Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-03
Continued From Yesterdays star. )
CHAPTER XIX.

@HE cabman was still waiting. He
had seen "the gentleman" come
out with a bag, and then the
lady came out, and that was
about all he knew. He admit
ted he was more interested in con-
versation he was holding with broth
er taxi driver. He didn't know winch
way they went or whether they went
together. He was quite sure the young
lady came out after the gentleman.
Gentlemen be-blowedl" snarled
Shannon. His language was almost
juStifiible. What did he look like?
Was he young or old?"
The cabman did not know. He was
facing the wrong way at the time 70
see properly. But he thought he was
an elderly gentleman. He insisted
upon the thief's being OF gentle birth
and, pressed, he wasn't sure that he
had seen the lady 60 at all.
Dick went back to his nat with
heart as heavy as lead.
I'm sorry I cursed you, ofmcer, ne
said. ut was my own fault. I should
have made sure there was nobody in
the fiat before I attended the chauf-
feur. Come up. Do you know any
thing about first aid? You can look
after my man while telephone"
Within minute every police station
In London knew of the robbery. Mo-
tor cyclists were starting out to warn
the patrolmen to look for man with
a bag. and-here the description was
explicit-for girl IN macintosh
coat.
Williams was now recovered suffi-
GENTLY to tell all he krSw, which was
not much. He did, however, confirm
Shannon's theory that tne robbery &C.
Cured only a few minutes before he
arrived.
4 was sitting at the table reading
the evening newspaper when thougnt
I heard a sound in the bedroom. /
listened, but it seemed to me that II
was only the Tapping of the blinds,
and didn't get up. The last thing l
remember was reading an account OF
an Old Bailey trial"
The back of the building IN which
Shannon'S fiat was situated looked out
upon the fiat roof of an annex built
out from Lower Regent street, and he
realized for the first time how simple
a matter it was for a burglar to gain
admission through the rear OF the
premises.
"They were pretty quick workers"
was all he said, and, leaving Williams
to be escorted to the hospital, he went
out, intending to take the taxi on 10
Scotland Yard.
AS he crossed the sidewalk man
touched his hat. 1t was the plain
clothes officer who patrolled that beat
and Shannon knew him by sight. In
a few words he told what had hap
pened and described the girl. The de-
tective shook his head.
mo. sir, I didn't see the lady, and
I don't remember anybody carrying q
bag. I was standing at the top OF
Haymarket, outside the tube station,
where thousands Of people pass, but
body carrying grip at this time OF
"You saw nobody who might be con-
cerned in the robbery-none OF the
boys'?"
The officer hesitated.
"As a matter Of fact, saw one" he
confessed. "a man you pointed out to
me a few months ago"
slick Smith," asked Dick quickly.
eyes, sir, that's he-Slick Smith"
which way did he Gomez"
'He came up the Haymarket, and !
thought he was in bit Of hurry. ]
said goodnight to him as he passed
but he either didn't see or didn't want
to see me. He was wearing dark blue
trench coat and had evidently been out
in the rain for some time for 1t was
wet through
What time was this?"
about five minutes ago. He crossed
toward the Pavilion. and there I lost
sight of him."
Headquarters had no news when Dick
arrived He would have been surprised
if they had; and he waited only long
enough to consult the chief on duty be-
fore he went in search of Slick Smith.
The American crook was not at
home; he had not been home since very
early in the evening.