Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-04-23
THE DINING CAR CLEW
Followed by a Detective, II Led
to a Capture.
BY HsADoN HILL.


i went at once to the chief superin-
tendents office and was received by
my superior officer with a friendly
nod.
Good news for you, Grantham." he
said. "Some one has fairly given Bra.
dy away. Read that letter and look at
that photo"
The letter was undated and unsign.
ed. 1t was In these words:
Brady. the banknote forger, intends to
break cover this afternoon and make a
bolt for the States. He Will leave Euston
for Liverpool by the $3.50 corridor express.
accompanied by his female accomplish.
named Daisy Gilbart. Brady is certain
to be disguised. The writer, however. in
closes a photograph of Daisy Gilbart.
who, not being as yet known to the po-
lice, may possibly travel In propria per-
soma.
The photograph was that of bold,
saucy eyed young woman with a pro-
fusion of light hair and very showily
attired In evening dress. A mark on
the neck attracted my attention.
zone would have thought that a wo-
man of that type would have got the
photographer to retouch the mark out
of the picture" said. what do you
make of 1t all, sir-a split in the
campT
'"The chances are that jealousy of
this person Gilbart prompted the in
formation"
] could not gainsay the chiefs view.
In nine cases out OF ten the anony-
nous letters that lead to the capture
of important criminals are due to fem
mime spite. And yet there was the
chance that the friendly letter might
be a plant"
The warrant for Joe Brady had been
In my hands for six weeks The only
credit could so far take was that my
pursuit had been so keen that he had
not dared to come out into the open
and make bolt for it.
1 glanced at the clock. 1t was near
ly 3 o'clock. and / had two hours and
a half to make arrangements for the
capture. i mentioned the name of the
plain clothes men whom l desired to
support me and took my departure.
So 1t was that at o'clock | drove up
I'm hanson to the terminus. carefully
dressed in the garments of a bishop
and with my face altered from all
semblance to the original. To be In
keeping with my assumed character
in the probable event of Brady having
confederates on the watch went into
the booking office and took a first
class ticket for Liverpool after which
strolled out on to the platform just
as the train of vestibule cars was
backing into position.
Early as 1t was. my two subordinates
had by my direction preceded me to
the station, though they were not to
openly communicate with me till the
supreme moment One of them, a
smart young sergeant named Parker.
who was got up as a bluejacket, con-
trived to whisper in my ear as l stood
at the bookstall:
''The girl is here. apparently alone
Came ten minutes ago. Took two first
to Liverpool Now in the ladies' wait
ing room"
Parker and his colleague had of
course had a sight of the photograph.
His information was welcome as prov
ing that at any rate the letter received
at the yard had some foundation and
was not. as | had half feared, a prac-
teal joke designed to lead us on wild
goose chase.
] sat down on bench opposite the
dining car to await developments. A
bishop is a common object nowadays.
and my laced hat and CATERS attracted
but little attention. l was able to look
over the top Of the Church Times.
which had purchased, and so watch
the arrival of passengers. A score of
people had taken their seats In the din
ing car. but not one of them. allow
ing Tor the most elaborate disguise.
could identify as Joe Brady. They
were mostly unmistakable Americans
returning to their native land In par
ties of threes and fours.
Suddenly an incident occurred which
at the time caused me some uneasi-
ness. Sergeant Parker's voice reached
me, raised in tones of expostulation.
mo, don't want a drink. mate. and
by the same token you seem to have
had a full dose already" he was say
ing
A little way along the platform my
assistant had been accosted by half
tipsy bluejacket. who was trying to
pull him into the buffet. The sailors
cap proclaimed that he belonged to the
same ship as that which Parker's dis
guise denoted. the Majestic. To my re-
lief the man seemed to be too muddled
to perceive that the sergeant was no
shipmate of his. but staggered off.
dropping his bundle once or twice. TO
the front Of the train.
The sailor had hardly disappeared
when the original of the photograph
came out of the waiting room and
crossed the platform to the dining car.
She was wearing a well cut serge cos
tune and had made no attempt at dis
guise. even the mark on her neck be-
Ing distinctly visible above the collar
OF her dress.
But where was the redoubtable Bra
dy? II was 5:25 now. and there were
no signs of Miss or Mrs, Daisy Gil-
bart's intended travelling companion
The same question was plainly begin
ming to agitate the lady. She quilted
the seat which she had secured and
stood ON the platform nf The car gaz-
ing anxiously toward the entrance
from the booking office
The WARNING hell rang \ det.ibnb