Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-04-02

walked hastily away again, this time
iE the opposite direction.
That's the place, clearly" Hewitt
said. "We must slip across quietly
as soon as he's far enough down the
road. Now!'
We hurried stealthily across, through
the gate and into the c%hurchyard,
where Hewitt threw his blue specta-
cles away. 1t was now nearly 8 In the
evening, and the sun was setting.
Once again Wilks approached the gate
and did not enter because a laborer
passed at the time. Then he came
back and slipped through.
The grass about the graves was long,
and under the trees it was already twi-
light. Hewitt and 1, two or three
yards apart, to avoid falling over one
another in case Of sudden movement,
watched from behind gravestones.
Wilks made straight for the stone be-
hind which Hewitt waited.
1 saw Hewitt's dark form swing
noiselessly round to the other side Of
the stone. Wilks passed on and drop
ped on his knee beside a large, wealth
e. worn slab that rested on a brick
u~nderstructure. a foot or so high. The
long grass largely hid the bricks, and
among it Wilks plunged his hand, feel
ing along the brick surface. Presently
he drew out a loose brick and laid it
on the slab. He felt again in the
place and brought forth a small dark
object. 1 saw Hewitt rise erect in the
gathering dusk and with extended arm
step noiselessly toward the STOPPING
man. Wilks made a motion to place
the dark object in his pocket. but
checked himself and opened what ap-
sure Of the safety of the contents. The
last light, struggling under the trees,
fell on a brilliantly sparkling object
within, and like a flash Hewitt's hand
shot over Wilks' shoulder and snatched
the jewel.
The man actually screamed-one of
those curious sharp little screams that
one may hear from a woman very sud-
denly alarmed. But he sprang at Hew-
lit. like a cat. only to meet a straight
drive Of the fist that stretched him Oh
his back across the slab. | sprang
from behind my stone and helped
Hewitt to secure his wrists with a
pocket handkerchief. Then we march
ed him, struggling and swearing, to
the village.
We didn't get back to London till the
next day, staying for the night. There
We're, In fact, no late trains. We told
Sir Valentine the story of the Irish
man, much to his amusement.
"Leamy's tale sounded unlikely, Of
course" Hewitt said, "but it was no.
ticeable that every one Of his misfor-
tunes pointed in the same direction
that certain persons were tremendous
ly anxious to get at something they
supposed he had. When he spoke of
his adventure with the bag, I at once
remembered Wilks' arrest and subse-
quent release. Leamy's recognition of
Wilks' portrait made me feel pretty
certain. Plainly, he had carried stolen
property. The poor, innocent fellows
conversation with Hollams showed
that, as, in fact, did the sum-, f5, paid
to him by way of regulars or custo-
mary toll, from the plumber for serv-
ices of carriage. Hollams obviously
took Leamy for a criminal friend of
Wilks', because of his use of the
thieves expression sparks and 'regu-
lars,' and suggested, in terms which
Leamy misunderstood, that he should
sell any plumber he might obtain to
himself, Hollams. Altogether 1t would
have been very curious if the plumber
were not that from Radcot Hall, espe-
cially as no other robbery had been re.
ported at the time.
"Now, among the Jewels taken, only
one was of a very %pre-eminent value
the famous ruby. 1t was scarcely like
~ that Hollams would go to so much
trouble and risk. attempting to drug,
injuring, waylaying and burgling the
rooms of the unfortunate Leamy, for a
jewel Of small value-for any jewel, in
fact, but the ruby.
"The struggle and fight of Wilks
from Hollams' confirmed my previous
impressions. Hollams, finally salts
fed that very morning that Leamy
certainly had not the jewel, either on
his person or at his lodging, and know
ing from having so closely watched
him that he had been nowhere where
it could be disposed of, concluded that
Wilks vas cheating him and attempt
ed to extort the ruby from him by the
aid of another rufian and a pistol. The
rest Of my way was plain"
We ascertained on our return to
town the next day that the bag, with
all its contents intact, had been taken
by the police at their surprise visit to
No. 8 Gold street, as we'll as much
other stolen property. Hollams and
Wilks each got very wholesome doses
Of penal servitude, to the intense de-
light Of Mick Leamy. Leamy himself,
by the bye, is still to be seen, clad in
a noble uniform, guarding the door Of
a well known London restaurant. He
has not had any more Is notes for al
rytng bags and does not expect any.
Facts About the Capitol.
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