The Twin Ventriloquists

er beauty. Ike had his eye upon the man and arrived at a conclusion. He concluded from the expression on the fellow's face that he was a villain and meant the beautiful g

hat fellow is a bad one.

removed her face covering for a moment. The man advanced toward her and the lads stepped closer, hiding in t

Galt, goo

r," said the lady; "yo

-merely a pretense t

have made a mist

rtainly made

an he would have apologized a

a perfect picture of the

r, and you will please

tiful day,"

evidently believing the man would move on; but instead he approached

are not playing me a little tri

eam, when the man actually grasped her arm. She was paralyzed with fear; she could not scream. Her eyes expressed her terror, her face becam

ou scoundrel, wha

slender youths, and evidently concluded that with but little eff

ascals, how dare

some service to the two handsome youths who had interfered in her behalf. In a few moments, however, she learned that they

gh. He became enraged. He felt mean anyhow, as he had been caught in

t me, you yo

e do, you me

l me a s

what we

get away from here

u w

es

any one. You'r

as no dog there. He supposed the fierce animal had skipped away, and with an oath he advanced another step toward the laughing

confused,

n. You should be

ck him,"

go," ans

was about to make a rush, when seemingly there came a

re! what are

forward, paralyzed by the blow, and then the two lads jumped on him. Over and over they rolled him toward the water. At this instant the lady interfered, but her protest came too late. The man was rolled into the water about waist deep, and the water restored his strength, and there followed a mighty floundering as he struggled toward th

him seize you and we made up our minds to scare him out.

gazed in silence a

oluntarily she added:

trouble, mis

herself to a certain e

m in grea

y we can

me as readily and manful

ssibly

s over, and again she murmured, as t

at shal

n help

cannot

, we

could. No one can he

you shall tell us your trouble. We can

hs. They had just given an exhib

. We can aid you, no ma

ange," murmu

s so st

hould offer

you. That's our

but she was charmed with the two brigh

tranger in New York; I have no one to confide in. Ye

you, no matter what

casionally she glanced back at the lake and both the you

the lake and in a retired par

story. I do not know a

ything you tell us,

ings, converted everything he had into cash and placed it in my hands, and when it came near the last he told me after his death to come on here to New York. He said he once had a brother whom he ha

the landlady, who told me she could do nothing, that she knew nothing about my bonds. She evidently did not believe my story. She looks upon me as a swindler. I saw in this morning's paper the name of a lawyer. I called upon him to consult him, but first I went to the captain of police in my district. He evidently did not believe my story, and then, as I said, I went to the lawyer. I told my tale to him. He said he could do nothing fo

tory," said Ike, "and we

ver them?" exc

will reco

" she said in a

that. When did you

ter my arriva

he

my t

ived at your prese

es

e in the house w

dy refuses to believe my story; the captain of police refuses to believe my story, and the l

nly ones who can aid you in recovering them. One would have

do not

ng your story. I tell you we will recove

an you

wn method for

ave the house. I have no money to go anywhere else, for al

money did

two hundre

has been

my money also, and my jewelry-for

ay, for the story was becoming quite odd.

ll that way, but you shal

now what I

e in the house about your

d to any one else, and the l

tful a moment

ime I believe it well for you tempora

know whe

ery nice, motherly lady who

dden suspicion to the g

ey. I do not k

rfully quick and observant eyes, and he c

is a very reputable person, the widow of a man who was a great detective. Sh

never rec

friend here set out to accomplish a thing we never fail, and you shall satisfy yoursel

n stolen either by the landlady or one of her boarders. He had a way of bringing people t

is you

rl hes

go with you if you choose to the captain of poli

rl, who was really bright and self

ose that you shall board while I am conducting the hunt for your missing bonds

rl hes

I will find your uncle for you if he still be living, or his

ake all this trou

: I am a sort of detective. It

ith you," sa

e moment Sara was introduced to the lady the latter won the girl's confidence, and our hero left his charge with his friend

t observant and quickest person I ever met. I thought I was gr

hanced to fall to this girl,

hat there are thousands of undeveloped r

nto an adventure of a strange character he ca

he is a beau

Have you fallen

n't k

said Ike, with a very m

that the

at the

dead gone

she is a lovely girl and h

romised to reco

hav

undertaken

think

d

get

u w

es

you a

hav

tell me

plan to Jack, and

a head for a detective, and it's

s,

want me t

ur

ll you s

on

es. He had questioned Sara very particularly about her fellow boarders in the house, and he was well posted when he sat down to the table, after the usual introduction in a general way. The people he found to be the usual representative class that one finds in a city boarding-house. There was the doctor who occupied the rear parlor, a lawyer, two lady typewriters, one a creature who knew it all from A to Z. There were in all about twe

is Miss

ndlady

as lef

thoughtful a momen

did sh

afte

did she giv

k in the young fellow's eye

ve no r

has she

not

reatly taken with Miss Sidney; she was a ve

t there came t

the house becaus

spoken, but the young man gave a start, turned pa

s she wa

eturned to the room. She saw

he matter?

oment's awkward silence, broken at leng

ss Sidney left here beca

ace flushed scar

e the st

e ans

y, "and I should like to know

aid

m the old maid typewriter, and

e that Miss Sidney left he

clared Miss Gay

a voice from the f

n indicated. An old man sat there a

say so, M

clared the elderly gen

d a silence, when t

akes such a charge, I wish they

de the statement

ng man. He at once rose to his fee

not make the statem

lady typewriter number two, who was a pretty, delicate-looking

ve looked at h

say I made th

swered timidly, adding,

ove knows better than any one else that Miss Sidney was robbed

man turn

e then?"

g who spoke; you know

ays that i

becoming greatly

a blackmailer. She told me she had been robbed and she really wanted to work upon my sympa

ot wish to tell you, madam, but I suspected

u said she was a lovely girl and that you were very

?" demande

more about this whole affair than an

ilted as

y hint that I w

andered around to learn who

ve accused yourself. You were seen, ho

y gold," came the e

ruck his m

he talking. No one appeared to know and there was great confusion, and it was because o

manding, when Goodlov

Were you rummagi

ndeed, he looked as though

the talking. The people looked into each other's faces and could not discern,

around with an inquiring and surprised look upon his face, seemingl

ter Man. The detectives

to the landlady

an officer. This

an officer in m

who is it i

not

s much dazed and m

itnesses and listeners during the strange scene. One after the other they rose and left the t

you notice who used t

It appeared to come from

now anything about it. Don

red to his room or had gone out. Ike left the table and passed Goodlove in the hall. He did not speak to the man, but went to the hatrack,

his is a most extrao

is,

ou know who made tho

do

know,

r the occurrence will do me great inj

u have an impudent rascal in your

me highly

very stran

d the landlady, "that the

ck, stepped out to the street. He had gone but a few steps, however, when a hand was laid on his sh

the man who had seized h

led, but coul

r first offense? If it is it's all the better for you, that's

managed

do you

in on you until we had all the proof. Where are the bo

t tone, with such absolute assurance, that t

I stole

r the stolen property, and if this is your first offense I'll let you go; but if you attemp

!" muttered

at you were

es

Crime never pays; criminals always come to a bad end. This is your first offense. You have learned a lesson that will last you all your life. It al

er it will yo

your future chances I will say nothing about your guilt. But let me tell you, i

rrender th