When a few days from that I made my appearance before Mr. Gryce, it
was to find him looking somewhat sober. "Those Schoenmakers," said
he, "are making a deal of trouble. It seems they escaped the fellows
up north and are now somewhere in this city, but where--"

An expressive gesture finished the sentence.

"Is that so?" exclaimed I. "Then we are sure to nab them. Given time
and a pair of low, restless German thieves, I will wager anything,
our hands will be upon them before the month is over. I only hope,
when we do come across them, it will not be to find their betters too
much mixed up with their devilish practices." And I related to him
what Fanny had told me a few evenings before.

"The coil is tightening," said he. "What the end will be I don't know.
Crime, said she? I wish I knew in what blind hole of the earth that
girl we are after lies hidden."

As if in answer to this wish the door opened and one of our men came
in with a letter in his hand. "Ha!" exclaimed Mr. Gryce, after he had
perused it, "look at that."

I took the letter from his hand and read:

The dead body of a girl such as you describe was found in the East
river off Fiftieth Street this morning. From appearance has been
dead some time. Have telegraphed to Police Headquarters for
orders. Should you wish to see the body before it is removed to