I noticed they hesitated and huddled together as they approached and saw me, but not heeding this, I accosted them with a pleasant word or so, then pointing over my shoulder to the house behind, asked who lived there.

Instantly their already pale faces grew paler.
"Why," cried one, a boy, "don't you know?
That is where the two wicked men lived who stole the money out of the Rutland bank.

They were put in prison, but they got away and--" Here, the other, a little girl, plucked him by the sleeve with such affright, that he himself took alarm and just giving me one quick stare out of his wide eyes, grasped his companion by the hand and took to his heels.

As for myself I stood rooted to the ground in my astonishment.
This blank, sleepy old house the home of the notorious Schoenmakers after whom half of the detectives of the country were searching?
I could scarcely credit my own ears.

True I now remembered they had come from these parts, still-- Turning round I eyed the house once more.