[CHAPTER IX.]
IKE'S PERTINACITY IS REWARDED IN A MOST REMARKABLE MANNER—HE PROVES ALL THEORIES AND REDEEMS ALL PROMISES.
The exchange of signals between the burglar and the woman was an incident of great significance to our hero. The burglar was a very gentlemanly looking and acting man—a fellow far above the usual personality of robbers. Ike was after him, however, and in his own mind had arrived at a conclusion. A little time passed. The man made the circuit of the boat, appeared to be satisfied and returned to the cabin where the woman sat. He walked boldly up to her and they engaged in a very earnest conversation, while our hero muttered: "At last! At last!" When the boat reached the landing the woman went ashore alone, and Ike was in a dilemma. He did not wish to lose sight of either of them. He believed he was not only on to the burglars, but also going direct toward the hiding-place of the stolen property. He decided to follow the woman, but knew how necessary it was to be very careful.
We will here state that nearly all burglars have women confederates, and we will also state that the most romantic dénouements have time and again followed the running down of an expert burglar. Burglars are not all vulgar, rough men. Some of them are rascals possessing æsthetic tastes. The police records will show that many burglars have been married to very reputable women whom they have kept in total ignorance of their criminal life. It is upon the records that burglars have been known to be very fond of their families. Of course, these cases are exceptions, as the usual housebreaker is a vulgar rascal. Ike, however, knew of many singular romances connected with criminals and believed that he had fallen to one, a romance of a peculiarly exceptional character.
As stated, he desired to follow the woman, but did not dare show his hand. He left the boat, however, and a few moments later saw the burglar pass around to the returning boat. It was evident he had met the woman and was about to return to New York.
Ike boarded the Staten Island rapid transit train. He had seen the woman go on the train and she rode to the third station, where she alighted. Our hero was on the alert. He alighted from the train also. His disguise was a good one. Again, in a rural district he could lay away back. He followed the lady until to his surprise he saw her enter a very handsome villa house, and then he remembered he had overheard just one word between the lady and the burglar. As he saw her enter that villa residence he fell to the significance of the man's words. He intended to visit the house that night, and our hero was put to his wits' end to decide upon his course in the emergency. Two propositions were presented to him: Was the stolen property in the villa, and did the man intend to come that night and take it away, or did he intend to remove it from some other place and hide it in the villa? The ventriloquist meditated a long time and finally decided he had the burglar located. He had the villa located. He had reason to believe the man was to visit the villa that night. The chances favored a double catch—the burglars and the "swag."
Ike determined to return to New York, notify Jack and Du Flore and with them return to Staten Island and stand ready for a grand dénouement. Before returning, however, he "piped" the house a bit and saw a man greet the woman as she stepped upon the grand piazza. He then returned to the station, muttering as he went:
"It will be great luck if we capture both burglars and all the swag. Great ginger! what a man the young Detective Du Flore will be!"