The Burglar's Fate, and The DetectivesPinkerton, Allan
General
The Burglar's Fate, and The Detectives
Pinkerton, Allan
Detective and mystery stories; Detectives -- United States; Robbery -- United States -- Case studies
Mounting the stairs without hesitation, the detective entered the store,
where he found to his intense satisfaction the merchant at home. He was
assured of this fact from the striking resemblance which the man bore to
his fugitive relation. On the pretense of ordering a suit of clothing,
the detective engaged him in conversation for some time, and after
satisfying himself that Duncan was not about the premises he took his
leave, promising to call again and effect his purchase. Arriving on the
outside, Manning took up a position where he could watch the entrance
unobserved, and where anyone entering or leaving the place could be
readily seen by him. Maintaining his watch for several hours, he was
gratified, about nine o'clock, to see the clothier making preparations
to close his store, and a few moments afterwards he appeared upon the
street. As the merchant walked along the streets, the detective followed
him closely, never losing sight of him for a moment. For a time the man
strolled about, apparently with no definite object in view, and Manning
began to fear that his hopes of finding Duncan were futile, and that
this relative was entirely unaware of his relative's movements. The
night was dark and it was with difficulty that he could keep his man in
sight, without approaching so close as to excite suspicion. At last,
however, the merchant came out of a saloon which he had entered a short
time before, and this time he was accompanied by another man whom
Manning could not obtain a fair view of. Taking a circuitous route, they
at length gained the main street in the vicinity of the merchant's
store. Here they entered a doorway leading from the street and ascending
a stairway were soon lost to sight. The detective at once surmised that
the clothier occupied sleeping apartments in the building, and that the
two men had probably retired for the night.
His first impulse was to follow them up stairs and demand admittance,
and should Duncan prove to be one of the parties, to make the arrest
then and there. A little reflection, however, convinced him that such a
proceeding would be not only unwise but hazardous in the extreme. He was
not sure that the companion of the merchant was Duncan, as he had been
unable to get close enough to recognize him, and a precipitate entry now
would, in case he was not the man, only serve to put them all upon
their guard against future surprises.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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