The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-06-11

motor company, If one could Judge
by his cap and general automobile rig.
In despair Of carriage all of these
walked slowly up the hill in the direc-
/ ton Of Restmore. although in the fact
that save the farmer and the plain
clothes official. each pursued his way
alone, holding no communication with
the others, was conclusive proof that
their simultaneous arrival and their
common destination were merely coin
cidences. Mr.. Renwyck and his CON-
panions arrived long before the Others.
With the two detectives he went i'm
mediately into the library, where he
met his wife and Mr.. 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 q small vii
lage several miles away and who was
quite above suspicion anyway. Clear
~, then, the thief had in some way
learned the combination or else he was
an experienced craftsman.
On hearing Of the robbery the first
hi, rrI, fhof S~o&1
wycks mind was his curious meeting
in the library with his English guest
at o'clock in the morning, with the
window open and the burglar alarm
turned off. The providers explanation
had been quite simple. Mr.. Renwyck
had honestly striven to persuade him.
self that it was entirely satisfactory,
although be could not drive away a
sneaktng suspicion that everything was
not just right. In the light Of present
Developments his mind required to this
suspicion with added force. Then there
was that draft which the earl had so
inexplicably refused to sign after first
Offering to do so, small matter in
itself, yet coupled with the strange
nocturnal wanderings Of a gentleman
who wished to seek for a book at a
quarter past o'clock in the morning
well. it troubled Mr.. Renwyck not a
little. All the way to 1rvington 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 burglar as him.
self.
Mr.. Corrigan was the first to give
his evidence. He explained about the
tramp with 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 Mr.. Renwyck cold
~ declined to take the wager.
Mr.. Corrigan described the appear
ance Of the man with enthusiastic mi
nuteness, at which the foremost of
the detectives smiled an oily smile.
VESAAS ~ 60SAs AO CAS4dA1uOU luuCll-
cately, If that doesn't hit Jack Bibbs,
then I'm Dutchman! If Jacks got
your sinners, Mr.. Renwyck, you'd bet
ter whistle for 'em.'
"Why?" asked Mr.. Corrigan.
Because he's the slickest crook in
seven states.'' returned the sergeant,
nodding vigorously. Hes a 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 Mr..
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"
Nov, who ever saw sun. moon and
stars in the sky at the same time?"
queried the irrepressible Michael.
There you CO." 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-
t1rely 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 a
vain search for Harriet when he
CHANGED to overhear this last remark
His heart 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
master. would be forced to explain
also, and, taken in conjunction with
his own meeting with Mr. Renwyck in
the library, the outcome would be
ghastly. to say the least Yet he must
act on the detectives suggestion at
once.
"Shall send for my man" he asked