."

"I can tell you nothing at present. My first object will be to establish
the fact that Alphonse Donetti is in America, and that he wrote the note
to you. I will communicate with you later."

The detective went straight to the Tombs. He was admitted to the cell of
one of the burglars. He was under a new disguise and he played a great
game for information. His object was to identify Alphonse Donetti with
the burglars. He did not succeed, but by skillful maneuvering he got a
hint that caused him to pay a visit to an outlying district on Long
Island, where there is located quite a colony of Italians. It was a warm
and pleasant afternoon; our hero was gotten up as Dudie Dunne, and he
attracted considerable attention as a genuine chappie. Indeed, on the
car when riding to his destination he was made the subject of
considerable merriment by a number of men in the car. He paid no
attention, but he marked one of the men pretty well. This latter
individual was particularly insulting, and there was no occasion for his
insults. Simply because our hero had done nothing and had a perfect
right to dress as a chappie if he so elected, that fact did not warrant
actual insult. As the car stopped and our hero alighted the man who had
made himself conspicuous as an insulter said:

"Let's get off, fellers, and I'll give you an exhibition."

The men were under the influence of liquor and the whisky had made
"Smart Alecs" of them, as it frequently does with men who have little
brain and reason even when sober. The men all appeared to think it would
be a good joke to see the exhibition and they left the car. Oscar had
heard the man's invitation, and having made up his mind that it was an
opportunity to teach one ruffian to mind his own business he took a
course favorable for the exhibition, and started to go across an open
lot; the men followed, and just as our hero arrived near a quagmire the
man who was to give the exhibition ran forward and grasped Oscar.

The latter appeared to be terribly scared and exclaimed:

"Don't; let me alone; I have not harmed you."

"I think I know you."

"Oh, no, you don't know me--hee, hee, hee! I am a stranger around here.
You are mistaken; you never saw me before."

"Yes, I have seen you before."

"You have?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Around here."

"Oh, no, you _are_, you _are_ mistaken."

"Yes, I recognize you, mister. I saw you insult a lady--yes, I saw you
insult a lady."

"Oh, no, neve