The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-09-20
CHAPTER X.
A STEP HIGHER.

HAIL.
"Oh. is that him?" observed the In
spector, sticking his thumbs into his
belt and gazing at Philip with profess
sional severity.
Philip met their scrutiny without
flinching. He leaned against the wall
with his hands in his pockets, one fist
cinched over the pouchful of gold, the
other guarding a diamond bigger than
the Koh-i-Noor
II am sorry / have only one chair.
gentlemen" ne said. alphabetically.
That's all right, my lad" said the
inspector. THE constable here tells me
that you very pluckily helped him to
capture a notorious burglar. The man
was hiding In this news, and IL seems
you first saw him looking in through
your window. What were you doing
at the time?"
Packing my portmanteau."
"Oh. packing your portmanteau."
Yes. That is it,
He STOPPED and nonchalantly threw
IL open. His clothes and boots, and
some of the other contents. were ex-
posed to view. The inspector laughed.
mot many diamonds there, Bradley"
mo, sir. told you Mason was talk
ing rubbish"
did he say any more about me being
the boy who found the meteor" asked
Philip. with a first-rate attempt at a
grin
Wouldn't talk of anything else" vol
unteered P. c. Bradley.
Judging by the way he dropped
when hit him. expect he saw stars
said Philip.
Are you leaving here?" asked the
Inspector.
Yes. / must The company which
owns these premises intends to pull
them down on the first of next month"
What is your manner"
'Anson''
''Ah, l think I remember hearing
something about your mothers death
Very nice woman, / was told. A lady,
too"
Yes, all that and more"
OF course, that accounts for your
manners and appearance. Have you
found some friends?"
The inspectors glance roved from the
serviceable portmanteau to Philips tidy
garments, and IL was his business to
make rapid deductions.
Yes, most fortunately
Anybody connected with Sharpe &
Smith," the constable put in.
Sharpe & Smith Who are they?"
Don't you know? Their young man
certainly didn't seem to know much
about your movements. He has been
here twice looking for you. The first
time was, let me see, last Monday.
about o'clock 1 was on duty in the
main road and he asked me for some
information. We came and looked in,
but your door was locked. The man
on this beat this afternoon told me that
the same clerk was making further in
quiries today, so as soon as / came on
duty / strolled into the news 10 find
out If you were at home. That is how
] happened to see you
He turned toward the inspector.
He was packing his bag at the mo-
ment, sir, and Mason had evidently
been scared from the window by my
footsteps in the arch
The inspector pursed out his under
lip.
The whole thing is perfectly clear"
he said. Boy. have you got a watch 90
No" said Philip, surprised by this
odd question.
Bradley. he hasn't got a watch" OBJ
served the inspector. He again ad-
dressed Philip.
Where are you going tomorrow"
II am not quite sure. but my address
will be known TO Mrs Wrigley. the
James Street Laundry. Shepherd
Bush
"Ah, The constable SAYS you do not
wish TO be mixed up in the arrest OF
Mason. There is no need for you tc
appear in court, but-er-in such cases
as yours, the-er-police like to show
their-er-appreciati of your services
That is so. Bradley. isn't ito"
Yes. sir. If 1t hadn't been for him
] shouldn't be here now. Jocky had
me fairly cornered."
You had no time to summon assist
ance?"
Il barely heard he was here, before
the window was smashed and | knew
he was trying to get out the other way
You heard him. Anson?"
Philip looked the policeman sauarely
in the eyes.
You had just taken off your great
coat when the glass cracked" he said
Police Constable Bradley stopped tc
pick up his coat. He did not
wish this portion of the night.
proceedings to be described too min
utely. In moving the garment
he disturbed the packet of letters In
the solicitors mentioned by the consta
BILE.
You said that a clerk from Messrs
Sharpe & Smith called here twice?" h,
asked
Yes"
He picked out one of the letters
opened IL and made certain of his fact!
before ne cried. angrily:
Then / want TO have nothing what
ever to do with them. They treated m,
mother stamefuliy."
The Inspector had sharp eyes.
What is the date OF that letter." h.
inquired.
January Is of this year"
And what are those-pawn tickets q
Yes. some of my mothers jewelr,
and dresses. Her wedding ring wa
the last to go. Most of them are on
of date, but I intend to- Will try [,
save some of them. especially her wed
ding ring"
Jocky MBson's romance was now dis
ss)ated into thin air The contents o
the portmanteau. the squalid appear
ance of the house. the date of the sole
itor's letter. the bundle OF pawn ticket
offered conclusive evidence to the In
spector's matter OF fact mind that tn
ex-convict's story was the effect of
truncheon rapidly applied TO a brail
excited by the newspaper comments oil
"a sensational yarn about some boy VIII
had found parcel of diamonds.
This youngster had not been favore'
by any such extraordinary piece o
luck. Simple chance had led him t