The famous Haggerty of the New York
detective force,--a man whom not a dozen New York policemen knew by
sight and no criminals save those behind bars, earthly and
eternal,--was now giving his whole attention to the affair. Some
gaily-dressed lady at a ball would suddenly find she had lost some
valuable gems; and that would be the end of the affair, for none ever
recovered her gems.
The gentleman-thief was still at large, and had gathered to his account
a comfortable fortune; that is, if he were not already rich and simply
a kleptomaniac. No doubt he owned one of my racing-cars, and was clear
of the delinquent lists at his clubs. I dismissed all thought of him,
threw aside the paper, and mentally figured out my commissions on sales
during the past month. It was a handsome figure, large enough for two.
This pastime, too, soon failed to interest me. I gazed out of the
window and watched the dark shapes as they sped past.
I saw the girl's face from time to time. What a fool I had been not to
ask her name! She could easily have refused, and yet as easily have
granted the request. At any rate, I had permitted the chance to slip
out of my reach, which was exceedingly careless on my part. Perhaps
they--she and her uncle--frequently dined at Mouquin's; I determined to
haunt the place and learn.
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