A case is opened when a property in a dismal, poorly ventilated alley is leased at bargain price to a religiously ambiguous group of women who, under the guise of establishing a home for crippled orphans, begin a daily routine with a donkey-cart that appears to coincide with a series of dubious burglaries. A local businessman, having initially let the tenants in without objection, grows suspicious when his property becomes a point of departure for criminal activities. The police, led by Inspector Gunning, enlist the services of a female detective to conduct covert surveillance. Assigned a room with a private entrance in a draper’s shop in a small town, the detective undertakes systematic observation. She is briefed to monitor the movements of the women—characterized by an austere leader whose harsh features contrast with the sorrowful beauty of a younger sister—and to note any association with nearby country houses marked on a specially prepared map. These country houses, some with modern safeguards such as electricity, are potential targets due to their valuable possessions. During her stakeout, the detective observes not only the sisters’ routine but also the movements of local residents who might be drawn into the wider plot. A suspicious greengrocer-turned-landlord named John Murray, whose property hosted the women, becomes a figure of interest when he reports that, after the sisters began their peculiar daily rounds, a series of attempted burglaries took place on routes corresponding to their passage. His casual acceptance of the arrangement and later anxious behavior, underscored by minor but telling physical details on his bicycle and equipment, alarm the detective. A secondary strand unfolds when a young, self-assured reporter—George White—approaches the detective. Claiming personal distress over the disappearance of his fiancée, a nursery governess from an important local mansion, he reveals that she had been involved with the mysterious group. White is recruited as a deputy, tasked with serving as an additional set of eyes and conveying critical information back to the detective. His observations further link the sisterhood’s movements to an impending criminal operation targeting a well-to-do country house known for its modern electrical system. As the detective compiles her reports using coded messages and clandestine communications with Inspector Gunning, she connects the dots between the seemingly philanthropic façade of the group and a larger criminal conspiracy. The evidence suggests that the women, far from being innocent, are being manipulated by or acting with accomplices intent on deflecting suspicion from a planned burglary. Their routine routes, synchronized with the timing of attempted burglaries at several prominent houses, serve as convenient cover for an organized band of burglars. Key clues, such as mismatched behavior and improvised use of electric fuses by one of the suspects, direct attention to a connection between local tradesmen, a discredited ex-convict with personal vendettas, and the misdirection surrounding the group’s activities. The climax centers on the identification of North Cape, an imposing residence slightly isolated yet distinctly different by being the only country house with electric lighting. The detective’s careful mapping and analysis lead her to conclude that this house is the primary target. A final ciphered message prompts a police ambush that night. In a dramatic confrontation reported subsequently by the local press, a desperate burglary is thwarted at North Cape. The attackers, among them John Murray and members of a criminal family including a pair of Lees, are captured after a hand-to-hand struggle at the adjacent electrical engine-house—a critical point in the security system of the mansion. In summary, the narrative follows the meticulous work of a female detective who, through subtle observation and coded communications, unravels a complex scheme where a seemingly benevolent sisterhood is used as a diversion for a coordinated series of burglaries. The case intertwines themes of deception, the dual nature of appearances, and the increasing involvement of modern technology in both securing valuable properties and in subversive criminal endeavors.
By Catherine Louisa Pirkis · First published 1895 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime Fiction