Evening star., 1923-10-26
Continued from Yesterdays star.)

l ~ ShSSSc dHu piSnlSu OlllouS was
IA set out on a clothless deal
table and was fanked by a
| can of ale. There was an odor of
| onions. of cheese, OF acrid tobacco
! smoke in the place that smote keenly
| on Stead's nostrils. For one moment
| a sepse of degradation in having to
seek shelter In such house smote
him, but 1t left him just as quickly. He
closed the door behind him and faced
| the occupants of the cottage.
Dogger Tandy, a big, bony. red
! haired. sharp-eyed, sharp-nosed man,
with a thin beard and ragged mus
tache, through which protruded ugly
yellow fangs of teeth, sat on one
side Of the table with a greyhound
at his knee He was eating bread
and cheese with clasp knife, and
now and then applying his lips to the
ale can.
His wife, poor washed-out. down
trodden-looking creature, whose face
and masters fist, appeared to be
| chiefly solacing herself with dry
bread and weak tea, drawn from a
pot which had doubtless stood on the
hob since breakfast time. Both
started at Stead's abrupt entrance.
1t was not his practice to collect his
rents in person, and they could not
think of any reason for his presence
there. And the man scowled. and his
scowl was very suggestive of the
way in which a vicious dog shows his
teeth. He half rose from his chair
and regarded Stead with anything
but friendly eyes.
If SO be as you've called about
that bit Of rent. MASTER" he began,
Stead stopped him with a lifted
hand.
ave not come about any rent" he
said. You're welcome to what's
owing. l want to talk to you. Send
your wife out of the room for few
Get outside!" commanded Dogger
Tandy TO his spouse, pretty much as
he might have ordered cur to its
] kennel.
] But Stead barred the way.
Not outside he said. Cant she
go into the back place or upstars?"
Mrs. Tandy retired hastily into the
back place and closed the door. Stead
glanced at it suspiciously.
There's no way out of that, is
there?" he asked.
"As they're your houses, guv'nor,
you ought to know there's no door in
EN- except such as you're a-standing
against" answered Tandy. "'Course
there isn't!
Stead came farther into the kitchen
and took chair close to the miners.
who continued to watch him furtively.
Look here" said Stead. eyeing
Tandy keenly, do you want TO earn
some money? Not a pound or two:
nor twenty pounds. but nice lump
Dogger Tandy regarded him with
the eyes of the naturally suspicious
man. He kept silence for minute.
whats the game, guv'nor?' he asked.
You can speak free-shell not hear"
Stead explained matters, not caring
in his present predicament to mtncc
them. He knew his man-knew that
Dogger Tandy's cupidity and greed
would make him keep still tongue
in his head; he also knew that Tandy
was not a drinking man. SO would not
talk in his cups; he also knew him to
be a master of craft and ingenuity.
And he told him everything, while the
miner listened In silence.
! Now, listen, guv'nor," he said,
of his story; this here is ticklish
Job, but you've come 10 the right man
10 do it. It's thousand to one
against their ever looking for you
here. You did it smart in coming
next door. asft were. But they'll set
see? They'll watch the station and
the roads. Now, I'll tell you what
must be done. Do you stop here quiet
this afternoon. while l go out and
mouth shut That's the ticket. And
then we can SEQ what TO do"
But supposing anybody comes imp
said Stead. And then, what about
your wife
Dogger Tandy smiled at these diff
culties with great contempt, and
solved both a few minutes later by
interviewing his wife in the back
place and locking her up there. after
which, bidding his guest help himself
to the bread and cheese, and further
producing a bottle of stout for his
delectation he took his greyhound and
locked up the house behind him, leav-
ing Stead a prisoner for the second
time in one day.
1t was dark when Dogger Tandy
returned. bringing with him some
eatables which the thought Stead
might fancy. He looked grave, and
he shook his head.
'fIt's a bad lookout. guv'nor," he
said. II thought they'd kick up a
rare shine over 1t. They've got the
bills out already, and they're watch
! ing the station here and all around:
There's only one thing / canssee of"
whats that?" asked Stead, eagerly.
'wen. guv,nor. It's this" replied
the miner. You know the old We'll
lington working, what hasn't been
| used for a couple of years? / know a
way into that from our seam, and
you could lie snug there for day or
two in the old underlookePs office,
with plenty of grub and so on. l can
rig you up like a collier, and get you
down there with me on the night
shift-they'll never dream of looking
for you there. It's the only way.
guv'nor-you'll have to hide below
ground for time"
A Problem in Diamonds.
In the whole course of his profess
sfonai career Inspector Cortelyou had
very seldom lost his temper and al
| lowed himself to be startled out of
an euuanimtty which came naturally
to him, but when he fairly grasped
| the fact that Stead had made good his
escape he became so angry that MS
subordinate felt thankful that he
himself was not to blame.
Knocked down the man who car
ried in his dinner, locked the cell e.,
door on him and walked quietly out!'
Moderated the little man. Fools
asses-id OTIS! Where had they all
gone to?"
'fDon't know. sir" answered Per-
rett, with a discreet cough. Il
heard something about them being
away at their dinners-they do
things SO queerly in these country
; places. sir.
"Dinnersw exclaimed the inspector,
| with deep scorn. 81 wish their din
; ners had choked 'em-I haven't even
| thought of mine yet Come on!'
| He marched off to the police station
at a rate which obliged Perrett, who
was nearly twice his height, almost
| to run in order to keep up with him,
! - Fa,, ,,nnp T1lippWOrfh and his