VOL. XXXIII Silver Ware Free! Handsome, triple plated hand engraved Teapots. Cakestands. I-ruit stands Butters creams, Spoon holders, molasses, s g •. • Porcelain and alarm clocks and other articles both ornamental and useful. Call in and inspect the varc. GET A CARD. Gloves Mits, Overalls, Jackets, Sweaters, Umbrellas Trunks Valises,! Telescopes, Watches. Chains, Charms, Rings, Pins. Brushes, Pocket and Bill-books, Purses.etc. and when your purchase amounts to sls - you get your choice of any of the above articles. Oar Stock is complete, And Styles correct. Quality the best, And prices the lowest. D. A.. No i2l. N.Main St, BUTLER.PA.: Two Wflys of Selling Shoes, One lay other way BBS -The Other Way" is HUSELTON'S Way. Besides comfort, there is economy in buying shoes at HUSELTON'S. He buys direct from manufacturers, paving cash for them at lowest prices. HUSEL TON ia>ble to sell to the consumer shoes at that wholesalers sell to the etailer. Wejiave done a larger trade in Slip pers and Shoes this season, and, considering the weather, far larger than we expected. Our prices and styles were right—this is what did it. The balance of our Holiday Slippers will all be closed at 25 per cent off for mer price for cash. The only place in Butler where you can get Footweer at these prices and find •11 widths and sizes- and styles strictly up-to-date is at BUYER'S LEADING SHOE HOUSE, y/. . Opposite Hotel Lowry, HiC. Huiseltoii. ;•/••• ' 1 , T 1 r:. The place to buy T A , IW; GAS COOKING STOVES ANL> BURNERS UASi L.AMI.£ FIXTURES, HOSE, WATER FILTERS, BATH Tbß ENAMEL etc, is at w. H iO'Brien & Son's 1 07 East Jefterson Street. a ■ - Jf - ' Harness Shop! Harness of all Kinds Made to Order. Repairing a Specialty, AND PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO. BLANKETS AND ROBES. CASH PAID FOR HIDES. No. 111 East Cunningham St., - - > BUTLER, A ("She old Times Office.) - , FRANK KEHPER, Agt. DIAMONDS }K' NQ9 - KAKRINOS ' BCAKFJPINS.CSTUDS. WATCHES } GKJrrS WLD ' LA I)IES|CIIATLAIN. JE WELHY } HOld Eaf K ' nga ' R Chai'n3,lßraceleta. Etc. WCfn A -O Tea Castors. JButter Dishes anetter, since it will fit fewer people. Plunder is the commonest and there fore the least promising to trace from. Reveugo is common also.mit better, be cause the special revenge connected with the deed must lead to tho special indi vidual most likely to execute such re venge. In this instance—l mean my own case—tho object of tho crime is so unique that tho detect ivo who discovers it should be able to convict me. A crime committed to decide a wager is perhaps new." "Its very novelty is your best safe guard. " "Yet there aro two ways by which it may bo discovered, and that is two too many. Had I undertaken this affair secretly there would really have beon but a single way for one to learn my secret—my own confession. As men havo been weak enough to do this before now, I should even iii that instance havo tak en precautions. But with my secret in tho possession of a second party the posi tion is more complex." "I assure you on my honor that I will uot betray you. I will agree to forfeit five times tho wager in such an event." "I prefer that you should bo perfectly at liberty in tho matter. I expect it to bo thus. In your own mind at present you do not think that I shall carry out my purpose. Therefore your friendship for me is undisturbed. Then you count that, if I do commit a crimo, it will be some trivial one that you may bring your con science to excuse, under tho circum stances. But lotus suppose that a really great crime should be reported, and for some reason you should suspect me. You will hurry to my rooms before I get out of bed and ask 1110 flatly whether I am guilty. As flatly I should refuse to en lighten you. You would take this as a confession of guilt. You would perhaps argue that if your surmise were correct you would bo an accessory before the fact, and to shield yourself and do yonr duty you would mako a clean breast of it" "I am beginning to bo offended, B jb. I did not think yon would trust me so little!" "D>m't get ungry, old man. Remem ber that only a few minutes ag>i y a warned me that you would cut mo dead after the crime. We artistic criminals must be prepared against every contin gency. " "I did not think when I spoke. I did not mean it.' 1 "Yes, you did. and I am not at all angry. Let it be understood then that you will be at liberty to repeat tho facts ab>at this wager should your conscience prick you. It will be be.sf for me to ex pect and be prepared for such action. But you have not asked what tho second danger of discovery is. Can you guess?" "Not unless yon mean as you sug gested, your own confession." "No, though that really makes a third chance. Yet it is so simple. Have you noticed that wo can hear a man snor ing;" "No!" "Listen a moment! Do you not hear that? It is not exactly a snore, but rather a troubled breathing. Now that man is in tho third section from us. Do you see tho point?" "I must confess that I would not make a detective." "Why, my dear boy, if wo can hear that fellow, why may not some one in tho next compartment be listening to cur tete-a-tete?" Mr. Barnes fairly glowed with admiration for the fellow's careful oonsideratiun ui every point. "Oh, I guess not! Everybody is asleep." "The common criminal from neces sity takes chances like that without counting on them. I shall not. There is a possibility, however remote, that some one, in No. 10, :;ay, has overheard us. Again, ho may even bo a detective, and, worse yet, it might be your Mr. Barnes himself." "Well, I must say if you prepare against such long odds as that you de serve to escape detection!" "That is just what I will do. But tho odds are not so great as you imagine. I read in an afternoon paper that Mr. Barnes had remained in Boston in con nection with properly securing his pris oner during the day, but that he would leave for New York tonight. Of course the newspaper may havo been wrong. Then in saying "tonight" it may have been inaccurate, but supposing the statement were true, then there were three trains apon which he might have started, one at 7 o'clock, one at 11 and this one. One in three is not long odds. " "But oven if he is on this train there are ten coaches.' 1 "Again you are wrong. After his hard work on this Pettingill case ho would bo sure to tako a sleeper. Now, if you recall the fact, I did not decide to go to New York tonight till the last minute. Then we found that we could not get a whole section and were about to bunk together in a lower liertli when, sevoral more people applying, they de termined to put on another coach. There fore, unless Mr. Barnes secured his ticket during the day, he would inevi tably have been assigned to this coach. " "Had you any special reason for sug gesting No. 10?" "Yes; I know that No. 6 is unoq cupied. But just as we started some OuQ came in, and, I think, took the upper berth *f No. 10." Mr. sames began to think that ho would have exceedingly difficult work to detect this man in crime wore be really to commit one in spite of the fact that he knew so much in advance. The conversation continued: "Thus, you see, there are two ways by which my object may become known, a serious matter if unguarded against. As, however, I recognize the possibilities in advance, there will be difficulty whatever, and the knowledge will bo of no value to any detective, oven though he bo your Mr. Barnes. " "How will you avoid that danger?" "My dear boy, do yo» suppose for an instant that I would reply to tfiat after pointing out that a detective may be lis tening? However, I will give you an idea. I will show you what I meant when I said that Pettingill had blun dered. You said that he had lost only a button and thought it clever in Barnes to traco him from the button. But a button may bo a most important thing. If I should loseono of the buttons of my vest while committing a crime, Mr. Barnes would traco me out in much less than ten days, and for this reason they are the only ones fif the kind in the world." "How das that happen? I supposed that buttons were made by the thou sand. " "Not all buttons. For reasons which I need not tell the possibly listening de tective, a friend traveling abroad had a set made specially and brought them back to me as a present. They aro hand somely cut cameos, half the set having the profile head of Juliet and tho others a similar face of Romeo. " "A romance?" "That is immaterial. Supposo that I should plan a robbery in order to decide this wager. As necessity would not urge me either as to time or place, I should choose my opportunity, let us say, when but ono person guarded the treasure. Tiiat one I should chloroform and also tie. Next, I should help myself to the designated plunder. Suppose that as I were about to depart a sleeping, uncal culatod for pet dog should jump out and bark furiously? I reach for it, and it snaps at me, biting my hand. I grapple it by the throat anil strangle it, but in its death throes it bites my vest, and a button fulls to the ground and rolls away. The dog is at last silenced. Your ordinary burglar by this time would bo so unnerved that he would hasten off, not even realizing that lie had been bit ten, that blood had flowed, or that the button was lost. Mr. Barnes is sent to the house the next day. The lady sus pects her coachman, and Mr. Barnes consents to his arrest, not because he thinks him guilty, lint because, a.- tho mistress thinks so, he may be, and then more especially, his arrest will lull tho fear of the real culprit. Mr. Barnes would observe blood 011 the ground, on tho dog's month, and he would find the button. From tho button he would find Mr. Thief, with his hand bitten, and there you are.'' "But how should you avoid all that?" "In tho first place, were I really wise, I should not have telltale buttons about me at such a time. But let us supposo that the time had not been of my own choosing; then the buttons might have been with me. Assured as I should have boon that tho only person in tho house lay chloroformed and tied, I should not have lost uiy nerve, as did the other in dividual. Neither should I have allowed myself to be bitten, though if the acci dent had occurred I should have stopped to wash up the stain from the carpet while fresh, and also from the dog's mouth. I should have discovered the loss of the button, se.'irohed for and re covered it, untied the victim and opened the windows, that the odor of chloroform could pass off during the night. In fact, in the morning the only evidence of crime would have been the strangled dog and tho absence of the pelf." "It is easy enough to explain your ac tions under supposititious circumstances. But I doubt if in Pettingill's shoes you would liavo been able to retain your presence of mind and recover tho lost out ton which led to his final arrest. " "It is possible that you are right, for had I been I'ettingiji 1 have beett coerced by uoeesaitlusi iw Uv Was, Vut I think I hliyuld ln/D have plumed rohh'ip-. tiiuoalntt my own ttav WLiIS did. and then have taken with me such a button. But from Mr. Barnes' stand point, as I said before, very httl< of the artistic was needed. The butt :i was constructed cf a curious old c ;a. Mr Barnes went the round* t" the d> alers and fund the very man who had -"Id Pettingill the coin. The rest w.i.< r utiue work.'' "Well, you are conceited, but I don't mind making a thunsaid out of your egotism. Now I am sleepy, however, so good night. " "" *vi night, old man. Dream of a way to v "Xtra thousand, for I shall win.'' For Mr. Barnes 1 "O was now more impossible tha.n <.... . -s attracted to this new case, for so he counted it, and was determined to trap the individual who wagered against his acumen. It was a long step toward suc cess to know as much as he had over heard. He would not lose sight of his man during the allotted m< 'nth. He en joyed the prospect of allowing him to commit his crime anil then quietly tak ing him in the act. Carefully and noise lessly he dressed himself and slipped out of his berth. Then he crept into one opposite, so that he could have his eye on No. 8, and settled down for nn all night vigil. "It would not surprise mo if that keen devil were to commit his crime this very night. I hope so, for otherwise I shall have no sleep till he does." CHAPTER II A I'Aia.Nu AXl> SrCCKssiTL TUALN" Rc::- BERY. The train was just appr : ford, and from the wind tion which he occupied Mr watching the sun glowing : . hilltops, when he heard aj. him the guard who had assisted him to jump aboard the night before. The man was making mysterious gestures, from which Mr. Barnes understood that he was wanted. He arose and followed the porter to tho smoking room. "I think you called yourself Barnes," said the man, "as you jumped aboard last night." "Yea; what of it?" "Are you Mr. Barnes, tiio detective?" "Why do you ask?" "Because, if you are, the conductor wants to see you. There was a big rob bery committed on the train during tho night." "The devil!" "Exactly, but will you come into the next coach?" "Wait a minute." Mr. Barnes went back into the main part of tho coach and tiptoed toward No. 8. Gently mov ing the curtains, he peeped in and looked long and earnestly. Ho saw two men undoubtedly sleeping soundly. Satisfied, therefore, that he could leave his watch for a brief period, he followed tho porter into tho next coach, where 110 found tho conductor waiting for him in the smoking room. "You are Mr. Barnes 'lie detective?" asked the conductor. Mr. Barnes as sented. "Then I wish to placo in your hands officially a most mysterious case. We took on a lady last night at Boston, who had a ticket to South Norwalk. As we were approaching that point a short timo ago she was notified by tho porter. Slio arose and dressed preparatory to leaving tho train. A few minutes later I was hurriedly summoned, when tho woman, between hysterical sobs, in formed me that sho had been robbed. " "Of much?" "Sheclaims to miss a satchel contain ing SIOO,OOO in jewelry." "You have stated that adroitly. Sho claims to miss ! What evidence havo you that she has met with any loss at all?" "Of course we cannot tell about the jewelry, but she did havo a satchel, which is now missing. Tho porter re members it, and we have searched thor oughly, with no success. " "We iiave stopped at New Haven and at Bridgeport. How many persons havo left tho train?" "No one has left tho sleepers. " "When you say that no one has left tho sleepers, I suppose you mean you saw 110 ono leave?" "No! I mean just what I said. I havo sent tho porters through the coaches, and they report that all our passengers aro in their berths. But. here wo come to a point. If no one has left tho train, then tho thief must bo aboard?" "Certainly!" "Tho woman when sho discovered her loss concluded to remain aboard and go on to New York. All the other passen gers save one are booked for New York. That one is a man, and ho is now dress ing, as his destination is Stamford. If he leaves, he may take tho jewels with him, yet what am I to do?" "State the facts of the case to him. If he is innocent, he will willingly submit to being searched. If, however, he re fuses—well, we can be guided by cir cumstances. Call him in here now." A few minutes later a foreign and dis tinctly French appearing man entered. In speech he disclosed his origiu, but the accent was slight. He was of line appearance, dignified and gentlemanly. Mr. Barnes sat at the window looking out. The conductor with considerable hesitancy explained the case, concluding with: "You see, my dear sir, this is an awk ward business, but wo aro so sure that tho thief is still aboard that"— "That you hesitate to allow me to leave the train, eh, monsieur, is it not so? Yet why should there bo any trou ble? An honest man must never bo hurt in his feelings when he is asked to assist the law, oven though for the moment he is himself a—what you call it—suspect? In this case it is so simple if only the honest men will mako no trouble. They will say to you, 'Search mo!' Yon do so, and at last one comes who says, ' You insult 1110 !' That one is of course tho thief, oh, monsieur? Do you not agree with mo?" He turned toward Mr. Barnes, addressing this last remark to him. Tho dotectivo looked at him a mo ment steadily, as was his wont when ho meant to remember a face. The French man returned the gaze undisturbed. "I said almost the same thing to the conductor before you came in," said Mr. Barnes. "Exactly so. Now, then, with your permission I will disrobe. Look, if you please, most carefully. My honor is at stake. The more carefully you examine the less suspicion can attach tome here after." Tho conductor made a thorough search, emptying every pocket and tak ing every precaution. He did not expect to find anything, but it was essential that extremo care should be observed. Nothing was found, luid tho man re sumed his clothing. "Now, if you please, I have with mo but two small satchels. If tho porter will bring them, I will unlock them for you. I have no trunk, as I only went to Boston for a day's trip." Tho satchels were brought, examined and nothing found. ''"Now, gentlemen, I suppose I am free, as we are at my station I shall only remain here a few hours and will then go 011 to Now York. If you should wish to see me again, I shall stop at tho Hoffman House. Hero is my card. Au revoir!" Mr. Barnes took the card and scruti nized it. "What do you think?" asked the con ductor. "Think? Oh, you mean of that fol low. You need not worry about him. There is not a shadow of suspicion against him—at present. Besides, should wo ever want him t. conld find him again. Here is his name—A!phons«> Thauret—card genuine, too, of French make and style cf type. We can dismiss him now and turn our attention to tho other passengers. Do yon suppose I could have an interview with the worn an * "You thai I have it if you \\ ish. We will not ccu»ult her wishes iu the mat ter. The affair is too serious. " "Yery well, then, send her in here and let me liave a few words with her alone. Don't tell her that laniaditcct ive. Leave that to me." A few minutes later a tall woman, apparently about -13 years of age. en tered. She was not handsome, yet had a pleasing face. As she seated herself she lot ked keenly at Mr. Barnes 111 a stealthy manner, which should have at tracted that gentleman's turnest thought. Apparently he did not uotioe it. The woman spoke first. "Theconductor has sent me iu here to see you. What have you to do with the case?" "Nothing I" "Nothing? Then why"— "When I say I have nothing to do with tho case, I mean simply that it rests with you whether I shall undertake to restore to yuu your diamonds or not. I look after such things for this load, but if the loser does not wish any action taken by the road, why, then, we drop the matter. Do you wish mo to make a search for the stolen property?" "I certainly wish to re. over the jew els, as they are very valuable, but I aui not sure that 1 desire to place the case in the bands of a detective. " "Who said that I am a detective?" "Are you not one?" Mr. Barnes hesitated a moment, but quickly decided on his course. "I am a detective connected with a private agency. Therefore I can under take to look up the thief without pub licity. That is your main objection to placing the case in my hands, is it not?" '' You are shrewd. There are reasons, family reasons, why I do not wish this loss published to tho world. If you can --'Thw "Hut—the conductor want»to search me." undertake to recover tho jewels and keep this robbery out of the newspapers I would pay you well." "I will take tho case. Now answer me a few questions. First, your name and address.'' "My name is Roso Mitchel, and I am living temporarily in a furnished flat in East Thirtieth street. New York. I have recently come from New Orleans, my home, and am looking for suitable apart ments. '' Mr. Barnes took out his noto book and mado a memorandum of the address. "Married or single?" "Married, but my husband has been dead for several years. " "Now about these jewels. How did it happen that you were traveling with so valuable a lot of jewelry?" "I have not lost jewelry, but jewels. They are unset stones of rare beauty— diamonds, rubies, pearls and other pre cious stones. When my husband died he left a largo fortune, but there were also largo debts, which swallowed up everything save what was duo him from ono creditor. This was an Italian noble man—l need not mention his name— who died almost at the same time as my husband. The executors communi cated with me, and our correspondence culminated in my accepting these jewels in payment of the debt. I received them in Boston y<>eterday, and already I have lost them. It is too cruel—too cruel!" Sho gripiied her hands together convul sively, and a few tears coursed dowu her face. Mr. Barnes mused a few mo ments and seemed not to be observing her. "What was tho value of those jewels?'' "One hundred thousand dollars. " "By what express company were they sent to you?" The question was a sim ple one, and Mr. Barnes asked it rather mechanically, though he was wondering if the thief had come across tho ocean— from Franco, perhaps. He was therefore astonished at the effect produced. The woman aroso snddenly, her wholo man ner changed. Sho replied with her lips compressed tightly, us though laboring under some excitement. "That is not essential. Perhaps lam telling too much to a stranger anyway. Come tv my apartment this evening, and I will give yon further particulars —if I decide to leave the caso in your hands. If not, I will pay you for what ever trouble you havo in the interim. Good morning!" Mr. Barnes watched her leave the room without offering to detain her or making any comment on her singular manner. Without rising from his seat he looked out of the window and strum med on the pane. What he thought it would bo difficult to tell, but presently ho said aloud, though there was no one to hear Ulm: "I think sho is a liar!'" Having relieved himself thus, ho re turned to his own coach. Ho found two gentlemen in tho toilet room allowing themselves to be searched, laughing over the matter as a huge joke. He passed by and entered his own compartment, which tho porter had put in order. One after another tho few passengers arose, heard of the robbery and cheerfully passed through the ordeal of being searched. At last his patience was rewarded by seeing tho curtains of No. 8 moving, and a moment later a fine looking young man of six and twenty emerged, partly dressed, and went toward the toilet. Mr. Barnes sauntered after him, and en tered the smoking room. He had scarce ly seated himself before a man entered, who was evidently the other occupant of section 8. While this second man was washing, the conductor explained to tho Other about the robbery, and sug gested that he allow himself to IK* search ed. By this time the conductor was be coming excited. They were within a few minutes of New York, and all his passengers had boon examined save these two. Yet these two looked more aristo cratic than any of the others. He was astonished, therefore, to observe that tho young man addressed seemed very much ilisturbod He stammered and stuttered, seeking words, and finally in a hoarse voic<) addressed his companion: "Bob, do you hear, there's beeu a robbery!" His friend Bob was bending over the water basin, his head and face covered with a stiff soap lather and his hands rubbing his skin vigorously. Before replying he dipped his head completely under the water, held it so submerged a moment, then stood ere< - t with eyes shut and reached for a towel. In a mo ment he had wiped tho suds from his eyes, and looking at his friend he an swered most unconcernedly: "What of It?" "But —but—tho «ouductor wants > "Ail right. What are you afraid of? Yon are not the thief, ate yon?'' "No—bat"— "There is no but in it. If yon are in n< -em. let them go through you." Then with a light laugh ho turned to the glass and begun arranKing his crnvat. His friend looked at hi in a moment with an expression which tio one bnt Mr. Barnes understood. The detective had recog nized by their voices that it was Bob who hi; ~4 made the wager to commit a crime, and it was plain that his friend already suspected him. His fright was occasioned by the thought that perhaps Bob had stolen the jewels during tho night and then secreted them in his clothing, where if found the suspicion would not be on Bob. Mr. Barnes was amused as he saw the young man actually searching himself, hi a few minutes, with a sigh cf in tense relief, having evidently discovered nothing foreign in his pockets, he turned to tho conductor who stood waiting nnd expectant. "Mr. Conductor," ho began, "I fear that my conduct has seemed suspicious. I can't explain, but nevertheless I am perfectly willing to have you make a search. Indeed I am anxious that it should bo a thorough one." The exam ination was made, and, as wi!li the others, nothing was found. "Here is my card. lam Arthi. Ran dolph, of the firm of J. Q. r. id h & Son, bankers." Mr. Rar. lp'i a trifle more erect as he saul lis,! tuo pocr conductor felt that ho ha 1 lone him a grievous wrong. Mr. Ran :olph continued: "Tnis is my friend, Robert Leroy Mitchel I will vouch for liini." At the name Mitchel Mr. Barnes was a trifle startled. It was tho same as that which had been given by the wom an who had been robbed. At this point Mr. Mitchel, a man of 43, with a clas sic face, spoke: "Thanks, Arthur, lean take care of mysolf!" The conductor hesitated a moment, and then addressed Mr. Mitchol: '•I regret very much the necessity which compels me to ask yon to allow yourself to be searched, but it is my duty." "My dear sir, I understand perfectly that it is your duty and have no per sonal feelings against you. Nevertheless I distinctly refuse." "Yon refuse ?'' The wordscamo from the other threo men together. It is diffi cult to tell which was the most sur prised Randolph turned pale and le:uied against the partition for support. Mr. Barnes became slightly excited and said: "That amounts to a tacit acknowledg ment of guilt, sinco every other man has been searched " Mr. Mitchel's re ply to this was even more of a surprise than what ho had said before. "That alters tho case. If every one else has submitted, so will I." Without more ado he divested himself of his clothing. Nothing was found Tho satchels of both men were brought, but the search was fruitless. Tho conductor glanced at tho detective helplessly, but that gentleman was looking out of the window. One who knew Mr. Banjos conld told that he was angry, for he was biting tho end of his mustache. "Here we aro at tho Grand Central," said Mr. Mitohol. "Are we at liberty to leave tho train?" Receiving an acquies cent nod, the two friends walked to the other end of tho coach. Mr. Barnes ab ruptly started up, and without a word jumped from the tyiin as It slowly roll ed into tho great depot Ho went up to a man quickly, said a few words ill au undertone, and both went back toward the train. Presently the woman who had been robbed camo along, and as she passed out of the buildiug Mr. Barnes' companion followed her. He himself was about to depart, when, feeling a light tap upon his shonlder, he turned and faced Mr. Mitchel. "Mr. Barnes," said tho latter, "I want a few words with you. Will you breakfast with mo in tho restaurant?" "How did you know that my namo is Barnes?" "I did not know, though I do now," and ho laughed in a complaceut manner which jarred on Mr. Barnes. The de tective felt that this man was getting the best of him at every turn. But for all that ho was only the more determined to trap him in tho end. Accustomed to think quickly, ho decided to accept tho invitation, considering that bo could lose uothiug and might gnin much by a further acquaintance. The two men therefore went below to the eating room and seated themselves at a small table. After giving tho waiter a liberal order Mr. Mitohpl began: "Won't it bo best for us to understand one another from the outset, Mr. Barnes)'' "I don't know what you mean." '' I think you da You asked me a mo ruent ago h(3w I know your name. As I said, I did not know it, though I suspect ed it. Shall I tell you why?" "Certainly, if you wish." "Perhaps I am a fool to show yon your first blunder in this game, sinoe you aro evidently enlisted against me, but as 1 sent my friend off alone pur posely for the chance of doing so I can not resist tho temptation.'' "Stop a moment, Mr. Mitchel. lam not such a fool as you tako me to bo. I know what yon are going to say." "Ah, indeed! That is clover." "Yon aro about totoll mo that I mado an ass of myself when I spoke in the coach upon refusing to be searched." "Well, I should not have put it quite so harshly, but tho fact is this: When you deliberately followed Randolph in to tho toilet room, I became suspicious, being, as I was, at your heels. When tho conductor spoke to me, I refused purposely, to watch tho effect upon yon, with tho result, as yon now see, that I had my suspicion confirmed. I knew that you were a detective, and. that point gained, there was no further rea son for refusing tho conductor." "As I said, I acted like an ass. But I did not need this warning. It will not occur again, I assure you." "Of course I sow now that yon over heard our conversation last night, and, such being the case, you naturally sus pectod me of this robbery. But I am wondering, if you did overhear our talk, why you did not watch mo all night." To this Mr. Barnes made no reply. "I have one favor to usk. " "What is it?" "That you reveal to no one the fact that I havo undertaken to commit a crime. Yon of course are at liberty to play the ferret and convict me—if yon can.'' "AH surely as yon commit ft crime, so surely will I convict you of it," replied Mr. Barnes. "It will be perhaps to my interest to keep what I know to myself, but it will not do to make any promises to yon. I mnst be free to act as circum stances direct." "Very K-wd. I will tell yon where I am stopping and I give yon permission to call to fee me whenever yon please, day or night. I have a suit of rooms at the Fifth Avenue. Now let me ask you one question. Do you think that I com mitted this robbery?" "I will answer yon with a question. Did yon commit this robbery?" "Capital. I see I have a f'>eman worthy of my steel. Well, we will leave both questions unanswered for the pres ent. " ____ \ [CONTINUED.}