Officers were close at hand, and the slightest warning would have
had them at the Garrison home. The capture of this man would have
meant much to the department, as he is undoubtedly one of the
diamond robbers who are working havoc in Brussels at this time. He
was, it is stated positively by the police, not alone in his
operations last night. His duty, it is believed, was to obtain the
lay of the land and to give the signal at the proper moment for a
careful and systematic raid of the wealthy woman's house. The police
now fear that the robbers, whose daring exploits have shocked and
alarmed all Brussels, are on their guard and a well-defined plan to
effect their capture is ruined. A prominent attache of the
department is of the opinion that an attempt was to have been made
by the band to relieve all of Mrs. Garrison's guests of their jewels
in a sensational game of 'stand and deliver.'"

"The miserable asses!" exploded Phil, when 'he read the foregoing.
"That is the worst rot I ever read. This police department couldn't
catch a thief if he were tied to a tree. Turk, if they were so near
at hand why the devil didn't they get into the chase with me and run
that fellow down?"

"Th' chances are they was in th' chase, Mr. Quentin, but they didn't
get th' proper direction. They thought he was bein' chased th' other
way, an' I wouldn't be surprised if some of 'em run five or six
miles before they stopped t' reflect."

"If there is a gang of diamond robbers or comic opera bandits in
this city I'll bet my hand they could steal the sidewalks without
being detected, much less captured. A scheme to rob all of Mrs.
Garrison's guests! The asses!"