“Yes—I’m through. The game’s up and I’m glad of it. I’ll go along with you all right.”
Major Simpson, closely followed by Mr. Burnett, was trying to make his way through the crowd. He knew something was going on and his superior intelligence must be in demand. He also knew that lace had been stolen and that a person with black bobbed hair was the thief. It was irritating that it was not Josie O’Gorman who had been caught in the act, but then, any thief was better than no thief at all.
“Here, let me through! I am a detective.”
The word detective was an open sesame for him. The crowd divided and he and Mr. Burnett passed through to the scene of the fray.
“Some scene it was!” Mr. Burnett described later on to his mother and sisters. “There was little Miss O’Gorman, her suit all dusty and dishevelled, her hat gone and her face made up in the most absurd manner with blackened brows and painted lips. She had by the hand a young boy dressed as a girl. Handsome? Handsome as Hermes! Shame and anger were both depicted on his countenance, and his head, with its dark, closely cropped curls, was hung in deep dejection. On the pavement wigs and hats were so much in evidence that one might have thought there had been a battle royal and both fighters had been decapitated. I had no idea who the youth was at first, not recognizing ‘Miss Fauntleroy’ without her wig. Miss O’Gorman’s famous string of red beads had broken and were scattered all over the pavement. It looked to me like a million beads, some of them as big as bantam eggs.”
Major Simpson, acting true to form, broke into the ring blustering as usual.
“What’s all this?” he demanded. Not recognizing Josie with her bizarre make-up or Miss Fauntleroy without her wig, the old gentleman stood gazing at the pavement. He suddenly remembered Min’s words: “Black bobbed hair and red tam.” He stooped and picked up Josie’s wig and hat. It looked as though a tragedy had just been enacted at the front entrance of Burnett & Burnett’s.
“Who has done this thing?” he asked solemnly, glaring all around.
“I reckon I did,” laughed Josie.
“I’ll say she did!” exclaimed Jimmy Blaine, who was still clinging to the handcuffed beggar.