An Artist In Crime

AN ARTIST IN CRIME.

BY RODRIGUES OTTOLENGUI

 

[Copyright, 1895, by G. P. Putnam's Sons.]

 

"Oh, yes, you do. You are not such a fool as all that. Now, my girl, you may as well bow to the inevitable. Make yourself comfortable till 12. Read the paper if you wish. There is an interesting account of the murder case—the woman, you know, who was killed in the flat up stairs. Have you followed it?"

 

"No, I have not," she replied snappishly.

 

"That is strange. Do yon know, I took you to he just the person -who would have a deep interest in that kind of thing."

 

"Well, l am not."

 

For the next two hours not a word passed. Mr. Mitchel sat in a large armchair and simply watched the girl with an aggravating smile upon his face. In fact, the smile was so aggravating that after encountering it a few minutes Lucette did not look at him again, but riveted her gaze upon the opposite side of the street. At last the clock chimed 12. Instantly the girl arose.

 

"May I go now?"

 

"Yes, Lucette, you may go now - and do your little errand - that is, if it is not too late. And by the way, Lucette, Miss Remsen asked me to say to you that she will not need your services after today."

 

"Do you mean that I am discharged?"

 

"Not exactly that. I said you would not be needed. You see, Miss Remsen thinks that you come into and go out of rooms with too little noise. She is very nervous, and it startles her to find you in her presence without having heard you enter. " 

 

"You are a devil!" replied Lucette in a passion as she darted through the door, which Mr. Mitchel had unlocked, and ran down stairs and out of the house.

 

"I was right, " thought Mr. Mitchel as he sat down once more.

 

Lucette hurried across to Broadway and went into the district telegraph office at the corner. Hastily scribbling a few lines on a blank, she asked for a boy, and gave him a coin with the instruction to "hurry." She then went down to Madison square and waited there—I was about to write, patiently—but really the word would not apply. She sat on a bench, jumped up in less than five minutes, walked about for awhile, and then sat down again, repeating this over and over, till it was plain that she was in a bad humor - a very bad humor.

 

At last she saw a man approaching her, and hurried to meet him.

 

It was Mr. Barnes. He, too, looked excited.

 

"Well what is it? Why are you here?" he asked.

 

"I am discharged!"

 

"Discharged? Why?"

 

"I don't know why, but that devil Mitchel is at the bottom of it. He locked me up for two hours this morning, and then told me Miss Remsen would not need me any further. I felt like scratching his eyes out. " She then told the story to the detective, winding up with: "From what I did catch of their conversation last night I think he has made a confidant of his sweetheart. He asked her to help him, and just as he was about to tell her what to do somehow he saw me and closed up like a clam. I think now it had something to do with the child. "

 

"By heaven, you are right. I see it all. I had just returned from that house when I got your note and came up here; I went to the school this morning pretending that I wished to place a child there. Then, after awhile, I asked if my friend Mr. Mitchel's daughter Rose was not at the school. ' Yes, ' replied the woman in charge, "but she has just left us. ' 'Left you,' said I; 'when?' 'About ten minutes ago. Her mother called for her in a carriage and took her away.' Don't you see, while you were locked in that room, Miss Remsen went down and removed the child."

 

"But Miss Remsen is not her mother?" "No, stupid. Haven't you any sense left at all? Are you going to be a bungler all your life? This comes of your disobedience. You let Mitchel see you in the elevated train, and now you find out how smart you were."

 

"Nonsense; he never recognized me."

 

"He did. I was a fool to trust such an important matter to a woman."

 

"Oh, were you? Well, that woman is not such a fool as you think. I have that button back."

 

" Ah ! Good ! How did you manage It?"

 

"They all went to the theater last night, and I just hunted through Miss Remsen's things till I found it, in one of her jewel cases. Here it is." Saying which she handed to the detective the cameo button which he had found in the room where the murder had been committed. He saw that it was the same, and was somewhat comforted to have it back.

 

"Has Mr. Mitchel made Miss Remsen any present lately?" he asked.

 

"Yes, he gave her a magnificent ruby last night. Miss Remsen told me that it is worth a fortune, and it looks it."

 

"How was it set?"

 

"It's made into a pin to be worn in the hair." "Well, I have no further use for you at present. Go home, and be sure yon keep a still tongue in your head. You bave done enough mischief already."

 

"Haven't I done any good? I think you are very mean."

 

"Yes, you have done some good. But you will flnd that in this world one failure counts against three successes. Remember that."

 

CHAPTER IX

 

THE DIARY OF A DETECTIVE.

 

It was the morning of the New Year. Mr. Barnes was seated in an armchair by his own fireside at his cozy home on Staten Island. In his hand he held a diary, whose pages he was studying intently. Before peeping over his shoulder to read with him it will be best to give a slight insight into the state of mind which led him to take up the book on this particular day.

 

After the clever manner in which he had discovered that a young girl existed whose name was Rose Mitchel, and who was supposed to be the daughter of Mr. Robert Leroy Mitchel, and after the equally clever trick by which the girl was removed beyond his ken, Mr. Barnes had come to one conclusion. This was that it was necessary to keep such a strict watch upon Mr. Mitchel that if he had not already committed the crime about which he had wagered he should not be able to do so and avoid detection, for Mr. Barnes began to have some feeling in the matter beyond the mere fulfillment of duty. He was being thwarted by this man at every turn and this made him doubly determined not to allow him to win that bet. Therefore he had removed Wilson from the post of watching Mr. Mitchel, and had replaced him by two men who were thoroughly skillful. Wilson and another he set to spy upon the movements of Miss Remsen, for he hoped to find the child through her.

 

Being the 1st of January, and therefore the last day upon which Mr. Mitchel could commit his crime within the conditions imposed, always, supposing that he had not already done so, Mr. Barnes wished once more to go over the reports sent to him by his various spies in order that he might be assured that no mistakes had been made.

 

He began to read at :

 

"Dec. 15.- Mitchel left his hotel early and went over to Hoffman House. Remained there two hours, and came out accompanied by Thauret. They walked up to the White Elephant and spent the morning playing billiards. Dined together at Delmonico cafe and separated at 2 o'clock. Mitchel then went to his livery stable and obtained a horse and light wagon. They are his property. Drove slowly along Madison avenue and stopped at Thirtieth street apartment house. S—.

 

"No sign of Miss Remsen all morning. She has a new maid. Her girl Sarah returned yesterday, but her mistress refused to take her back. Evidently she recognizes that the girl was bribed to go into the country and to recommend Lucette as her cousin. About 2:30 Mitchel drove up in his light wagon. According to orders, I prepared to follow them, that they might not visit the child, eluding us by driving. Obtained a cab and was waiting in it as the two turned into Madison avenue and started up town. Easily kept them in sight without exciting suspicion. but learned nothing, as they simply drove up through the park, along St. Nicholas avenue and home again down the Boulevard and Riverside drive. He remained at the Remsens' till 10 o'clock. Then went straight to his hotel. W—.  

 

"Dec. 16. —Mitchel spent his morning at his club; afternoon in his hotel; evening at Miss Remsen's. S——. 

 

"Miss Remsen and her sister spent the morning shopping; the afternoon paying calls; the evening at home. W—.

 

"Dec. 17. —Mitchel's actions same as yesterday, except that Thauret called on him at his hotel during the afternoon and was with him an hour. S—.

 

"Miss Remsen, her sister and two' other young ladies went to Brooklyn in the afternoon, but simply visited the large stores there. At home in the evening. W —. 

 

"Dec. 18.—Mitchel and Thauret together in the morning. Mitchel and Miss Remsen out walking in afternoon. Mitchel and Thauret at club in the evening. I bribed doorman and succeeded in getting in disguised as one of the servants. Mitchel and Thauret played whist, playing as partners. They lost about $100 ; went home together. S—.

 

"Miss Remsen indoors all morning. Out on Fifth avenue with Mitchel in the afternoon. During their absence Thauret called. W—.

 

"Dec. 19, —Mitchel and Thauret played poker all afternoon in one of the rooms of their club. Both lost. There were four others in the game. One of these won heavily. I have discovered that this is undoubtedly the man who was Thauret's whist partner on the night when Randolph thought that he detected them cheating. He also answers the description of the man who left the jewels at hotel in New Haven. His name is Adrian Fisher. In the evening Mitchel and Thauret were in a box at the opera with the Remsen family.  S—

 

"The Miss Remsens gave an afternoon tea. Mr. Randolph called and remained after supper. Went to the opera with the ladies in the evening. W—.

 

"Dec. 20. —Mitchel in his hotel all day. He and Thauret went driving in the afternoon. I followed them in a light wagon. At the roadhouse in the park they alighted and had a bottle of wine. Talked together earnestly. Saw Mitchel give Thauret a roll of money. In the evening they played whist as partners at the club, and again they lost. S—.

 

"No sign of the Miss Remsens till afternoon, when a young lady called and the three went to matinee at Daly's. Evening they spent at home. W—.

 

"Dec. 21.—Mitchel attended worship at St. Patrick's cathedral with the two Miss Remsens. Afternoon remained in his hotel. Evening at the Remsens. S— .

 

"Miss Remsen and her sister at St. Patrick's cathedral in the morning. At home the rest of the day. W—.

 

"According to instructions, I have made inquiries about Adrian Fisher. He is a man of good family, but poor. Belongs to two fashionable clubs. Plays cards for money frequently. Is a good player and seems to earn a living off of his friends. Has no relatives living, except a sister, who is a cripple. He is very fond of her and treats her with great kindness. It is a mystery how he manages to support her as comfortably as he does. They live together in a small flat at — East Fiftieth street. It was he who introduced Thauret at the club and had him made a member. He was out of town from Dec. 1 to Dec. 4. Q—."

 

At this point of his reading Mr. Barnes laid down his book and thought a moment. These questions occurred to him:

 

"Is this man Fisher the tool of Thauret? He is poor and a card player. He is well born and has a sister to support in a style suitable to her birth. Has Thauret, induced him to play, that together they may fleece the other members of the club. It looks like it, but why this sudden intimacy with Mitchel, or is that less sudden than we know and have they been long acquainted? Again, is Fisher the man who received the satchel from one of these men, and then took it to the hotel in New Haven? He was out of town at the time. Why did he place the satchel in the hotel and then abandon it? After securing the plunder, why did he thus lose it? Was he suddenly overtaken by his conscience, and, becoming aware of the fact that Thauret was using him as a tool in a piece of criminal work, did he take this method of clearing himself, and of allowing the jewels to be returned to their owner as soon as found in the hotel? This would account for Thauret's having left the train at Stamford, intending, perhaps, to return to New Haven and meet his confederate. Fisher meanwhile having abandoned the scheme and returned to New York, Thauret was thwarted. But who killed the woman?" Mr. Barnes resumed his reading.

 

"Dec. 26. —Mitchel arose early and called for Miss Remsen at 11 o'clock. Together they went to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Van Rawlston, at Fifth avenue, near Forty-eighth street. They remained nearly an hour, and then separated when they came out. Mitchel ate luncheon at the Brunswick, where he was joined by Thauret. They went to the club in the afternoon and played whist. They lost money. Mitchel paid for both and took an I O U from Thauret for his share. Randolph was in the game. There is a growing coolness between Randolph and Mitchel. They barely speak when they meet. It is evident that no love is lost between Randolph and Thauret. In the evening the three men were in the Remsens' box at the opera. S—.

 

"Miss Remsen accompanied Mitchel to Mrs. Van Rawlston's in the morning and left him when they came out. She made several calls mainly upon well known fashionable society leaders. Something is evidently on the tapis. It occurred to me that the missing child might have been placed in the care of the Rawlstons. Therefore in the afternoon I allowed R—— to follow the young ladies on a shopping expedition, while I interviewed the policeman on the beat. He is acquainted with Van Rawlston's maid and will send a report to you tonight. The ladies wen opera in the evening. W

 

(To be continued.)