American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-04-05
VOL. XXIII.

would, have no doubt, have braved an
amouat of danger in order to carry out
point of duty. Had I sent him on tn
track of any one who had absconded t
America, and had furnished him wit
the name and photograph of the indi
vidual, l have no doubt that he woul
have brought the culprit back witt
as to where he thought the stolen bond
were, or even, after having got clue t,
| the person who probably had them, h
was asked what would be the best mean
of recovering them, he seemed quite at
loss what to do or what to advise. Thel
again, like the rest of his brother detec
| tives from Scotland yard-at least al
those that I saw-he was the police
man ali over. Although dressed in plail
| clothes, there could be no doubt whateve
| as to what his calling was. His favorit,
costume was black billycock hat, a darl
cutaway coat, and drab trousers; but h,
might just as well have worn a helmet
a blue tunic, and leather belt round hi!
waist. More than once as we went alons
the streets heard cabmen, roughs, anG
others say to each other, "There gOe
Sergeant Henry: who is he going to nab q
And when, upon one occasiOn-havins
previously procured him a suit of fash
ionable clotnes-I sent him with letter
of Introduction to the man we suspected
stating that he was a Yorkshire gentle
man wishing to discount bill, Mr.. Nual
knew him at once, and ordered him out
of his office. In a word, it seemed i'm
possible to make use of him in the way l
required, owing to his appearance being
so perfectly well know in London. Had
lie been able to go to any one and say, 81
am Detective Henry, and want you TO
tell me so and So" he might have been of
considerable service to me; but to con-
duct a delicate inquiry of the kind l had
in hand he was of no use whatever, and
was, in fact, only a intolerance to me. l
would have intrusted him with untold
gold; but as a detective to find out what l
wanted to know would rather have paid
him to keep away.
CHAPTER Iu.-THE RIGHT SCENT.
After beating about the bush for some
ten DAYS in London, it struck me that 1
might Just as well try the other end of
the wood, and see whether l could not
find my game with less trouble in Paris
Part of the notes which the young man
had paid away at Havre had been paid to
NJ. Treves, the money lender in that city :;
and as it seemed hopeless to persevere on
this side of the Channel, l thought
might as well see what could be done on
the other; and the morning after my ar
the Rue de Jerusalem, and sent up my
card, asking as particular favor to be
allowed an interview with the Chief of
Police.
l was not kept waiting more than ten
minutes before l was ushered up to the
sanctum of the man who had such power
in Paris. l at once told him, although
without giving names, that my business
was to recover certain bonds that had
been stolen. He asked me if suspected
any one in particular. said did, and
told him the name and address of NJ
Treves. He asked me if l would like to
know the kind of character the man bore.
replied that would like very much to
do SO; although l had heard already too
much of him. He then wrote the name
down on piece OF paper, spoke through
a Tube to some one in room below, and
put the paper in sort of small lift which
was in the wall by his side. We went on
talking upon various matters for about
five minutes, when a sound was heard
the speaking pipe. The Chief
then opened the lift, took from it a slip
of paper, and read out the few words
which were written as the character of
NJ. -Treves:
"a money lender"
elias dealings with young men of good
family"
"UsuriOus in the extreme"
suspected of receiving stolen bank
notes from England"
"Never been brought to Justice"
"A character furnished in many ways"
'Has been twice bankrupt"
"Now," continued the Chief of Police,
II know that you Englishmen like to
take everything by storm. II you attempt
tv do this in Paris you never will gain
your ends. You don't know in London
what the word detective (z,Olice secrete)
means, although none of your novels or
plays are complete without one or more
of that occupation among its characters.
You had better not be seen speaking to
any of my people here; but give me your
address, and one of my best men" Che
called them employees ''shall call at your
hotel tonight. Leave the matter to him,
Tell him all you know, and if the matter
can be sifted, depend upon it he will do
so. We have" he continued, Sin
France, three branches of secret police
the political, the criminal, and
the civil. Your affair comes under the
latter category, and will send you an in
dividual who will be useful to you in
France, and much more useful than any of
your policemen detectives in London,
even if you take him there with you"
The Chief was evidently too polite TO
cast ridicule on anything English before
me, but from his manner, more than his
actual words, could see that he did not
hold our secret police in very great esti-
nation.
CHAPTER Iv.-sTILL SEEKING.
That evening as sat in the court of the
Grand Hotel, drinking my after dinner
and smoking my after-dinner
:igar, the card of Monsieur Bergnet was
brought me by the waiter, who said that
, stranger wished to see the gentleman
room No. 2O7, which was GER
ainly myself. The card was speedily
by the owner thereof, who in a
half whisper told me he had come to see
ne on the part of -Hoasieur lie Chef At
irst felt sure NJ. Bergnet was a head
clerk, or chief of some department in the
Rue de Jerusalem, but he quickly unje-
;eived me. He was, as he said, member
Of the secret police in the civil depart
nent, IN other words detective. But
more utterly unlike our English
conventional notion of detective would
be impossible to imagine He was a
bright, dapper little fellow of, I should
say, about so years of age; well dressed
in closely fitting frock coat, with hat
that must have come from n fashionable
maker, good boots, well-gloved hands, a
morsel of red ribbon at his button hole,
and altogether looking like a French mill
tary man in plain clothes, or the head
clerk in prosperous bank. My first
thoughts were to contrast him with the
big, honest faced, heavy-looking, billy
cocktail and policeman's boots wearing
men had seen at Scotland yard. Mon
sieur Bergnet accepted r. cup of coffee
and a cigar which | offered him, and
when put the question TO him whether
ms calling was likely to be known to the
rrequenters OF the Grand Hotel he