The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-11-22

spectrum laughter. It was before the
auctioneer had sufficiently recovered
from his surprise that felt a gentle
touch on my arm. 1t was Addington
Peace.
There Is a four-wheeled cab wait.
Ing about thirty yards up the street"
ne whispered. Go and get into It. 1
will Join you presently"
Quite half an hour had dragged by
when the cab door was swung open
and the detective sprang In. AT the
same time / noticed a covered cart
with black pony in the shafts pass
the other window at leisurely pace.
Our driver must have had his orders,
for he turned his horse and followed
In the same direction.
Peace remained silent, SO left him
alone and contented myself with star
ing out OF the window. We were
going northward towards Hampstead.
The lines OF houses broke up into sep
arate villas. Lilac and laburnum
bushes peeped over the garden walls.
The throng OF traffic grew thinner, the
pavement less crowded. 1t wac past
five when We drew up at little pub
lie house. Peace toddled out. and I
followed at his heels.
HE is unloading his cart in Ashley
street, yonder," said the driver, lean
ing from the box, as he pointed with
his whip to side road. do you want
me to wait, sir?"
4. The inspector nodded and disap-
peared through the Inn door, leaving
me on the pavement. AS he had given
me no orders | strolled back to the
corner and peeped down the road,
which ran at right angles to the one
in which was.
About forty yards away stood the
little covered cart with the gray
haired dealer OF the auction room
talking to lad beside it. Presently
the lad crawled under the canvas
hood and handed down the Identical
longtailed horse that had brought
about the public discontinue OF the
gallant Colonel Gunton. The dealer
pushed 1t across the stone pavement
into little furniture shop, and the
boy, whipping up the black pony,
drove quickly away.
I turned back to find the detective
at my elbow.
Peace" said, what is your inter-
est In that bicycle horse?"
1T happens to play the comedy part
In our little mystery"
What do you mean?"
only that 1t has hole in the sad
die for a pommel should a little girl
ride in 1t, and the hole leads down to
hollow inside. Do you guess what
it was that dropped into the hollow
inside?"
mot Mr.. Taubery's diamond?"
Exactly. Yet We have still to
find out the man who put e there"
"But, in the meantime the old dealer
may"
tut, tut, Mr.. Phillips. The old
dealer has nothing to do with It. He
is only obeying an order to buy the
toy whatever it cost, and to keep 1t
until called for. We may have to
waste some time, 80 have ordered a
steak and fried potatoes In an upper
room that conveniently overlooks the
door OF his shop. Let me show you
the way"
We passed through a long bar at
which a dingy assemblage lounged
and smoked, and SO upstairs Into q
private room, the windows Of which
commanded Ashley street. We ate our
meal in reIays-one watching at the
window, while the other disposed OF
his section of stringy steak and
heavy beer. The daylight softly faded,
the gas jets sprang out along the
street, the tramp Of Homecoming
fathers dropped into silence-but there
was still no caller at the furniture
shop. The shutters had been put up
for the night. It seemed plain to me
that nothing would happen for that
evening at least, though Peace did not
seem to despond.
Nine o'clock-ten o'clock-ten-
thirty, and the customer arrived.
had watched his cab come rafting
down the street with casual interest,
for many had come and gone since we
first mounted guard. It had passed
the little shop and was almost be-
meath us, when head was thrust out
Vt the window and voice cried irri-
tably to the cabman. A street lamp
showed him to me clearly-a white
faced youth with q straggly, brown
mustache and an indecisive chin.
The cab turned about, and pulled up
opposite the shop door. The inspector
touched my arm, and we walked down
the stairs, picked up our driver. who
was smoking in the bar, and so bum
died into our own vehicle. A few
whispered instructions, and we drove
slowly round the corner into Ashley
street.
The customer had been expected.
AS we passed the shop at walking
pace I could see that the dealer and
his assistant were hosting the bicycle
horse to the roof of the waiting cab.
Fifty yards more and we drew up py
the pavement.
Peace kept the windows closed, 80
that could not look back along the
road; but through the glass In front
could see that our driver was quietly
taking note of affairs. It was not the
first time that the inspector had am,