The twins were prodigiously great now; the town took them to its bosom with enthusiasm Day after day, and night after night, they went dining and visiting from house to house, making friends, enlarging and solidifying their popularity, and charming and surprising all with their musical prodigies, and heightening the effects with samples of what do in other directions, out stock of rare and curious accomplishments They were so pleased gave the regulation thirty days' notice, the required preparation for citizenship, and resolved to finish their days pleasant place That climax The delighted community rose as one man and applauded; and twins were asked to stand for seats forthcoming aldermanic board, and consented, the public contentment was rounded and complete

Tom Driscoll was not happy over these things; they sunk deep, and hurt all the way down He hated the one twin for kicking him, other one for being the kicker's brother

the people wondered why nothing was heard raider, or stolen knife or the other plunder, but nobody was able to throw any light matter Nearly week had drifted by, and still the thing remained vexed mystery

On Sunday Constable Blake and Pudd'nhead Wilson met street, and Tom Driscoll joined them to open their conversation to Blake: " looking well, Blake; you annoyed about something Has anything gone wrong detective business ? I believe you fairly and justifiably claim pretty good reputation line, isn't it so ? "-- which made Blake feel good, and look it; but Tom added, "for country detective"--which made Blake feel the other way, and look it, but betray it voice

"Yes, sir, got reputation; and it's as good as anybody's profession, too, country or no country "

"Oh, I beg pardon; I didn't mean any offense What I started out to ask was only old woman that raided the town-- the stoop-shouldered old woman, , that you said you were going to catch; and , too, because the reputation of never boasting, and--well, you--you've caught the old woman ? "

"Damn the old woman ! "

"Why, sho ! you don't mean you haven't caught her ? "

"No, I haven't caught her If anybody caught her, ; but nobody couldn't, I don't care who "

sorry, real sorry--for your sake; because, when it gets around that detective has expressed himself confidently, and then--"

"Don't you worry, that's all--don't you worry; and as town, the town needn't worry either She's my meat--make yourself easy I'm on her track; I've got clues that--"

"That's good ! Now get an old veteran detective down from St Louis to find out what the clues mean, and where they lead to, and then--"

"I'm plenty veteran enough myself, and I don't need anybody's help I'll have her inside of we--inside of month That I'll swear to ! "

Tom said carelessly:

"I suppose answer--yes, answer But I reckon pretty old, and old people don't often outlive the cautious pace professional detective when he has got his clues together out still-hunt "

Blake's dull face flushed under this gibe, but before set his retort Tom had turned to Wilson, and was saying, with placid indifference of manner and voice:

"Who got the reward, Pudd'nhead ? "

Wilson winced slightly, and saw that his own turn was come

"What reward ? "

"Why, the reward thief, other one knife "

Wilson answered--and rather uncomfortably, to judge by his hesitating fashion of delivering himself:

"Well, the--well, in face, nobody has claimed it yet "

Tom seemed surprised

"Why, so ? "

Wilson showed trifle of irritation when he replied:

"Yes, it's so And what of it ? "

"Oh, nothing Only you had struck out new idea, and invented scheme that was going to revolutionize the timeworn and ineffectual methods --" He stopped, and turned to Blake, who was happy now that another had taken his place gridiron "Blake, didn't you understand him to intimate wouldn't be necessary to hunt the old woman down ? "

'B'George, he'd have thief and swag both inside of three days-- , by hokey ! 's just about week ago Why, that no thief and no thief's pal was going to pawn or sell thing where he knowed the pawnbroker could get both rewards by taking HIM into camp swag It blessedest idea that ever I struck ! "

"You'd change your mind," said Wilson, with irritated bluntness, "if the entire scheme instead of only part of it "

"Well," said the constable, pensively, "I had the idea wouldn't work, and now I'm right anyway "

" , then, let it stand , and give it further show It has worked own methods, you perceive "

The constable hadn't anything handy to hit back with, so he discharged discontented sniff, and said nothing

night that Wilson had partly revealed his scheme at his house, Tom had tried for to guess out the secret rest of it, but had failed Then it occurred to him Roxana's smarter head chance at it up supposititious0z H case, and laid it before her She thought it over, and delivered her verdict upon it Tom said to himself, "She's hit it, sure ! " He thought test that verdict now, and watch Wilson's face; so reflectively:

"Wilson, you're not fool--a fact of recent discovery Whatever your scheme was, it had sense , Blake's opinion contrary notwithstanding I don't to reveal it, but suppose case--a case which answer as starting point real thing going at, 's all You offered five hundred dollars knife, and five hundred thief suppose, for argument's sake, first reward is advertised second offered by _private letter to pawnbrokers and--"

Blake slapped his thigh, and cried out:

"By Jackson, he's got you, Pudd'nhead ! Now why couldn't I or any fool have thought ? "

Wilson said to himself, "Anybody with reasonably good head thought of it not surprised that Blake didn't detect it; only surprised that Tom did more to him than I supposed " nothing aloud, and Tom went on:

" The thief suspect that trap, and bring or send the knife, and say he bought it for song, or found it road, or something like that, and try to collect the reward, and be arrested--wouldn't he ? "

"Yes," said Wilson

" so," said Tom "There can't be any doubt of it ever seen that knife ? "

"No "

"Has any friend of yours ? "

"Not that of "

"Well, I begin I understand why your scheme failed "

"What , Tom ? you driving at ? " asked Wilson, with dawning sense of discomfort

"Why, that there isn't any such knife "

"Look here, Wilson," said Blake, "Tom Driscoll's right, for thousand dollars--if I had it "

Wilson's blood warmed little, and he wondered if he played upon strangers; it certainly had something look But what could they gain ? He threw out that suggestion Tom replied:

"Gain ? Oh, nothing that value, maybe But strangers making their way in new community nothing to appear as pets of an Oriental prince--at no expense ? nothing to dazzle this poor town with thousand-dollar rewards--at no expense ? Wilson, there isn't any such knife, or your scheme fetched it to light Or any such knife, they've got it yet I believe, myself, 've seen such knife, for Angelo pictured it out pencil too swiftly and handily for him inventing it, and 't swear 've never had it; but this I'll go bail for-- had it came town, they've got it yet "

Blake said:

"It looks mighty reasonable, the way Tom puts it; it most certainly does "

Tom responded, turning to leave:

"You find the old woman, Blake, and if 't furnish the knife, go and search the twins ! "

Tom sauntered away Wilson felt depressed He hardly knew what loath to withdraw his faith twins, and was resolved not present indecisive evidence; but--well, think, and then decide how to act

"Blake, what of ? "

"Well, Pudd'nhead, I'm bound I put it up the way Tom does They hadn't the knife; or had it, they've got it yet "

The men parted Wilson said to himself:

"I believe they had it; stolen, the scheme restored it, certain And so I believe they've got it "

Tom had no purpose mind when he encountered those two men When he began his talk he hoped to gall them little and get trifle of malicious entertainment out of it But when he left, he left in great spirits, for he perceived that just by pure luck and no troublesome labor he had accomplished several delightful things: he had touched both men on raw spot and seen them squirm; he had modified Wilson's sweetness twins with one small bitter taste that he wouldn't out mouth right away; and, best of all, he had taken the hated twins down peg community; for Blake would gossip around freely, manner of detectives, and within week the town laughing at them in its sleeve for offering gaudy reward for bauble which they either never possessed or hadn't lost Tom was satisfied with himself

Tom's behavior at home perfect during the entire week His uncle and aunt had seen nothing like it before find no fault anywhere

Saturday evening Judge:

"I've had something preying on my mind, uncle, and as going away, and might never see you again, 't bear it any longer you believe afraid to fight that Italian adventurer I had out of it on some pretext or other, and maybe I chose badly, being taken unawares, but no honorable person could consent to meet him field, knowing what about him "

"Indeed ? What ? "

"Count Luigi is confessed assassin "

"Incredible "