The Winslow mail., 1923-03-09


| drove away. ''Do you think your men
will be successful, Inspector? Ny but
| Ter allowed the malefactor to slip
| through his fingers in the most fatu-
Gus manner. Can YOU"
Zone moment !" interrupted the in
| spector. "The thieves were seen then,
| by your ladyship's servants Was one
of them woman?"
He had to bawl the question into
Lady Erythea's ear-trumpet, which
Alexander brought. When she under
stood, Lady Erytheas eyes flashed
| fiercely.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, "a young
| woman. You suspected woman then
before you came hereT
II do more than suspect, my lady,
said Inspector Panke grimly. 81
know!"
"Who was this woman, Inspector,
and when do you propose to appre-
hend her? We have a piece of the
creatures skirt!"
"Hah! let me see it at Once!" said
the inspector, his eyes lighting up. 1t
was brought to him and it's capture ex-
the yard of cloth, tried it's strength,
rubbed it, held it up to the light,
peered keenly at the torn edges.
"Good!" he said under his breath,
and turned upon Mr.. Lambe so sharp
ly that that gentleman jumped. "Your
fol- CIV, &c,
who is the abominable creature?''
exclaimed Lady Erythea. "And why
is she at large, a scourge upon the
country, breaking into"
"She won't scourge it much longer"
said the inspector grimly. 'T'll very
soon give your ladyship news of her.
want the telephone, quick!"
"This way" said Mr.. Lambe, and
led him to the call-room. Inspector
Panke remained at the instrument a
considerable time. He emerged tri-
umphant
IF they get away now-well, may
l never handle another case" he said
quietly to Mr.. Lambe. II can't an
swer questions at present, sir; I've
got to get busy. If I might suggest
that you induce her ladyship to retire,
and come round with me yourself
it hampered me a bit, that ear-trum-
pet, and we've got to be quick-you
can explain to her afterward."
Alexander was successful in per-
suading his aunt to retire from the
field, though she went breathing
threats of vengeance, and mourning
aloud for the emeralds. Inspector
Panke made rapid examination of
the safe, the wall beneath Lady Fry
side. He took full description of
the missing jewels, and briskly ques-
toned the servants.
1--WE only time to say this, sir be-
fore 1 CO." he said, turning to Mr..
Lambe. II recognize the work of
Jack the Climber in this case, as plain
ly as if they'd left the name written
on the wall 1t was him and Calam-
ity Kate. I thought for a moment it
might be Bender Williams, who was
released from Portland last month
But it's undoubtedly Jacks job. For
some months past series Of daring
burglarieS have occurred at country
houses in various parts of England
and, so far, I'm bound to say they've
beaten us; no arrest has been made
The, methods Of the thieves are so
similar in each case, that it is clear
to an expert all these jobs were done
by the same persOn-Or, rather, two
persons, man and woman. The
man, besides being as smart hand at
cracking a safe as ever lived, seems
to have the training of a steeplejack
as well. He can climb anything that
fly could get a foothold on; in fact,
he's known as the Climber.
'"The woman, if anything, is more
dangerous than the man. All that's
known of them is that they're prob
ably foreigners-some say Americans
and that they use motorcycle when
they're on the job.
Briefly, what happened here is
this: The man got in through Lady
Erytheas window. There's the marks
of him on the wall. He might have
got in still easier by the next one
where the veranda is. But he went
in through her ladyship's bedroom"
Mr.. Lambe's eyes met those of the
inspector; the same thought passed
between them; whatever might be
said of Jack the Climbers moral char
acter he was brave man.
"And so to her anteroom, and
opened the safe without waking her
of course, she's pretty deaf. The bur
| glar-alarm didn't go till he'd done it !;
and for that matter all these precau-
| tions of her ladyship's are simply
bunco; the house is an easy job for
a cracksman. Jack got away by the
same road he came, and the only thing
| that puzzles me is why Kate had to
| bolt for it downstairs. 1t isn't usual
! for her to be in the house at alive
u