Evening star., 1908-01-19
RcRe

quickened his pace and soon reached A
narrow street lined with second hand
clothing stores The sidewalk was crowd
81 ana Brooks experienced some diff
Guilty in keeping his man In view At
times re was almost within arms length
CT MS prey again the pursued would be
haIi block IN advance of the pursCer.
Presently the man disappeared in the
most unexpected manner They were in
the middle of the block and there Were
no courts or alleys In sight. But he was
lost 10 View as completely as if the Side
walk had opened and swallowed him
Near the spot where he had disappeared
were three second hand clothing stores
differing in appearance only by The names
on the creaking wooden signs that were
suspended from the Sccoud-story windows.
Each one was perfect Wilderness Of old
clothes. Dummies arrsyed in all tho glory
of checked and striped sGiis confronted
one at every turn. Goats and trousers
hung suspended from hooks making n
dense drapery which almost entirely CON
cealed the doors and windows from sight.
\ barker stood on each sidewalk i'm
pioring the passersby to come in and
purchase clothing at prices which made
the ordinary bankrupt sales seem like the
height of extravaganza. Brooks paused
irresolute for a moment But IL did not
take him long to form his purpose. lie
looked al the three stores and then
dashed into the doorway OF the middle
one.
IL.
| ed IN semidarkness and IL was some
moments before Brooks could act his
bearings. lie did so by degrees. \
long counter ran the length of the
room At the far end. standing IN a
doorway communica ting with a small
wing room. were a man and a woman.
Both were elderly. and the man wore
long gray beard. Something in their
| attitude struck the detective a being
significant. Both looked startled and
they shrank from Brooks as IL ne were
| infected with some contagious disease
He knew his people well enough TO
know that upder normal conditions
they would give prospective customer
the heartiest sort OF welcome,
| lie was about to speak when a third
| person emerged from the gloom behind
the counter. 1T was young man ap-
parently, although he was somewhat
stopped and wore green spectacles. lie
| approached Brooks with an affable
smile. and. rubbing his two hands to-
gether. said in n subdued voice.
| What can we do for you today
/ The detective hardly knew how to
| begin the conversation. He answered
| at random:
I'D like to look at coat.
/ The man behind the counter paused
I to think. AT the same time Brooks
u al
on the end Of the counter. lie put his
1 hand on the garment.
This just suits me; what's the low
est price,"
| The man started unconsciousiS.
That's not for he began. then
\ stopped abruptly. He smiled IN an
| apologetic sort of way, and began
| again
| Il meant to say that it would not
/ fit you
| The venerable couple stood in the
doorway. their unsophisticatei faces
/ filled with wonder. The detective
| turned to the salesman and said
How do you know it won't fit me-
The man smiled again and began to rub
his hands harder than ever. lie spoke
! gently.
Il merely judged by your build,
| Brooks felt in his hip pocket. He was
i satisfied with what he found there. He
leaned over the counter until his face al
most touched that of the salesman. He
spoke slowly and with deliberation:
Come. It's time to end this farce.
What do you mean?' cried the other,
Strengthening up.
Brooks did not speak. He acted. He
eached his arm across the counter and
| grabbing the green goggles pulled them
I from the astonished face OF the sales
man. \ shout of dismay rang through the
| room
There before the detective stood the man
with the lazy eyes.
These languid orbs never showed the
/ slightest signs of uneasness. The mans
/ face twitched convulsively, but his eyes
were almost motionless Brooks dropped
the green glasses and covered the fellow
with his pistol.
| Come. Hughcy Harrison. lie cried.
1.-The games up
..You win said the other sullenly; II
| surrender
He was promptly handcuffed, much to
4 n
way That same afternoon Neil Barlow.
the driver of the yellow-wheeled carriage.
was taken into custody. Harrison and
! Barlow "squealed' on Bob" Ahcrn. who
was with them III the conspiracy to kill
| Brooks and after hasty trial all three
of he cr minals were convicted and given
ten years apiece in the state prison.
(Next week: '.Chief Wilkie and the Gold
| Certifcates.D