THE PENITENT WINDOW-CLEANER
That Spargo had another of his with his and his editor. The result was that all three to the offices of the legal who for the Watchman when it wanted any law, and that were put in shape for an to the Home Office for permission to open the Chamberlayne at Market Milcaster; the second was that on the there appeared in the Watchman a notice which set the mouths of London a-watering. That notice; by Spargo, ran as follows:—
"ONE THOUSAND POUNDS REWARD.
"WHEREAS, on some date the past twelve months, there was stolen, abstracted, or taken from the in Fountain Court, Temple, by Mr. Stephen Aylmore, M.P., under the name of Mr. Anderson, a walking-stick, or staff, of make, and of workmanship, which was used in the of John Marbury, or Maitland, in Middle Temple Lane, on the night of June 21-22 last, and is now in the hands of the police:
"This is to give notice that the Proprietor of the Watchman newspaper will pay the above-mentioned (ONE THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING) at once and in cash to will prove that he or she stole, abstracted, or took away the said from the said chambers, and will give full as to his or her of the same, and the Proprietor of the Watchman to any the said in the most private and manner, and to from using it in any way to the informant, who should call at the Watchman office, and ask for Mr. Frank Spargo at any time eleven and one o'clock midday, and seven and eleven o'clock in the evening."
"And you to some through that?" asked Breton, who came into Spargo's room about on the day on which the promising came out. "You do?"
"Before today is out," said Spargo confidently. "There is more magic in a thousand-pound than you fancy, Breton. I'll have the history of that midnight."
"How are you to tell that you won't be upon?" Breton.
"Anybody can say that he or she the stick."
"Whoever comes here with any of a will have to prove to me how he or she got the and what was done with the stick," said Spargo. "I haven't the least that that was or taken away from Aylmore's rooms in Fountain Court, and that it got into the hands of—"
"Yes, of whom?"
"That's what I want to know in some fashion. I've an idea, already. But I can to wait for information. I know one thing—when I that information—as I shall—we shall be a long way on the road Aylmore's innocence."
Breton no upon this. He was looking at Spargo with a expression.
"Spargo," he said, suddenly, "do you think you'll that order for the opening of the at Market Milcaster?"
"I was talking to the over the 'phone just now," answered Spargo. "They've every about it. In fact, it's possible it may be this afternoon. In that case, the opening will be early tomorrow morning."
"Shall you go?" asked Breton.
"Certainly. And you can go with me, if you like. Better keep in touch with us all day in case we hear. You ought to be there—you're concerned."
"I should like to go—I will go," said Breton. "And if that proves to be—empty—I'll—I'll tell you something."
Spargo looked up with instinct.
"You'll tell me something? Something? What?"
"Never mind—wait until we see if that a or lead and sawdust. If there's no there——"
At that moment one of the senior messenger boys came in and approached Spargo. His countenance, to an official stolidity, of something very like excitement.
"There's a man for you, Mr. Spargo," he said. "He's been about a bit, sir,—seems very about up. He won't say what he wants, and he won't up a form, sir. Says all he wants is a word or two with you."
"Bring him up at once!" Spargo. He to Breton when the boy had gone. "There!" he said, laughing. "This is the man about the stick—you see if it isn't."
"You're such a cock-sure chap, Spargo," said Breton. "You're always going on a line."
"Trying to, you mean," Spargo. "Well, stop here, and what this has to say: it'll no be amusing."
The messenger boy, that he was into Spargo's room an who might away a thousand of good Watchman money in his pocket, opened the door and a and self-conscious man, was to and by himself. He on the threshold, looking the comfortably-furnished room, and at the two well-dressed men which it as if he to enter on a of such grandeur.
"Come in, come in!" said Spargo, and pointing to an easy-chair at the of his desk. "Take a seat. You've called about that reward, of course."
The man in the chair the two of them cautiously, and not without suspicion. He his with a effort.
"Of course," he said. "It's all on the private. Name of Edward
Mollison, sir."
"And where do you live, and what do you do?" asked Spargo.
"You might put it Rowton House, Whitechapel," answered Edward Mollison. "Leastways, that's where I out when I can it. And—window-cleaner. Leastways, I was window when—when——"
"When you came in with the we've been about," Spargo. "Just so. Well, Mollison—what about the stick?"
Mollison looked at the door, and then at the windows, and then at
Breton.
"There ain't no of me being got into trouble along of that stick?" he asked. "'Cause if there is, I ain't a-going to say a word—no, not for no thousand pounds! Me having been in no trouble of any sort, guv'nor—though a man."
"Not the in the world, Mollison," Spargo. "Not the least. All you've got to do is to tell the truth—and prove that it is the truth. So it was you who took that queer-looking out of Mr. Aylmore's rooms in Fountain Court, was it?"
Mollison appeared to this direct question to his feelings. He weakly.
"It was cert'nly me as took it, sir," he said. "Not that I meant to pinch it—not me! And, as you might say, I didn't take it, when all's said and done. It was—put on me."
"Put on you, was it?" said Spargo. "That's interesting. And how was it put on you?"
Mollison again and his chin.
"It was this here way," he answered. "You see, I was at that time—near on to nine months since, it is—for the Universal Daylight Window Cleaning Company, and I used to clean a many here and there in the Temple, and them at Mr. Aylmore's—only I them as Mr. Anderson's—among 'em. And I was there one morning, early it was, when the she says to me, 'I wish you'd take these two or three hearthrugs,' she says, 'and give 'em a good beating,' she says. And me being always a one to oblige, 'All right!' I says, and takes 'em. 'Here's something to 'em with,' she says, and that there old out of a that was in a in a of the lobby. And that's how I came to it, sir."
"I see," said Spargo. "A good explanation. And when you had the hearthrugs—what then?"
Mollison his weak again.
"Well, sir, I looked at that there and I see it was something uncommon," he answered. "And I thinks—'Well, this Mr. Anderson, he's got a of and walking up there—he'll miss this old thing,' I thinks. And so I left it in a when I'd done the rugs, and when I away with my I took it with me."
"You took it with you?" said Spargo. "Just so. To keep as a curiosity,
I suppose?"
Mollison's weak to one of cunning. He was his nervousness; the of his own voice and the of his news was to him.
"Not half!" he answered. "You see, guv'nor, there was an old as I in the Temple there as is, or was, 'cause I ain't been there since, a of antikities, like, and I'd him a old thing, time and again. And, of course, I had him in my when I took the away—see?"
"I see. And you took the to him?"
"I took it there and then," Mollison. "Pitched him a tale, I did, about it having been from parts by Uncle Simon—which I had no Uncle Simon. Made out it was a curiosity—which it might ha' been one, for all I know."
"Exactly. And the old took a to it, eh?"
"Bought it there and then," answered Mollison, with something very like a wink.
"Ah! Bought it there and then. And how much did he give you for it?" asked Spargo. "Something handsome, I hope?"
"Couple o' quid," Mollison. "Me not to part with a family for less."
"Just so. And do you to be able to tell me the old cove's name and his address, Mollison?" asked Spargo.
"I do, sir. Which they've painted on his entry—the or as you go Middle Temple Lane," answered Mollison. "Mr. Nicholas Cardlestone, up the staircase."
Spargo rose from his seat without as much as a look at Breton.
"Come this way, Mollison," he said. "We'll go and see about your little reward. Excuse me, Breton."
Breton his in for an hour. Then Spargo came back.
"There—that's one settled, Breton," he said. "Now for the next.
The Home Secretary's the order for the opening of the at
Market Milcaster. I'm going there at once, and I you're
coming. And remember, if that grave's empty——"
"If that grave's empty," said Breton, "I'll tell you—a good deal."