New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-21


month previously.
Now. II was quite evident to Axe Hermelin
that within that period one could have done
even a days work upon his manuscript. lie had
been very busy during the whole Of that time
with It's correction and re.sion. which had. or
/ course. necessitated careful reperusal or the
entire work and frequent reference TO the dif-
ferent portions OF H. Moreover. he could not re-
mambcr that unlocking the drawer OF his
writng-desk In the morning he had ever ho,iceu
the slightest sign OF the manuscript having beeh
disturbed. To the best Of his recollection, ne hau
always found 1t lying exactly as he had arranged
and divided II having finished ana put IL
away for the day.
+ II did not take many minutes reflection -
convince Axel Hermclin that with the facts then
In his possession the riddle was too hard for him.
Without assistance he felt he would be quite I'M
q able to arrive at n solution. lie was Inclined
however. to 60 back from his nr't Impulse 10
seek out this Knut Nelson Immediately. II
Nigh; be more prudent 10 take counsel of inc po-
lice before Interviewing the man who had ue-
frauded him. That he had been delraried
Though I'm n most mysterious way) was th' enc
think In the whole business which seemed u Elm
a certainty.
With Axei HermelIn thought turned quickly
into purpose. and purpose into action. lie was
not one OF those people who generally have two
or three courses open before tacm ana s-lCom
adopt any Of them until too late.
The stockholm press had recen'ly brought
prominently into notice the name o. jt ham
! Woern n detective. He was not member OF
the regular force. but working ird"pen entity as
n private inquiry agent; he had been concerned
! in several very smart captures II db'condlng
swindlcrs. So skilful. indeed had ne proved MN
self. deeply versed In the habits and natural
| history Of the predatory classes. that H. had
, earned for himself the name OF THE swedish
!docq'
II was to this gentleman that Axcl IIermclin
| determined 10 have recourse before taking any
| further steps his own account He felt that
| the matter lay too much outside the sphere OF
his knowledge and experience for him to he able
to deal with 1t satisfactorily himself IT seemed
to be peculiarly case In which the aid Of an ex-
pert was needed.
Johann Woorn lived in the Malmskilnads
Gatan. close to tho central telephone station a
position he had doubtless selected on account OF
| the facilities IT afforded for the obtaining OF
rapid Information. It was indeed an ideal cogn
| Of vantage for detective. for stockholm Is re-
puied TO possess the most perfectly Organized
| telephone system Of any town out OF America
Axc IIcrnclln rang at the door Of his Fat. ana
was nleased To- nnd that Herr Woern was at
! home and would be bic TO See him. The Swedes
| are generally speaking. an honest and law
abiding People. 80 that even this prince among
! detectives had occasional intervals Of leisure
times ut which IT really seemed as II there were
| nothing that required finding out. Al such
| periods he rested on his oars and slept Twelve
hours out Of the twcnty-four. that he might lay
| In stock Of energy against the busy day' that
would come AFRO md again. when he must "alcH
| late and work double tides.
Herr Wocrn rose from a comfortable arm
chair when Axe Hermelin was ushered into his
room. He small man. too spare ana dark
| haired for genuine Scandinavian. and must
have had Finnish German blood In hts veins.
H.. was too alert looking for n, iGsll detective
! - romance Not one of thos" wonderfully OBJ
servant gentlemen We are told Of with dreamy
expression. who never seem 10 be looking AZ any
| thing IN particular on the contrary his eyes
were keen. and quick glancng. and were won; 70
! keep prolding and digging about In a manner
quite suggestive ~ The nature ~ his occIpltlon
He quickly became Immensely Interested In
| Axel Hormc'in's case. and made him repeat por-
/ lions 81 his story twice over When ne had
/ learned everything down 10 the details II mis-
visit 20 the publisher he asked Axcl liermelln
! a series OF questions some - which id not ap-
pear 20 him - be- very relevant To- the matter
what friends have You In stockholm?
VERY few indeed hardly any whom can call
| real friends. have good many acquaintances
among the journalists and literary mon
WAS It at all generally known that you hai
/ been engaged upon novel during the last
year,
Il, must have been very easy TO guess that
such was the case | made A considerable sue
! cess with my last book ~ short sketches and II
is perfectly well understood that cannot afford
to Ne idle"
1t is year since YOU published anything
at an?"
II. there no Internal evidence. such as similar
lty OF style by which YOU could prove yourself to.
be the real author ~ the work.
ANel Hcrmciin reflected for minute before ne
replied Then be- said
| Il am afraid not Ny last venture was n much
longer and more serious undertaking than any
thing had previously written. The style IS
| quite different fr m That - my former book
| How long u tim" would u take couple ~
| persons 20 max" copy II your manuscript
a week at the very least
And YOU say It II quit" inc1nc"lvahlc that any
/ ono lluli have done weeks work on II without
your knowlelgcy
quite"
Are YOU light sleeper"
Not very
is n possible. do You think that any one could
! have come into your room and replaced the man
uscrip, H. your bureau while you were asleep,
! Possible perhaps. though should probably
have been awakened by the noise. Iiu, the point
! is that It war always there In the morning when
! opened IN" drawer
Are YOU acquainted with tho people VINO Nv"
/ In the same house with your
There is man named Agrcl. with whom
| have sometimes convcrsci FOR short time. lie
| lives the iioor below mine.
What j. his occupationy'
lie gives out that ne makes n living as n
merchant. but have Fever been able 10 dis,
cover what he deals in He has high desk and
| n ledger In his room. but he keeps no clerk. He
also gives spiritualstic stances"
How long has he occupied the rooms he has
at present.
| About six months
"You know nothing OF his antecedents?'
| Nothing"
lis there a telephone in your house?"
no: II wish 70 telephone TO n friend
have TO so to the bakers shop at the corner OF
! the street"
/ AT this point Herr Woern closed the notebook
In which he had been taking down some OF the
| questions and replies. and announced That he
| had no further questions to ask for the moment.
J He would come and make an examination or
Axel Uernelin's In the course OF the after
A few words OF explanation must here be given
as 10 Axel Hermelin's position In the Swedish
| literary world. For years he was attached
! 10 the STAFF OF one Of the Stockholm evening
papers In the capacity Of reviewer and art critic
While occupying this position he took 80 serious
a view Of his duties and responsibilities. and
wrote so exactly what he really thought az to
| ~ nd nj =
ures, that he made many enemies His Idea was
| that the true function Of a reviewer was to weed
out the bad books and the bad pictures In order
| that there might be light and air for the good