The Irish standard., 1913-09-20

Qem A9u0g 70 the grocer and butcher.
And then these was tho arrival Of
the st1AnOs man. He took . hack
SOON upstairs without board He was
ven dressed. but he had q sly look.
In loo1u and talk hs vas not the aves.
aee roomeF for that quartsr-he was
above them. He had plenty Of money.
and paid = wsek in advance, besides
assasang Nanny that he didn't play
on ute or On accordion, and he
was Given tho room. It was Two days
before the detectreas caught sight Of
him. and then she said to the land.
lady:
your Mr.. Bannett II a-crook!"
my staxss"
Hes n oonndepoe- man Of q .wtrs
tspper!"
Get the police at oace!"
And nom the way he dzags hfs
right leg should say that he was
acquainted With the ball and chaiu!"
Then he'll rob and murder us!"
no, he won'tf" replied Miss Oracle.
IN a firm voioe. Am I not hepes Isn't
1t a part OF my profession TO run
down oEookBf
But the police"
MOT word to them-not Q hinti
When have got this man In my tolls
Ill communicate with police head.
quarters. I'll shadow him and have
line on him within three days. You
must not say o. do anything to fright.
en- the bird sway"
Tho stranger seemed to sltnk out
and in. He asked no questions ol
anybody, and II he gave any Of the
people In the house more than a pass,
ing glance It was the stenographer.
Each evening for three successive
evenings she found him In her hail
when she came up from her dinner.
She had taken the preoaut1on to lock
her door, and had no doubt that he
had tried it.
"Ah. ha. but TIL set q snare for the
bird!" she exclaimed to herself It
didn't take Two minutes to invent the
snare.
When shs went down to dinner the
oe0t evening sho LETT her door I'M
looked. When the meal was half over
she rose from the table and tp-toed
upstairs. Mr.. Bennett wasn't Visible,
but she passed along and opened her
door with a bang. Mr.. Bennett was
on his knees before her open trunki
Three yells into the hall of ''Help!"
''Murder!" "Police!" and then she
grabbed tho crook. The room Alled
with boerders In q moment, but Mr..
Bennett didn't seem very much en-.
barrassed about It.
II caught him going through my
trunk" explained Miss Oracle
"Yes." he calmly replied.
Then you are sneakthef, and
we'll hold you until the police comet"
said one Of the valiant actors.
mot quite sneakthief," smiled MI.
Bennett. "This badge win show you
that l belong to the government Sc
oret service"
"He's a crook, I tell yon4" shot
back Miss Oracle.
Il was In my line Of duty hooking
after counterfeit money or plates!"
Counterfeit money!" gasped MI In
the room.
"Just 90. It's up to you, Miss Hob
lands, to do some explaining"
why doesn't somebody telephone7'
she demanded.
because no one wants to see you
locked up!" replied Mr. Bennett. ''will
you kindly tell me where you got
those Ave two.dollar bills you handed
out the other day?"
''Why-why-"
Every one Of them was q counter
felt! 1 came here looking for a plant!
for you, Miss Hollands. until sure Of
my case"
The next half hour was as full Of
explanations as chestnut is full Of
life. The police were not called in
on the one hand. and ON the other It
was tearfully admitted that Mr.. Ben.
nett was not crook.
The next day he had the good luck
to capture the man he wanted, and
it WAS only natural that he should
come around to the house to make his
report. Then he called again to ask
Miss Gracies forgiveness, and again
with some other excuse, and finally
the cheeky man got into the habit OF
calling without making any ezcnse At
all. It was during one Of these calls
that he suggested thst Miss Grac3s
give up the detective business. She
10