Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-02-23


thepl-~a and merely because, in my
stro:ls. about the city, have en-
countered almost all the police force
at some time Or another, and remem-
hered them. But let us hurry
southwark. Our next objective is the
Brooklyn bridge"
We emerged at the bridge subway
station, in front of which, leaning
against the ratings of the City hall
park, I recognized O'Rourke. He
Strengthened himself and came up to
lis.
"Eighty-seven this morning and
thirty-nine up to this moment" ne
said.
az see you know your business, )"
Crewe responded. Don't let any one
pass, O'Rourke. Remember your
share of the reward will pay the
mortgage on that house Of yours"
O'Rourke leaped back in astonlsh-
ment. His mouth opened and he
looked at Crewe in amazement.
Don't jump like that" said CreWe.
you brighten me. l mean the mouse
in Jamaica" Then, as we turned
away, he added: II saw him talking
to his wife one afternoon two years
ago when he was of duty. II was
a long shot, though-the house might
have been paid for. Now for our
other two"
We took the elevated to Sixth ave-
nue. and Twenty-third street, where
we found Kelly looking ostentatiously
into a shop window.
Every good" said Crewe, slapping
him upon the back. "You saw us
coming? Some men are too dense to
know that one can see the passers-
by just as we'll when they are reflect
ed in a plate-glass window. Happily
the precaution is unnecessary, but I
am glad to see so much intelligent
zeal in your work, Kelly. You are
keeping the numbers separator
Seventy and thirty-thirty-one this
instant, sir" said Kelly, and we moved
away.
A cross-town car and brisk walk
soon landed us at the Fourteenth
street subway entrance, where Cohen
was seated in shoeblack's chair
getting polish.
"Sixty-eight and twenty-seven, SIR
he whispered as we passed by. Crewe
nodded almost imperceptibly and we
turned back into Union park. At
Crewe's invitation We took our seats
upon a bench.
And now, Langton," he said, you
want to know what this apparently
unintelligible process means and l
will let you into the secret. You may
have observed that l chose four points
in New York at which to station my
detectives. The selection of those
points was Influenced by two causes.
In the first place, they are the four
chief places where men walk, by pref
erence, on one side of the street alone,
and consequently it is easier to count
the passers-by than if my men had TO
watch both sides of the street. At
the juncture of Broadway and Forty
second street everybody who Is not
bent upon business-and Rowell is
distinctly a pleasure-seeker in these
days-walks on the west side of the
street, because extensive building
operations are in process upon the
east side. At our southern point, the
subway entrance to the Brooklyn
bridge, almost every one enters and
energies on the city hall side. At Sixth
avenue and Twenty-third street our
populace walk on the south side, be-
cause that side of the thoroughfare is
devoted to large stores whose windows
hold a tempting array of goods. And
on Fourteenth street everybody walks
on the south side in order to pass the
numerous moving picture shows,
which afford a spectacle of some in
terest, externally, even to the man
who affects to despise them.
$50 much for the minor reason OF
my selection Now for the major rea-
sen. These four points embrace prac-
tically the entire amusement and
shopping district of the city. Where
would a stranger go, an Englishman
without friend in town, but In this
region? Would he seek his amusement
in the dreary wastes Of Harlem?
Would he moon all day In Central
park, a prey to his thoughts? No,
Langton, it is the surest prophecy in
the world that Rowell, victim of a
bad conscience and an overfull purse,
spends all his waking life within this
region. And it is safe to say that he
alternates between the Fourteenth
street region and Broadway with the
preference for Broadway. Now ]
have told you enough for the present.
Dine with me on Friday evening at
seven. | will be in the lobby of the
Hotel Memphis, and think shall be
able to afford you an evenings enter
tainment"
l knew better than to attempt to
question my companion further, but l.
was in a fever OF anxiety during the
three ensuing days to understand
Crewe's purpose. His reasoning was
excellent upon an abstract plane. But
how did this counting of faces go to-
ward the capture of Rowell?
It was not until after dinner that
my curiosity was gratified. Crewe
rinsed his fingers In the silver din
ner bowl, folded his napkin leisurely,
and took from his pocket pad OF
paper upon which were jotted several
series of figures.