tion of
the little tailor.

"Yes," replied the detective. "I want to look at some goods that will
make a good suit of clothes."

"Certainly," replied the knight of the shears. "I have some excellent
styles here, and I am sure I can give you your full satisfaction."

"I have no doubt of that," said Manning pleasantly. "I have been
recommended here by my friend Tod Duncan, and he speaks very highly of
you."

The face of the little tailor was again wreathed in smiles, as he
delightedly inquired:

"Do you mean Duncan, the traveling man from Des Moines?"

"Yes," replied Manning, "that's the man; I am a traveling man myself,
but in a different line, and I expected to meet him in this city, but I
was disappointed. I guess he must have got ahead of me."

"Let me see," said Mr. Griswold, with his needle-pricked finger pressed
against his nose. "He was here about two weeks ago, I guess."

"Do you know which way he was going?"

"I think he said he was going to St. Paul. I made a suit of clothes for
him in a great hurry, as he was very anxious to get away."

"What kind of a suit did he get?" asked Manning, now anxious to learn
the clothing of the man, in order that he might the more accurately
describe him.

"It was from this piece," said Mr. Griswold, throwing on the table a
roll of dark green cassimere. "That is one of the latest importations,
and as fine a piece of goods as I have in the house."

"I like that myself," said the detective. "Would you object to giving me
a small piece of it as a sample? I want to show it to a friend of mine
at the hotel, who has pretty good taste in such matters."

"Of course not," replied Mr. Griswold, as he clipped off a piece of the
cloth, little dreaming of the use to which the detective would put it.

Declining to make a selection until he had sought the advice of an
imaginary friend, and stating that he would probably call again in the
evening, Manning took his leave of the little tailor. The detective then
repaired to the railroad ticket office, where he had a friend of long
standing, from whom he hoped to derive some material information.

At the railroad station he found his friend on duty, and after the usual
friendly salutations, he requested a few moments' private conversation.
Being admitted to an inner office, Manning at once displayed the
photograph of Duncan, and asked:

"Harry, have you seen that face about here, say within about two weeks?"

Taking the picture