The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-02-21
By Sidney G0zving
illustrations by EHsz0orh Young
Copyright 1871 by Sidney Cowine

Oue moment! interrupted the IN
spector. "The thieves were seer then,
by your ladyship's servants Was one
of them a woman?"
He had to bawl the question into
Lady Erythea's ear-trumpet, which
Alexander brought. When she under
stood, Lady Erythea's eyes flashed
fiercely.
yes" she exclaimed, "a young
You suspected a woman then
before you came here?"
81 do more than suspect. nv lady,"
said Inspector Panke grimly. 81
known
who was this woman, Inspector,
and when do you propose to appre-
bend her? We have a piece of the
creatures skirt I"
"Hahl let me see it at once !" said
the inspector, his eyes lighting up. 1t
was brought to him and its capture ex
planned. Inspector Panke examined
the yard of cloth, tried it's strength,
rubbed 1t, 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
telephone. sir-where is it,"
who Is the abominable c%reature?"
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. "I1l very
soon give your ladyship news of her
l 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
| never handle another case" he said
quietly to Mr.. Lambe. ~ can't an
swer questions at present, sir; I've
got to get busy. If l 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 qulck-you
Idh CApluiA " HtI dllcEWuIu.
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 a rapid examination of
the safe, the wall beneath Lady Fry
thea's window, and the ground out
side. He took a full description of
the missing jewels, and briskly Ques-
toned the servants.
I've only time to say this, sir, be-
fore I 60" he said, turning to Mr..
Lambe. 81 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. 1 thought for a moment 1t
might be Bender Williams, who was
released from Portland last month.
But it's undoubtedly Jacks job. For
some months past a 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, thai it is clear
to al expert all these jobs were done
by the same person-or, rather, two
persons, a man and a The
man, besides being as smart a hand at
cracking a safe as ever lived, seems
to have the training of a steeplejack
as well. He can climb anything that
a fly could get a foothold on in fact,
he's known as the Climber.
1.-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 a motorcycle when
they're on the job.
Briefly, what happened here is
this: The man got in through Lady
Erythea's window. There's the marks
of him on the wall. He might have
got in still easier by the next one,
where the yeranda 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 a 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-
tons Of her ladyship's are simply
bunco; the house is an easy job for
a craftsman. Jack got away by the
same road he came, and the only thing
that puzzles me is why Kate had to
bolt for 1t downstairs. 1t isn't usual
for her TO be in the house at alive
believe her job is helping her partner
up and watch-keeping outside.
However. there it Is. And this bit
of blue cloth, sir" concluded Inspector
Panke, holding 1t up, sis going to put
Calamity Kate In my hands"
He folded the torn fragment of
cloth, put it in his pocket, and moved
briskly to the door. Goodnight, sir!
Before very long I'll show you the
rest of this skirt-and its ownerl"