92 
THE STRAND MAGAZINE . 
genuine. On a corner they saw a group of 
the Stovepipe Gang loafing, immaculate. 
They raised their hats to the Kid’s girl and 
went on with their calm, unaccented palaver. 
Three blocks behind the admired couple 
strolled Detective Ransom, of the Central 
Office. Ransom was the only detective in 
the force who could walk abroad with safety 
in the Stovepipe district. He was fair- 
dealing and unafraid, and w r ent there with 
the hypothesis that the inhabitants were 
human. Many liked him, and now and then 
one would give him a tip about something 
that he wc u s looking for. 
i£ What’s the excitement down the street ? ” 
shop don’t match with them skins the Kid’s 
girl’s got on.” 
Ransom overtook the strolling couple on 
an empty street near the river bank. He 
touched the Kid‘s arm from behind. 
“ Let me see you a moment, Brady,”' lie 
said, quietly. His eye rested for a second on 
the long fur scarf thrown stylishly back over 
Molly’s left shoulder. The Kid, with his old- 
time police-hating frown on his face, stepped 
a yard or two aside with the detective. 
“ Did you go to Mrs. Hethcote’s in West 
Seventh Street yesterday to mend a leaky 
water-pipe ? ” asked Ransom. 
“ I did,” said the Kid. “ What of it ? ” 
asked Ransom of a pale youth in a red 
sweater. 
“ They’re out having a look at a set of 
buffalo robes Kid Brady treated his girl to.” 
answered the youth. Some say he paid 
nine hundred dollars for the skins. They’re 
swell all right enough.” 
“ I hear Brady has been working at his old 
trade for nearly a year,” said the detective. 
u He doesn’t travel with the gang any more, 
does he ? ” 
u He’s workin’ all right,” said the red 
sweater ; u but — say, sport, are you trailin’ 
anything in the fur line ? A job in a plumbin’ 
“ The lady’s thousand-dollar set of Russian 
sables went out of the house about the same 
time you did. The description fits the ones 
this lady has on.” 
“To h — Harlem with you ! ” cried the 
Kid, angrily. “ You know I’ve cut that 
sort of thing, Ransom. I bought them 
sables yesterday at ” 
The Kid stopped short. 
“ I know you’ve been working straight 
lately,” said Ransom. “ I’ll give you 
every chance. I’ll go with you where you 
say you bought the furs and investigate. 
The lady can wear them and come along 
