The Old Man in the Corner

that when she found her way to the table close by the window and realized that he was not there, she felt conscious of an overwhelming

ep away very long," said a

lightest sound, and yet there he sat, in the corner, like a veritable Jack-in-the-box, his mild bl

ce, while his piece of string lay idly beside him on the table. When he had fini

ograph before the gi

es in Phillimore Terrace, whi

, then at him, with a kindly

bottom of the vertical line turns into Phillimore Terrace, and the end of the upper long horizontal line into High Street, Kensington. Now, on that particular night, or rather early morning, of January 15th, Constable D 21, having turned into th

s before he noticed a suspicious-looking individual shambling along under the shadow of the garden walls. He was working his

Terrace, in fact-a man, in nothing but his night-shirt, rushed out excitedly, and, before D 21 had time to intervene, literally threw himse

cuing the tramp from the excited grip of his assailant,

make that noise this time o' night, wakin' up all the folks.' The unfortunate tramp, who in the meanwhile had managed to get onto his feet again, made no attempt to get away; pr

at's the thief-I'll swear-I heard him-not three minutes ago-rushed downstairs-the door into the garden was smashed-I ran across the garden

d D 21 as soon as he could get a

was gradually recoveri

his man in cha

at f

him, I tell you. He must have Mr. Knop

is Mr.

'He went to Brighton last night, and left me

across to the constable. Eagerly the man in the shirt fell on them, and turned the ragged pockets inside out. From one of the wind

ounced D 21 severely, 'what were you

free to the public, ain't

t lead nowh

l,' growled the man surlily, 'and

n of losing sight of his friend the tramp, and the man in the shirt had again made a d

n in the night-shirt) should go in and get some clothes on, whilst he himself would wait fo

house. The latter, with another constable, remained to watch the burglared premises both back and front, and D

ill quite blue. He had got himself a hot drink, but his eyes were streaming and his voice was terribly husky. D 21 had statio

at account he could of the events which

chelor. He himself had been in Mr. Knopf's employ over fifteen years, and w

st post there came a letter with the Brighton postmark, and marked 'urgent,' for Mr. Knopf, and he (Robertson) was just wondering if he should run over to No. 26 with it, when h

brother, Mr. Emile Knopf, to whom he is very much attached, and who is a great invalid. He generally

downstairs I think you will still fin

r the exact words, but, of course, you'll be able to read the letter-Mr. J. Collins said he had been called in very suddenly to see Mr.

particularly careful about locking up the house. He often has left me like this in charge of his premises, and usu

hich Robertson related to the inspector with

the station with their report, thought they would

Arthur Shipman is the head of the firm of Shipman and Co., the wealthy jewellers. He is a widower, and lives very quietly by himself in his own old-fashion

e men, and we have often dined together. Last night he dined with me. He had that afternoon received a very fine consignment of Brazilian diamonds, as he told me

our bargain, and we had a final bottle of '48 port over it together. Mr. Knopf left me at about 9.30, for he knows I go very early to bed, and I took my new stock upstairs with me, and locked it

his face became very pale. With a hasty word of excuse he unceremoniou

no need for him to speak; both the detective and the inspec

he gasped. 'I h