The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-03-24

suspense.
Go on" ! commanded. "Tell me
about it. must know how you did it,"
The principal part of magician's
art" he said as he lighted his new
cigarette, 'lies in what is called mis-
direction With a glance from his
yees, with sudden movement of his
hand he attracts your attention to his
right side. Meanwhile his left is doing
the trick. Now, misdrection, in my
business, has just the opposite effect.
Amateurs, in investigating crime, ex-
anime the evidence and see clews point
ing in some direction. They follow
those clews and find themselves found
ering. They have the right clews, but
they go in the wrong direction. You
read the evidence Alright as to Miss
Sackett coming from Bridgeport, but
all your efforts to locate her as Mary
Jane Teller were simply a waste of
time. In the clothes she left behind
her was her real name"
Look here" said, you can't string
me in that fashion. ! myself examined
those garments closely. There was no
name in them and there were no marks
by which she could be identified"
rs that so?" There was deep sar-
casm in his tone
And not only that, even IL had
overlooked any marks that might have
been there, the landlord, the coroner,
the constable, and half a dozen others
examined them closely. II there were
any marks, some one of US surely
would have discovered them"
For answer he got UP leisurely and
walked across to a chair where the
garments were still lying, He picked
up the skirt and held it by the lower
hem.
Look closely at it," he commanded.
DO you see nothing therel
scanned the dusty cloth intently and
shook my head. He picked up the coat
and offered it gravely for my inspec-
ton, even turning it inside out, sleeves
and all.
well, what of it," l exclaimed i'm
patiently. II can't see anything there
either"
Cant your he asked over-pleas-
antly. That's where found the
woman's name"
Again took up both garments and
studied them, but ! was positive that
there was no name of any sort or any
thing to indicate a name. felt that
he must be simply jesting with me.
you can't fool me-" / exclaimed.
81 would wager you thousand dollars
to FIVE hundred that coat and skirt do
not differ in the slightest from hun
dreds Of other coats and skirts worn
By hundred of other women"
You lose" he responded tersely.
With one finger he began to trace an
almost invisible line on the goods where
there had once been seam. DO you
see that mark?"
Eyes," | replied. 81 noticed that long
ago. It simply means that the skirt
has been heightened or shortened, but
what of it,"
1T means more than that" he an
swered almost severely, as If reproach-
ing me for my lack Of observation. 1T
means that thirty-eight skirt has been
heightened an inch and half. Look
at this coat The sleeves have been
heightened two inches. 1t is a thirty
eight coat. Can't you see how simple
the problem has becomei"
Il confess ! can't see it at all"
Let me state it for you: A woman
from somewhere in Connecticut buys a
black suit of a rather peculiar texture
from a cloak and suit house that re-
ceives a great many mail orders. She
requires a thirty-eight coat with the
Sleeves wv hlNhNS 49,
thirty-eight skirt let down an inch and
half That's enough to identify any
person"
81 must confess | still don't see how
that knowledge will help you"
In these days OF system every house
that sells womens garments has elab-
crate card indexes. The greatest ex-
pense they have is in alterations. They
figure that a roll of cloth that costs SC
much will make so many suits of GER
tain pattern which they will sell for SC
much in a certain length of time. They
figure on making so much profit on the
suits. If the cloth is all right, the
pattern popular, and the price reason
able, they can figure to certainty or
stheir profits, except for one factor
alterations. Alterations require the
time of skilled workpeople and also
correspondence and frequently extra
express charges. The aim of the man
ager of every such establishment is &c