The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1911-08-25
SIR DAVID
PEAKS
By EDWARD B. TWEEDALE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

children. l felt so sorry Tor them tnat
kept the wolf from the door during
the term of the husband and fathers
Imprisonment. When he was dis
charged he came to me, thanked me
and said If it ever came in his way he
would do me good turn.
Some time after this I received an
anonymous note stating that Dan Nc
Cornell would attend an evening func-
ton to be given by Nathaniel Ames,
prominent in society, that night, for
the purpose Of plumber. Mcconnell
had got away with perhaps a hundred
thousand dollars of loot, and there
were rewards out for him to the
amount of $4,000. If l could nab him
I would be well set up. l rather fam
cied the information had come from
the crook whose family had befriend
ed, though l confess it was the first
bit of gratitude from a criminal had
ever heard Of.
Unfortunately / didn't get the infor
nation till about 10 o'clock at night.
got into evening dress, hurried
| W the uOuSc uucSllOu dllu
was ushered up to the mems robing
room. / had thrown off my wraps and
was going downstairs through hall
when 1 saw a gentleman coming ont
Of one Of the rooms. He gave an in.
voluntary start upon seeing me. but he
persued his way while /. walking SLOW
ly as passed the room from which he
had made an exit, looked in From the
apparel l saw lying about and other
indications l judged it was a lady's
bedroom.
| This made me suspect that the man
who had emerged from it had had no
business there. Could it be that had
had the luck to light on Mcconnell on
my very entrance? 1 hurried down
stairs and saw the man had observed
just going up to speak to the host and
hostess.
"Who is that gentleman asked
"Sir David Peaks, an Englishman re-
Gently arrived, in search of an Ameri
can wife, they say. He brought let
tiers to Mr.. Ames. l believe"
My hopes of an easy find were
dashed.
From that time forward l kept my
eye open for suspicious character.
Mcconnell had never been convicted
and no picture of him had yet been
taken.
Feeling some one jostle against me
from behind. turned and there was
Sir David. He begged my pardon with
an English accent and passed on. 1t
wasn't ten minutes before 1 saw the
look on his face.
"Have you received an invitation
here?" he asked.
"No; have you" l replied without
showing the least discomposure,
though felt that something had gone
against me.
"ConfOund yop. sir; live here"
swell, all have &c Sag to you is that
you live in a deuced fine house."
I was trying to gain time to get
away from several listeners. While We
were talking Sir David came up and
AcdIu hcu UIOhC LII
"That's a favorite way Of robbery
among the London crooks. They go to
functions as guests and take away the
jewelry. You'd better search him."
I was marched into a room by the
host and two others, where there was
no one to see what was going on, and
searched. What was my establishment
at the finding in pocket in the skirt
Of my dress coat of brooch belonging
to one Of the young ladies Of the Ames
family.
Like lightning, my having seen Sir
David Peaks coming out of ladies'
bedroom and his having jostled me
cast flood of light on the situation.
He was Mcconnell personating a
knight, which he could we'll do since
he had come from among the better
English classes, being his family's
him leaving a room in which he had
no right, he had slipped the brooch
into my pocket and then IL some way
directed the hosts attention to me.
"Pm caught" 1 said. 81 have a
confederate in the house. Telephone
the police and permit no one to leave
till they come. Keep quiet; you don't
want a disturbance, I'm sure"
"WhO's your confederate"
"He whom you call Sir David Peaks.
Watch him for the present, but don't
accuse him."
They all sneered at this, but called
the police. asked them to tell Char
lie Bowers to come also. Bowers
knows me-" I explained. "I'm an old
offender"
They did watch Sir David, though
they would not admit to me that they
were doing so. When the police came,
Bowers and another man in plain
clothes were admitted by back door.
Charlie" said, Mcconnell, whom
you've been looking for, is in this
house, masquerading as Sir David
Peaks just arrived from London. Ask
the host to call him in here"
The host reluctantly consented and
Sir David, who had been vainly trying
to get out without being seen, was in
vited to the conference / thrust my
hand into his pocket ana pulled it out
full Of jewelry.
Bowers vouched for me, and re-
ceived the next day a check from Mr..
Ames for a substantial amount.
also got all the reward offered.
A Singing Rebuke.
what was that horrid Mrs. Sympe-
sum saying about me?" asked Mrs.