The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-15
A Detective s Story.

"Yes-couldn't do better"
I was sitting in a car on Wisconsin
railroad, one day, years ago, when a
good looking, pleasant spoken man came
along, stopped at my seat, and the
above conversation took place, the latter
part of it after l had given him part of
my seat.
Now, I am regarded as social man.
/ like joke; more so then than now.
On entering the car l always looked
about for talkative man, and then l
got as close to him as possible, and
drained him dry, if the journey was
long enough.
And l want to state one thing more !:
Left an orphan before could realize the
sad event which made me one, | was
kicked here and cuffed there, and grew
up between folks as they say. l ought
to have had, at the time of which l
write, a pretty thorough knowledge of
human nature, and have been enabled to
read in mans face if he intended me-
OIL. -,Idi' ~ os..'nTi ,3A. uavself sAvbeing
about among strangers ought to have
given any one good experience.
Well, the stranger and fell into an
easy strain of conversation as We rode
together, and in ten inmates 1 began to
enjoy his company. He was well
made fellow, well dressed, and wore
fine watch and simon pure diamond
ring. l never saw man who could talk
SO easy and so pleasantly. 1t seemed
that he had but to open his mouth and
the words fell right out
l had travelled in the South, so had
he. l had heard the roar of the Pacific,
he knew all about it. l had been up in
a balloon, down in mine, been blown
up, smashed up and repaired again and
again; my new friend had experienced
all these things, and was wishing for
something of more startling nature
We agreed on politics, neither had any
religion, and never met such railroad
companion.
Did you ever meet a man, who,
though a stranger to You ten minutes
before, could wrest from you your Sc
crets which you had sworn to yourself
not to reveall Well, he was such
man. 1t was long before he commenced
asking me questions. He did not seem
trying to quiz or draw me out, but he
asked me questions in su,h a sly, round
about way, that before / knew it | was
giving him my history.
was at that time Just on that point
OF being admitted to the bar of Wiscon-
sin as student of Law L. Law, of
Briefvile. The firm were old LAWYERS
with lucrative business practice, and
1t had been talked over that in about a
month l should be the go" of the
firm. A year before farmer named
Preston, down about four miles from
Grafton, died, and his matters had been
put into the hands Of Law L. Law, for
settlement. Preston had died rich. He
had money in bank, railroad stock,
mortgages, etc, and every. hing was set
tied up to the satisfaction Of the relicL
and fatherless.
About year before bis death. being
plnehed for money, and not wi hing to
sell anything at q sacrifice, Preston had
given me mortgage on his own farm
for 50, 600. While the papers read "on,.
year from date" there was verbal
agreement that it should be lifted any
day that Preston desired. A month
after, having the funds to clear off the
paper, the "old money bags" holding i.
refused to discharge, wishing to secure
interest for year.
L was on my way to learn the date of
expiration. A FIRE among our Office pa
pSre had DESTROYED the memoranda and