‘A private examination took place, and then it came out that this young
man was acquainted with a cousin of the unfortunate Eliza Grimwood, and
that, calling to see this cousin a day or two before the murder, he left
these gloves upon the table. Who should come in, shortly afterwards, but
Eliza Grimwood! “Whose gloves are these?” she says, taking ’em up.
“Those are Mr. Trinkle’s gloves,” says her cousin. “Oh!” says she, “they
are very dirty, and of no use to him, I am sure. I shall take ’em away
for my girl to clean the stoves with.” And she put ’em in her pocket.
The girl had used ’em to clean the stoves, and, I have no doubt, had left
’em lying on the bedroom mantelpiece, or on the drawers, or somewhere;
and her mistress, looking round to see that the room was tidy, had caught
’em up and put ’em under the pillow where I found ’em.
That’s the story, sir.’
II.—THE ARTFUL TOUCH
‘One of the most beautiful things that ever was done, perhaps,’ said
Inspector Wield, emphasising the adjective, as preparing us to expect
dexterity or ingenuity rather than strong interest, ‘was a move of
Sergeant Witchem’s. It was a lovely idea!
‘Witchem and me were down at Epsom one Derby Day, waiting at the station
for the Swell Mob. As I mentioned, when we were talking about these
things before, we are ready at the station when there’s races, or an
Agricultural Show, or a Chancellor sworn in for an university, or Jenny
Lind, or anything of that sort; and as the Swell Mob come down, we send
’em back again by the next train. But some of the Swell Mob, on the
occasion of this Derby that I refer to, so far kidded us as to hire a
horse and shay; start away from London by Whitechapel, and miles round;
come into Epsom from the opposite direction; and go to work, right and
left, on the course, while we were waiting for ’em at the Rail. That,
however, ain’t the point of what I’m going to tell you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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