Evening star., 1927-10-16

"And his home is in the news a.
the back of Mrs. Davis house. l nae
Jim Bayliss detained. took his nnger
prints, found he was the Squirrel ant
sent a man to search his place. He
kept nothing at home. But, in his
! locker at the garage there were the
| moonstones and burglars tools. we
have the real goods this time. See
how it all fits in?''
mo. no. Not exactly" said Mr.
Fortune. TT isn't my sort OF case
We'll. sir. it's matter of piecins
things together. Here's this chap. q
crack burglar, gets job at a big
/ West End garage. Why? 1t puts him
in the know about all the people that
hire from there, like Mrs. Davis
Waiting at theaters and balls he's in
touch with the chauffeurs of all the
rich folks in London, like Lord Sill
vertown.
| THAT puts him up to their little
ways and when they'll be out at night
| Then he's got a good car to use and
| fine excuse for hanging about with
| It. He'd just drive up. watch till the
coast was clear. do his job and pop
off in the car--and home handy in
| the West End to go to. OF, he's smart
the Squirrel"
Yes. What's he say about it?"
Not a word. He don't give any.
thing away" Inspector Fargo wink.
ed. IF he got talking he might hap.
pen to put us on to the diamonds. He
don't mean to lose them. He'll take
what's coming to him and collect for
| the diamonds when he comes out
Worth waiting for. He'll have to wait
though He's booked for a long
stretch
Il don't quite see" Mr.. Fortune
said meekly. What's the evidence in
the diamond cases, Pargo:"
I Inspector Fargo glanced at his
superintendent. III you have three
you catch the man that did one, that s
pretty good evidence who committed
the others, Mr.. Fortune"
Yes. You can say that to me. You
won't be able to say it to a judge"
IT know that, sir. There's a lot of
evidence that isn't evidence in court
can't charge him with the other two
cases. But, when he's convicted, /
shall be satisfied" His quick eyes
consulted Supt. Bell.
Not much doubt" Bell nodded. "He
won't be the first fellow that only took
sentence for one crime when we know
he did more. You've seen that in your
time, Mr.. Fortune"
Yes. An unjust world"
"It'll work out all right. SIR Fargo
said quickly. Wen prove the one
case, but the jury will have the others
\ in their minds and so will the Judge.
The Squirrel will get good stiff sen
tence.''
'Oh, my goodness Mr.. Fortune
murmured. Justice. A theory. By
Inspector Pargo.'
''Well. sir. think it's justice to
stop a run of burglaries. And you'll
sec I've done it, Mr.. Fortune"
Il wonder" Mr. Fortune murmur-
ed. "Au revoir." He strolled out.
WHAT he did next was to ring up
DR.. Davis. Hello, Bill For
tune speaking. I'll drive Doris to the
police court in the morning. Are you
coming?"
The voice suggested that Doris hus-
band found life difficult. Doris was
rather upset. She did not want to ap.
pear against the man. Was it really
necessary to go on with the case?
II don't know how you're going to
drop it, said Mr.. Fortune.
The voice supposed not. Well, Doris
should go If she was fit. He was go.
ing. too. But it was decent of For
tune.
Shed better be fit," said Mr.. For
tune
She was. A tense and angry little
woman and glum husband entered
Mr.. Fortunes car. At the police
court Inspector Fargo met her. all
smiles. I'VE shan't keep you long,
Mrs. Davis. Your evidence Is matter
of form, and-what, Mr.. Fortune. Are
you giving evidence. too?" he chuckled.
mo. I'm just seeing fair, Fargo"
They went into court. Thomas
Briggs was put in the dock. The So
licitor for the police arose. He did not
court long. Probably his worship
would consider it was case for a
jury. The prisoner
Mr.. Fortune looked at Thomas
Briggs. The prisoner was a slim, erect
fellow, with strength In his shoulders,
neatly turned out, in spite of his night
in the cells. He had a fighting chin.
But it was not his face that Mr.. For
tune studied.
A detective sergeant was in the wit
ness box. Proceeding to IS Holland
street on the 9Th, on information that
a burglary had been committed there,
he found that a second-f1oor room had
been entered through the window by
climbing drain pipe. On calling at
the Durand garage he had seen the
prisoner. acting as a chauffeur under
the name Of James Bayliss, and recog-
nized him as Tom Briggs, convicted of
cat burglary in 1918. He found that
Bayliss had made use of forged
character. He searched his locker and
found there burglars tools and a set
of moonstones.
IT'S not true"' a woman screamed.
The prisoner flushed. gulped. put his
hand to his collar. 1T amt true" he
said. His hand fell and the arm hung
bent.
Mrs. Davis was called. Mrs. Davis
had often been driven by the prisoner
Mrs. Davis came homo on the night of
the 5th and found that her bedroom
had been entered and her moonstones
taken. The moonstones produced were
hers.
On this evidence--justified in ask
ing-commit prisoner for trial
Anything to say. Briggs"
II have, sir" The man in the dock
stood to attention. What he says
about me doing time, that's true. But
I've gone straight since. When /
came out of clink I joined up. name of
Bayliss, being mothers name and me
wanting to do my bit. served with
the Rutlands, I'd Battalion.
You can get my record all right.
and there's them as would speak for
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