed with rheumatism in a small viii lage several miles away and who was quite above suspicion anyway. Clear ly, then, the thief had in some way learned the combination or else he was an experienced cracksman.
 On hearing of the robbery the first thought that flashed into Mir. Ren wyck's mind was his curious meeting in the library with his English guest at 3 o'clock in the morning, with the window open and the burglar alarm turned off. The providers explanation had been quite simple. MT. RenwycE had honestly striven to persuade him self that it was entirely satisfactory although be could not drive away 8 sneaking suspicion that everything was not just right. In the light of present developments his mind recurred to this suspicion with added force. Then there was that draft which the ead had SC inexplicably sefused to sign after first offering to do so, a small matter in itself, yet coupled with the strange nocturnal wanGerings of a gentleman quarter past o'clock in the morning well, it troubled MT. Renwyck not a little. All the way to Irvington he had turned the matter over in his mind yet on meeting Lord Croyland on the front veranda he was forced to admit that the frank appearing young man looked as little like a burglar as him. self.
 Mir. Corrigan was the first to give his evidence. He explained about the tramp with a cast in his eye and told how he had first observed the man on the train coming from New York, then how the same man had come to Rest more begging. He offered to bet his brother-in-law thousand dollars to five hundred that the cock eyed fellow was the robber, but MT. Renwyck cold ly declined to take the wager.
 Mir. Corrigan described the appear ance of the man with enthusiastic mi nuteness, at which the foremost of the detectives smiled an oily smile.
 Well, by gad," he exclaimed indeli- catelv, If that doesn't hit Jack Bibbs. then I'm q Dutchman! If Jacks got your sinners, MT. Renwyck, you'd bet ter whistle for 'em."
 "Why?" asked Mir. Corrigan.
 Because he's the slickest crook in seven states" returned the sergeant, nodding vigorously. Hes hundred and fifty miles away by this time, sure.'
 "Um" said Uncle Michael. "If you had listened to me, Jake, instead of trying to be humorous. you''-
 "Oh, shut up, will you?" growled Mir. Renwyck. This is no time for recrim- ination. You'd argue the sun. moon and stars out of the sky together if you found any one to listen to you"
 Now. who ever saw sun, moon and stars in the sky at the same time" queried the irrepressible Michael.
 There you go." retorted his brother in-law. Your story of the tramp is just as absurd now as it was in the beginning. Come: let's get down to business. Call everybody in. These officers will question every inmate of the house. Gentlemen" he said. turn ing to the detectives, you have my permission to proceed in any manner which seems best to you. We are en- tirely in your hands,"
 All right. sir" answered the de- tective sergeant, whose name was Flint. "We'll take the servants first"
 Richard was crossing the hall in vain search for Harriet when he to overhear this last remark. His Eeart went down again. If Wool sey Bills were questioned it would mean far more than turning a guilty villain over to the authorities. He. the would be forced tc explain also. and. taken in conjunction with his own meeting with Mir. Renwyck in the library. the outcome would be to say the least. Yet he must act cn the dctective's suggestion at once.
 Shall I send for my man:" he asked of Mfr. Renwyck. who at that moment came out into the hall.
 NO" said his host; well take my own servants first. James" he called to a sphinxlTke butler in the hall, tell ail the servants to come into the libra ry-aIl of them. Understand"
 "Yes. sir" answered James. with a solemn bow. and departed on his mis- sion.
 Richards heart went up again He had q slight reprieve. It would last perhaps twenty minutes. yet much nlfphf haurau fin that guau of time