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TID-DAY'S SHOlff STORY.] I…

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TID-DAY'S SHOlff STORY.] A Clever Escape. Have I ever been victimised ? Well. I must oonfpss I have been—once, only once; and that was by John Smith-probably one of the mioart, cunning and original scamps that ever lent his name to an evil career. But perhaps yon would like to hear the story?" The speaker was a friend of mine—Detec- tive-inspector Henry Graham. of Scotland Yard, who ranked amongst the very smartest and most successful members of hie profes- sion. It was, therefore, with no little sur- prise that I heard him confess to having been victimised, especially by one of the very men he bad recently brought to justice; and, judging that this must have been a most interesting case, I replied: "I certainly should. The person who could imposte upon a detective of your reputation and ability must, ia,dee-d. have been particu- larly cunning." "You flatter me," he replied, smilingly; but you are right-he was a' smart rogue -the ganartes,t I have ever known; and, although I ve had my own back aince- he is now in his Majesty's Civil Service at Dartm,oor-it will be a long day before I shall forgive myself for letting him slip from my hands at the last moment-or, worse still- but I must not be premature. TV ell, it happened in this way: it was nearly ten years ago, and I was merely a novice in the profession. I. therefore, felt bdighly honoured a-t being 'told off' to in v€Kti- gate the great robbery at yernleigh Court, in -L-eicest-errhire,the seat of the Dule of Melbourne. You probably recollect the cir- cumstances: the Melbourne coronet, of incal- culable value, and other jewellery and oash to the value of over Clo,ooo. were stolen in broa,d daylight—certainly one of the most daring and complete robberies of modern times. The thief—or thieves—got clean away, although the alarm Wd3 given imme- diately after the deed was committed. I had been in the district nea-rly a whole day before I came across the slightest clue; but it was not very Ion? then. before I had my man-for I die-covered there was but one perpetrator-mentally figured before me. I judg-ed him to be a person of about my own build, that he was very particular as to his appearance, and was dressed in a green sporting suit." But how did you gather these particulars, if I may ask?" I interrupted. Oh, that was simple enough," Graham" replied. "Unfortunately for him. the thief was disturbed after having cleared his booty, and was compeHed to make for some of the bjuihes and shrubs which surrounded the house. In his haste he tripped over a large stone, which resulted in a nasty fall over a bramble bush. This bush tore a piece of the cloth from, his coat. It was a piece of green cloth, such as is used almost exclu- sively for sporting clothes. A pocket-mirror that wat in his pocket had got broken by the fall, and a smadl piece of the glass lay on the ground. The culprit must certainly have been very particular about his appearance to ca.rry a pocket-mirror. "The bramble bush was but small, and was crushed by the weight of the failing man; consequently, the impression made in the damp gra/ss gave me an idea as to his height a.n4 build. On inquiry at various railway stations near, I at length came upon one which confirmed my opinion, for such a man, dressed as I had anticipated, had alighted from a first-c,la,se carriage of the Leicester train there. He had booked from london- ,but not to the station nearest the scene of plu-nder: he was far too shrewd for that. "Having gained a few other details, impor- tant but uninteresting to you. I booked for Leicester: knowing that the prompt discovery of th3 burglary would have prevented the perpetrator from leaving the district imme- diately. The line to Leicester was a branch one; and I instructed the sta-tionmasters all along the line to telegraph to me if my 'victim' entered the train; but, I conjectured, and rightly, too, that he would reach Leicester by other means than by rail. "I spent two or three days haunting the Leicester railway stations, in the faint hope of seeing my man, but to no effect. It would, of course, have been 'mpossible for me to see every person entering the many trains each day, and preposterous to expect the station- masters to arrest every gentleman clad in green sporting clothes; therefore, after ai wearisome watch, I decided to return to town and procure aid for a thorough search after the scoundrel. Accordingly, I took my seat in a first-class carriage of the Midland express, which only stops at Bedford: and made myself comfort- able behind a copy of the 'Times.' The bell had rung, and the train was just on the point of starting, when the carriage door was hurriedly opened, and in sprang a person of aristocratic appearance, followed by a porter, who placed the bulky hand-bag on the rack. and left the carriage as the train was moving. "Imagine, if you can, my surprise on recog- nising in my fellow-traveller the very person whom I had pictured as the culprit in the Fernleigh Court robb-ery--tbe very man for whom I had been seeking for days, the man whom I had longed to meet, had uncon- sciously walked into my clutches; the fly had 'walked' into the spider's web without the familiar invitation! I knew, though, that I must go about the business shrewdly, guardedly; and that any uncommon action or indiscreet remark would upset the whole affair. But I could not refrain from inwardly chuckling a-a I thought of my 'victim's' sur- prise, disgust, and punishment, and the fa.JIle. reward, and promotion now in store for me. But I had reckoned without my host. On seeing me the stranger nodded pleasantly, and, opening a newspaper, remarked: "Shocking affair, this Fernleigh Court robbery. It has caused quite a sensation in the neighbourhood; and no wonder!' 'You're right,' I answered, reticently, and endeavouring to screen my surprise at his audacious impudence. 'Ye,' he coiitinufd, no-thing abashed; 'the rogues have got clean away, too, I under- stand. A smart party, eh?' 'It does stem so.' 'I hear they have g'ot a Scotland Yard detective 'm the *rnck.' he went on; 'but, bless you. those fellows are not a bit of use- never have been—never will be. I under- stand that the one engaged on this ease hasn't got a single c-luc Yet. I'm very much afraid he's like. tbe man who fell out cf the boat not in it!1 "'Ha!' I laughed to myself; 'he will sing in a different ker by-and-bye! If h" only knew who I was he wouldn't be quite so merry!' But I answered, in an affectedly disinterested tone, There's soanethiing in tha-t 1, tell you what it ii' he went on, excitedly, apparently eneouraged by my endorsing replies: 'The whole pack of Scot- land Yard detectives are not worth that, eir!' and he snapped his fingers. When they've got a little intricate work on they'(' baffled entirely. Personally, I'm much concerned about this ease. It's a disgrace, sir, a. scandal, that such deeds can be perpetrated without any practical risk in a, civilised country, whore a small army of men ia reta-ined to investigate such matters, wbo have no more idea of how to go about their business thnn a donkey has of exerting him- self. I repeat, .s-ir,' he continued, vehemently, and stamping his foot on the carriage floor, it's a di;'?ra?'?fnl scandal!' "'Just because* no clues are reported "'Just bpca.u'M no clues are reported cluded that none have been found,' I replied, hi a heated tone, for his galling and slanderous remarks had quite upset, me; 'perhaps you will be convinced differ- en.tly some day!' Never, sir, nev^r!' he rewpomled. quickly. 'Indeed, I'm going to shov them a thing or' two myself.' You ¡J,re" I replied, not without a sus- picion of sarcasm. I'm Toin-g to show them a thing or two,' be repeated, in a deli>>erate nia,nner. 'In I'm a private detective, engaged secretly in this case by the Duchess of Mel- bourne—one of the finest women that ever lived!' "'Indeed!' I ejaculated, in amaaement, and wondering whether I had been mistaken in my conclusion after all. "'Tha,t is so,' he replied; 'and what is more, I arrest you, Henry Graham, on a charge of robbery at Fernledgh Court four days ago!' And he pointed a business-like revolver at my head. 'Hands up. or I fire! Right! Now move, and you are a dead man.' So saying, he drew a pair of handcuffs from my pocket, and before I had recovered from my amazement, actually had the audacity to handcuff me there and then! Sir!' I shouted. when I had sufficiently overcome the shock, 'this is an outrageous mistake! Take these things off immediately, and allow me to explain!' You needn't trouble to do that!' he replied, with a self-satisfied smile; 'I will do that for you. You are Henry Graham, the Scotland Yard detective—I should never run down the Force to a stranger. Allow me to introduce myself, John Smith—no connec- tion with the bookstall people—but the per- petrator of the Fernleigh Court robbery. But now, with or without your acquiescence, we will change names a nd bags: you art John Smith, the Fernleigh culprit; I am Henry Graham, the successful and praise- worthy detective, Twig?' "I now saw through his little game—how completely he had fooled me; and when li saw him change ba,gs-the condemning piece? of glass and cloth were in my bag-I guessed what he was about to do. My heart sank within me; all hopes of a successful career seemed crushed; and all I could reply was: "You're a deceitful scoundrel, and some day you shall pay for this." 'Pray don't excite yourself, Mr. Smith,' he Responded sarcastically. "Don't forget you're in my power. I was going to give you a. little information, just to while away the time. How I committed the robbery I cannot afford to tell you—the secret will prove useful for future occasions—but I might as well inform you tha-t but for that rasty fall I had when making off, not a suspicion of a clue would you have had. As it was, the rapidity with which the news spread, and the number of persons immediately put on the watch, made it impossible for me to leave the dis- trict immediately. Even now, I have been forced to leave most of the swag" with one of my agents—I've got them nearly all over the country. I might al?o mention, for your edification, that I have had you under my eye practically the whole of the time; and I only lost sight of you owing to the necessity of visiting my agent. Dame For- tune, however, has thrown us together once more-a little closer this time; and had I not bçPn more sharp-witted than you, I should have had apartments booked for me in prison for the next few years. Now Mr, John Smith, what do you think of your Scotland Yard detectives?" I made no reply. "'You intend to remain silent, then, like an obnoxious phonograph?' he went on, jocu- larly. It is just as well, for I must be now about my business.' So saying, he opened my bag, and, taking from it a sheet of my official note-paper, wrote in a good hand:- To the station-master at Welling- borough: Telegraph immediately to station-master at Bedford to have police- man and sergeant ready to meet this train in, to arrest the leader of the Fernleigh Court robbery gang. Am obliged to go on to St. Parcras myself to arrest confederates, who will be there, with por- tion of booty to meet their leader. Henry Graham, Scotland Yard.' Having shown this to me, with a chuckle of satisfaction, he threw it out of the win- dow as the train flew through Welling- borough, and.it was picked up by one of the porters. This done, he drew from his bag a suit of clothes very similar to mine, and changed. This, with a little touching np which he performed, gave him the appearance of quite a different person. I have never known so complete a disguise effected in so short a time. All arrangements completed, he again devoted his attention to entertaining me. 'I'm afraid, Mr. Smith, that you'll have to spend a night in Bedford Prison. That piace will get quite a name for imprisoning innocent people, what with John Bunyan and John Smith, won't it?' "On arrival at Bedford, explanations, remonstrations, and furious threats all proved unavailing, thanks to Smith's ready wit. He's the most cunning rogue I hav" ever had to deal with,' was Smith's answer to all my detailed charges. Not a bad con- science to accuse me of being the culprit, and claming to be the detective himself! But it won't work, my friend, it won't work. It's useless to try to impose upon the Bed- ford police, Mr. rimith: they know a thing or two too many to be "had on like that! They're not to be fooled, bless you!' "The flattery on the police wa3, I knew, alone enough to settle my fate, but I deter- mined to die' httrd, nevertheless. "'Only bring the f-edlow to the station with you, and send to the Yard for someone to come and say which 'is which,' I pleaded. That is all I ask. He is a rogue, a sooun- drel; don't let him escape, whatever you do. Take me, if you wish, but bring him too.' Ha! the poor fellow pleads hard and well for his confederates' liberty.' the scamp c.a.id, in a. feigned sympathetic tone. He wishes me to miss the train, so that his fellow-rogues shall escape with the whole of the booty. Only such a clever sooun d reI would ever think of such a scheme; but it would never do for me to stay—I should 110fR my place if I did. See, here's my com- mission, sergeant; and look in hiS bag; there are some of the stolen jewels and notes, a complete disguise, and set of burg- lar's tools." "This fairly made me furious. 'It is my commis&ion, and his bag,' I insisted. Ha IIa-a--a-a! burst forth police, porters, scamp, and crowd simultaneously, in mocking laughter. 'A purty fine tale, that," added the sergeant; 'you must come erlong a me.' '1'11 remember you to your accomplices presently., remarked Smith, a.s the train (steamed out of the station; 'you'll meet them in file dock shortly.' Triumphantly the police led me through the streets of the quaint old town; and all the way we were accompanied wit-h a giggling, delighted, and inquisitive crowd. My indignation and fury can be better imag- ined tha.n described. "My explanation t > the chief-constable met with a better reception: but in the prison I had to remain until someone came up from the Yard and identified me. "John Smith? Oh, he got clean away, and wasn't seen again for years. How he man- aged it I don't know, for half-a-dozen detec- tives waited the train in at St. Pancras, by orders of the superintendent of police at Bedford; but no John Smith did they catch

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