'AnjrnPt2S, 1901.
TT1E ILLUSTRATED HEE.
15
TThen a murder Is committed the dives
lieur about it It is whispered about in its
details among the deniiens of the under
world. The. police, who, in tno ryes of
the world, ate following line spun elms, go
about their work in a really simple rr.an
lier. They round up gangs of well known
criminals, threaten each of them with pun
ishment upon soma overlooked offense, and
get, In return for immunity, the desired in
formation. Then, without hesitation, the
arrest the criminal.
is'os. oK arid 4uu understood this system,
and utthough they had I en at this Junc
ture caught in the perpetration of a serious
offense, yet they knew and understood the
anxioty of the, police force to run the
Smith mystery to tho eurth. Accordingly,
after taiking the matter over carefully they
concluded to stnd for tho chief. They inti
mated that they had some news about
Constitutional Smith. Tho chief, without
the .slightest faith in their announcement,
nevertheless had the two produced before
him in bis olnce. With him at the time
was the plain-clothes man from New York.
"Now, what have you two fellows got
to say?" demanded tho chief. Say it, ana
Bay It quick."
No. 100 shook hla head. "That won't do.
Chief," he answered doggedly. "We may
know a Btory and we may noL The ques
tion is, if we do know one and if we out
help you put your finger on thin here SmhU
what good it's a gola' to do us? That's
the question."
The chief snorted, but he was listening
Just the tame. "Can't do a thing for you,"
lio answered; "you're In It, Hurt's all.
What d'ye think? You ain't got any story
anyways. It's only a bluff. You cun't get
anything out o' me."
"All right, tlie-n, Chief." paid No. 4X,
warily; "then send us back. That's all
we've got to say."
The chief and tho plain-clothes man put
their heads together and talked for a long
while. Finally the chief again faced the
two.
"LicCs seo," he inquired; "did you fellows
Bwipo anything the other night?"
"Nary thing," they answered; "every
thing we had was took eff'n as. We didn't
Btt a thing." Tho chief waved his hand.
"It's all right, then," he sulX "Go on and
tell your story." Still they shook their
beads.
"Not yet," they answered. Tho chief
snorted once more. "Well, then," he said,
1 tell you It s all right. I ll see that you
arc not prosecuted. 1 promise that, mind.
If wo can put our hands on this man Smith,
anil through you. Is that enough?"
The chief was famed for being a man of
bis word. But It was difficult to get his
word. He was too apt to appear to prom
ise, but to fail actually in binding himself,
lie had bound himself now to the entire
satisfaction of the two, and they were sat
Islied. No. 400, who was tho spokesman,
began his talc.
"Constitutional Smith was here In town
he came here some months ugo and he's
here yet. We saw him when ho first came
here. We've seen him a good many times
since. I'll tell you how It was. We was In
Coleman's alley one night, waltin' fer n
fellow, when wo see this Constitutional
Smith come down the street and hide in an
old shed. He hadn't been there mure than
ten minutes before unother fellow camo
along. Smith was layln' for this feliow,
and knocked him out and dragged 1.1m in
the little shed."
"Well?" said the chief.
"Well, It wasn't more than fifteen min
utes more than the door to the shed camo
oiM'n and a man came out. And right hero
was tho funny part. The man that enme
out was the man that had been knocked
out, that's what. He was as right as u
trivet. That was the funny thing."
"Well?" said the chief. Impatiently.
"Will," went on the other, "we ain't tho
kind to mix In anything that we ain't tip
to ours-Ives. Itut after this fellow had
walked away wo went over and peeked
Into that shed. And what d'ye think? S.iy,
there was Constitutional Smith lyln' on tho
floor and breathln' heavy Constitutional
Smith, mind. An' the other man had
walked away."
Tho plain clothes man was taking short
hand notes. The chief again opened his
mouth. "Well?" he remarked again.
"That's almost a!! there Is to It. We
skipped. We hadn't no business there, an',
naturally, we didn't want to get in a mix
up over It, an that's all, except Just ono
thing"
"And that thing?" asked the plain clothes
man.
"Tho man that had bwn knocked out, we
found out later, was the man who lay on
tho floor of the shed. Smith had changed
clothes with Mm. We thought he was
Smith. Smith walked away In that man's
clothes. And he did It hecauso he looked
like him, or prttty muth like him at any
rate. And the man Hint had been knocked
out-"
"That's t" point," said tho plain clothes
man.
"Tliat man," went on No. ion, "that man
was nobody else but Pi Kington O'Kwfo
right here in town. That's who it waat.
It was HiUington OKoefe."
Tho chief never moved. I'nder his hand
was an electric button. Ho pushed it w'l'i
his flngrr. A couple of offlc-.Ts appeared
at the door.
"Rllly," said the chief to ono of them,
"take these two suckers buck to the cooler.
We're through with them."
"IJut," protested No. 4ot, "I tell you It's
so. Find out for yourself "
"Hut. nothln'," said the chief. "Tou're
a couple of merry liars. Tako 'em back.
Hilly."
They were taken back. Tho chief whirled
in Ills chair and f:iccd tho plain clothes
man.
"What d'ye think of It?" he Inquired.
The plain clothes man shook his head.
"I'm inclined to think It's true," he an
swered, "but that's not enough. Hy
George, it's up to us to prove. It. Wc'vo
got to prove that this man here Is Smih
and not O'Keefe, and we haven't got any
evidence of the fact. There's the troublo.
If thero was some positive difference be
tween ttie.m that we could put our fingers
on. But we don't want to have all New
York and all Monroe laughing at us. We
want to bo mighty careful, but we've surely
got to do something pretty soon."
The chief shook his head. "I don't be
lieve a word of it," he said, "but I ain't so
much afraid of tackling Hilllnglon O'Kcefo
that if we get a hook to hang on I won't
help you out. You got your Information
and I'll go to O'Kcefe with you. We can
settle it then and there; ho won't mind.
I'm pretty sure of that."
A few days later the creditors of ltllllng
ton O'Keefe, large and small, received a
notice that the claims of all would be paid
in full, with Interest and costs, if any,
provided each creditor would attend in per
son with a general release two evenings
later, i.t half past S, at tho O'Keefe man
sion. The foreclosure sale of the house
itself was due to tako placij on the morning
following this meeting.
What these notices meant no ono knew.
Smith, If he had anything up his sleeve,
certainly cave no sign.
Another thing happened on tho day of
the meeting. Tho plain clothes man re
ceived a telegram in cipher from New York.
Translated, this telegram read:
"Smith has letters 11. S. tatoned on right
arm; dancing girl on left and Goddess of
IJberty on breast. This is correct; just
found it out. Proceed."
The p'ain clothes man exhibited it to the
chief. The chief was pleased.
"Now," he said, "we've got something to
work on. We'll have O'Keefe come oewn
hire. Hut, no," he went on, "he's had
trouble enough lately. He may not want
to come down here. I'll tell you what
we ll do. We'll call at his house tonight
after hours and we can settle this thing in
three shakes of a lamb's tail. That's
what!"
Tho plain clothes man did not want to
wait. He did not like to take any chances.
He was afraid the story might be true, f.nd
if so, that the bird would fly. Hut he was
in the chief's hands and under considerable
measure of obligation to him; so he sub
sided. That night, a little before R, two nun at
tended at the house of O'Keefe. They
were the plain clothes man and the chief.
"Mr. O'Keefe In?" asked the chief of tho
servant.
Tho servant shook her head. The plain
clothes man gave an Inward groan. Ho
had hoard of the meeting prilled for tonight
and l.o thought that O'Keefe, or Smith,
had determined to make a big bluff, and
then, without attempting to keep his ap
pointment with his creditors, would leavo
town and escape.
"I'm pretty sure," said the maid, "that
Mr. O'Keefe went out. Hut he may have
come back. Walt a minute and I'll see
ami mnko pure."
She went and returned nlmost Immedi
ately. "Mr. O'Keefe is In," sh s i id. The
plain clothes man sighed with relief. "If
you'll give me your names," she continued,
"I'll take them tip."
Tho Chief and the rlrtln clothes man ex
changed significant glances. They had sia
tinnc 1 two cr three men outside, but they
wrre still r.frnld of escape. They gave their
right names, however, but took the precau
tion to follow In the footsteps of the girl.
Thy were immediately behind her when
she entered tho little den. They did not
give her time to announce their presence.
The Chief, somewhat abashed, pressed for
ward and shook her master by the hand.
"Mr. O'Keefe," he said, "we're here on
what may seem to you a ridiculous sort of
errand. Hut It's a thing that's got to be
done, nnd I know you won't mind it. I'll
tell you th1! faets."
The plain clothes man scarcely breathed.
Ho kept his eye on every movement of the
mn.i sitting at the table. He narrowly
watched his countenance.
"Mr. O'Keefe," began tho Chief ngain.
"I ll tell you what It If. There's a fellow
over In New York that's on- of the slickest
Btrong-arni men nnd swindlers on the con
tinent. The police over there have laid at
Ids door any ntimlier of crimes. His namo
is Constitutional Smith"
The man at th table never moved,
"llezekl.ih Smith Is his real name, but he's
called Constitutional Smith. Now the point
Is this: My friend here, Mr. Ilurklrtmck,
Is one cf the best men of the whole de
partment over In New York. He's detailed
h're on this Smith case. They traced Smith
her" understand. We're pretty sure that
he retched Monroe; but then they loM him.
Hut there's Just ono thing about him that
makes trouble. You s; but for a beard,
ho looktd Just like you"
The other nodded and looked from tho
detective to the chief. "I see," be said,
easily, "ajid then"
"Kxactly." returned the chief, "that's
Just it. And we ain't saying anything about
It yet, because we don't place no stock In
it, and that story Is tliat the real O'Kcefo
was knocked out, and that Smith, hecauso
he looked so much like him, took his place.
See? And so it conns down to tho possibility-"
Tho rhlef stopped and smiled weakly.
Then he went on: "To the possibility that
that you're Smith nnd not O'Keefe."
The man facing them was so placid and
lindisturlx-d that the chief felt like a fool
he was sure he hail made a mistake. The
plain clothes man kept still and said noth
ing, hut watched everything that happened.
"That's tho whole thing," said the chief,
"the New York gang suspect that you'ro
Smith and not O'Keefe. Now, they've
struck Just fine way to prove it, and that's
Just why we're here tonight."
"And that one way," asked tho other,
easily, Just what is that?"
The chief stammered. "This this hero
Smith," he said, "had some tattoo marks
on him, and theso marks we know, and wo
we want to see if you've got these mark
that's all. Hang It, I hate to ask you,
but I've gut to do It-"
Tho man at tho table toyed lightly with
a metal paper knife. The plain clothes man
watched him. Finally the former, still with
the knife In his hand, smiled anil spoke.
"Would you mind," he asked, "telllnir mo
Just what those marks were?" The chief
looked at the plain clothes man and tho
plain clothes man looked at the chief.
"They were," said tho plain clothes man,
"the Initials II. S. nnd a dancing girl and
a goddess of liberty, all upon the upper
portion of the body."
The man at the table thoughtfully poised
the paper knife In the air.
"Mr. O'Keefe," said tho chief, "you've
had your own troubles, and I hale to nsk
you to do It, but there are some things
that we police officers have got to do to no
commodato others. Is it too much to ask
you to strip hero in our presence ami let
us look nt your arms and chest? In ono
way it's a good deal to ask, but "
The other had risen. He frowned. "It Is
a good deal to ask, gentlemen," ho began.
He rose to his full height. The plain
clothes man nnd tho chief Instinctively
placed their hands upon their hip pockets.
The other man hastily tore off his coat
nnd vest. Then started forward suddenly
and took off his linen shirt. How easily
it would havo been for Constitutional
Smith to leap upon these two nun, throw
them to tho floor, leap through a window
and escape. Hist no such move was made.
Tho chief and the plain clothes mnn backed
off a little and kept light hold of their
revolvers.
"I suppose," said the other man, pausing
an instant, "that I must accommodate
you. Well, here goes, and good luck to
you."
Then he did something that caused tho
chief and tho plain clothes man to stand
stock still and look on. Their hands fell
nervously from their guns. Their eyes
bulged out.
And for no apparent reason. For all that
this man hud done was to remove his Inner
shirt and exhibit to them his breast and
arms. Hut upon this breast and these arms
thero were no such designs tattooed such
as they had described. 1'ix.n the chest
thero was quite a different design. And
the marks upon the arms consisted of two
words, and that was all. And these two
words were "Ilillhif;ton O'Keefe," and
nothing more.
Fur this man was not Constitutional
Smith. It was none other than Hilllngton
O'ICiefe the real Hilllngton O' Kecfo come
back alter many months to claim his own.
"Well-I'll-be-hanged!" cxlaimod the
plain clothes m:in. He grunted with dis
appointment. "I could have sworn," ho
said, "that you were Constitutional Smith
though I will confess," he added, "that
In this light you don't look s.j much like
him ils I thought you would."
Tho chief burst into an embarrassed
laugh. "Mr. O'Keefe," he said, holding
out his hand, "don't give this away to
anybody. We'll be tho laughing stock of
the place. There's a line supper, and a hi
one, duo you from mo and Mr. iluckle
back." loiter In the headquarters the chief called
for the two toughs. "You're a pretty pair
of llus," he said, knocking their heads
together; 'this cooks your goose. After
this you'll go up for the biggest term you
can get; and, by George, after that I'll
follow you up close. You fellows'II never
get ii chance to lie to me again. I'll tet
you that." He knocked their heHds to
gether once more, Just for good measure,
un.l then sent them back.
Mr. Hiicklob.ek reluctantly telegraphed
In detail to New York. Next day he whs
ordered back home, and he went. Hack
In the O Koefe house, Iiillington OKeefo
was once more donning hl:t wearing ap
parel, nnd while he was about It the door
below was opened from the outside with
tho aid of a key, and a man iisccnd-l tho
stairs and entered the el. n. This man was
Constitutional Smith.
Now It may aecm queer that Hilllngton
O'Keefe, who by this time knew the whoT
story about Smith, did ii.it give Smith up
to tho chief and hi. gun;:, for the punish,
inent he deserved. It will appeir later why
be did not.
Constitutional Smith stepped Inside tho
room, un.l shut the door. "Who :he devil
are you?" a; ki d Constitutional Smith, "and
What the dc il are ymi doing In my Ixmis. ?
lie might have pounced upon O'KecIV at
once, had he so desired, but he did not sr
desire. It would involve a noisy wullle. and
the hoiu-o would lw nlainu-d, and it would
end In Ids ruin, liesiiles, liilllngiou o'K"cfe
a-- holding a revolver In his hand. Con
stitutional Smith had determined upon a
much bolder si heme.
"What the ileil are on doing in my
house?" demanded Constitutional Smith.
"I'm Itillington O'Keefe," answered the.
other. "You know that Well cnou;.li by this
time."
"Know It?" r ti'i'od Smith, "of course
I don't know it. I am rilliugton O'K, ."
"I'rove It." returned O'Keefe. Smith,
smiled. "I don't have to prove It," be an
swered. "My people will recognize me us
O'Keefe. They will know me. It's up to
you to pr.ive that you are lUHing'lon
O'Keefe and that 1 am not."
"I guess that's a. simple matter." re
turned O'Keefe. "for you have your initials
nnd the goddess of liberty and a dancing
girl tattooed on your body foolish of you,
too."
Smith started. "How did you know
that?" ho demanded. O'Keefe smiled. He
did not answer the question, lie tore off
hi shirt once more. "And these are the
marks that I have upon my body," he con
tinued. Constitutional Smith stand. He was
bea tin ind ho knew I'. And what was
more, IMllinMon O'Kcefo knew It. Hut he
admired genius. "You're a clever fellow,"
he said to Smith. Smith bowed. "1 am
ho admit tel. "S arc you yourself."
O'Keefe beckoned with his hand fnwnnl
n chair. "Sit down." said Hlllington
O'Kcefo to Constitutional Smith, "come
now and let us reason toother."
(To be continued.)
Pointed Paragraphs
Men talk shop and women talk shopping.
Tho silent purltier In a llrm always has a
lot to say.
Stock quotations arc trio dialogue used In
comic papers.
Ila.sto Is said to make waste., yet th ro are m
few hustlers In almshouses.
Many a man follows tho races becau e he
Is unable to get ahead of Hum.
Somo real estate men niako a specialty of
transforming molehills into mountain.
The girl who looks forward to a matri
monial iililancu should not be fotward
looklng. An Ohio genius Is said to have invented
a device for utilizing the heat of uu argu
ment. Many a man Is capable of Judgirg the
affaJrs of others better than ho is of Judg
ing his own.
At tho age of 40 a man is very apt to fool
under everlasting obligations to tho chap
who married the girl he was spoony on at
the age of UO. Chicago News.
A Bachelor's Reflections
A man can keep his expenses 'wuy down
at homo by playing I ho races.
Somo of til ose shirt wuists make a man
feel us if it was time to put out the lights.
It is hardly worth whi'o for people to get
a divorce, since they Just go and do it all
over uguin.
Mighty few men can ever be really happy
unless somebody Is trying In vain to cure
them of a vice.
Somo men have such an Imagination they
can be as light-hearted as bachelors when
they are away from home. New Yorlc
l'ress.
BAKER BROS
ENGRAVING CP.
t. . r fc" w - ,,
g-1 IV W r k'iIdk to purrifl' tim tlinuuM
t-IIJl'"' (tuna thin fill t rrn-i a urvrr ciffrrr
lx-fnrr. riiind Ilrwrh Ixmili rj MU "l"' Six1' ll
D.ml.le Ham ! 1 10 00 run mual in nllM-ra i'tlii
$3.). 01. Hi-mi lit atai'i;i fur lomplclc i-4tatoi;ui:.
H. U U. Kjl-SUM A I! 113 CO..
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