"No. 774--Ella Plawsen, variously known to members of the light-fingered fraternity as 'Dutch Ella' and 'Lady Bell.' German-American. Probably the most adroit female jewel thief in existence. Highly educated, exceedingly handsome, and amazingly plausible and quick witted. Usually does the 'society dodge.' Natural blonde, and about twenty-five years old. No photograph obtainable."
Within forty-five minutes after Mr. Narkom had mastered these facts he had rushed with them to Cleek, and there was a vacancy in the list of special constables from that time forth.
"Slipped in, have they?" said Cleek when he heard. "Well, be sure of one thing, Mr. Narkom: they will not have gone to a hotel--at least in the beginning--they are far too sharp for that. Neither will they house themselves in any hole and corner where their sallying forth in fine feathers to make their little clean-up would occasion comment and so lead to a clue. Indeed, I shouldn't be surprised if they were far too shrewd to remain together in any place, but will elect to operate singly, appear to have no connection whatsoever, while they are here, and to have a sort of 'happy reunion' elsewhere after their little job has been pulled off successfully. But in any case, when we find them--if we ever do--depend upon it they will be located in some quiet, respectable, secluded district, one of the suburbs, for instance, and living as circumspectly as the most prudish of prying neighbours could desire.
"Let us then go in for a series of 'walking tours' about the outlying districts, Mr. Narkom, and see if we can't stumble over something that will be worth while. It is true I've never met nor even seen Hemmingway, but I fancy I should know if a man were made up or not for the rôle in which he appears. I did, however, brush elbows with Dutch Ella once. It was that time I went over to New York on that affair of the Amsterdam diamonds. _You_ remember? When I 'split' the reward with the fellow from Mulberry Street, whose daughter wanted to study music as a profession and he couldn't afford to let her. I hobnobbed with some acquaintances of the--er--old days, over there, and went one night to the big French Ball at the Academy of Music, where, my companion of the night told me, there would be 'a smashing big clean-up, as half the swell crooks in town would be there--for business.'