ome into possession of them through
a death. On that occasion the prisoner asked the witness what he would
give for three volumes of 'The Stones of Venice.' Witness offered him
L9. On June 28 the prisoner brought the book, and finding it not to be
in such good condition, witness offered him L7 10s. This was accepted,
and witness handed a cheque to the prisoner for that amount. Witness
bought other books from the prisoner for L3 2s. 6d. Mr. Reeves said that
he sold 'Modern Painters' for L18, and 'The Stones of Venice' for L8
10s.

Here is another illustration, gleaned from the Greenwich Police Court: A
person, forty-six, of ladylike appearance, and no occupation, was
charged at Greenwich with stealing a book, valued 4d., from outside the
shop of Charles Humphreys, 114, South Street. She was seen to take a
book from a stall, place it in a novelette, and walk away. Prosecutor
followed, stopped her, and said, 'I've got you now.' She cried out, 'Oh,
for God's sake, don't, don't! Let me pay for it.' But he said, 'No, not
for L5, as you are an old thief.' At her house he found over a hundred
books bearing his private mark, but he could not swear that they had not
been bought. Once he bought some books from the prisoner which she had
stolen from his shop, but he did not know that when he bought them.
Prisoner pleaded guilty to stealing one book, and on her behalf a
solicitor produced a certificate from a medical man, stating that she
was suffering from general weakness of system, loss of appetite,
sleeplessness, and evident mental disorder. Those symptoms he attributed
to causes which induced the magistrate to deal leniently, and a fine of
L5 was imposed.

[Illustration: '_Steals a book, places it in a novelette, and walks
away._']

About a couple of years ago, two maiden sisters, Grace and Blanche ----,
were charged at Bow Street with theft. To all appearances they were
highly respectable members of the community. Grace was seventy-four;
Blanche had only seen sixty summers. They visited Shoolbred's,
apparently wanting to buy some Prayer-books and Bibles. They looked at
many, but none suited them. They left without purchasing anything, no
suspicions being aroused on the part of the attendants. But Detective
Butler and Constable 173 D, who had taken great interest in the old
ladies' movements, saw Grace hand a Book of Common Prayer, a hymn-book,
and ladies' companion to her sister. Shoolbred's manager identified the
articles