The Corner House

by Fred M. White

"I expect you'll get orders from five or six addresses," said Prout. "If so, send the stuff on, not too much at a time, and ask for references. You'll get the reference, of course; in other words, Jones and Company, of Gray's Inn, will recommend Smith and Company, of Market Street. When you get all the references in let me know, because by that means I shall be in possession of every address used by these fellows."

To keep the big swindle going on and to avoid awkward mistakes it was necessary for the confederates to meet at intervals. By small purchases at one address or another Prout had pretty well got to know all the gang by sight, and by following one or another he discovered at last where the rendezvous was--a public-house of not too good repute in White Lane, leading off Oxford Street.

Next day a sallow, seedy, broken-down shop assistant sought and obtained a bedroom at the Orange Tree public-house. He seemed to have money, and therefore he was welcome. He hinted that he was "in trouble" over some stolen goods from his late employer's shop, and the Orange Tree received him with open arms.

It was weary work sitting there and pretending to drink, but patience has its reward at last. Gradually the shy swindlers became accustomed to the seedy shop assistant, who even went out of his way to give them hints as to credulous firms. It seemed to Prout that he knew all the gang at last save one.

And this one he particularly wanted to see, because the name was unknown to him. In all the swindlers in London it was the first time Prout had heard of one called "Frenchy." And the particular member of the gang--absent from London on business--seemed to be the leader of them all. Once Frenchy showed himself, Prout would give the sign, and within an hour the gang would be laid by the heels.

He came at length, a little dapper man, with a slight hump between the shoulders, a nose slightly crooked on one side. He appeared to take his warm welcome quite as a matter of course, he discarded a pair of grey suède gloves, and called for a bottle of champagne.

Behind his paper Prout gave a start. Here was a case where the pursuit of one crime led to another. The leader of the gang of thieves had large orange coloured freckles on his hand the same as Prout had seen on the hands of the victim of the Corner House tragedy.

Prout was calm again in an instant. In a dejected way he was looking admiringly at the newcomer. The little man's English was quite good, but all the same he spoke with an accent that had a strange French flavour about it.

Just on closing time Prout lounged out in his most dejected style, and bought a late paper.

"Now, look here," he said to the man with the papers. "Those men are to be arrested, but so far away from here as not to give any suspicion of the house being watched. The little dandy chap who just came in is to be left to me. That's all."