San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09
P l.


l am a quiet, middle aged gentleman
who has been a jeweler in Maiden lane,
New York, for rising 80 years. 1 may
be permitted to say that l have a family
of whom ! am fond, and that my cir
cumstances are satisfactory. Understand
at the beginning of this story that l am
not the hero, and have only set out to
relate the occurrences that canp to my
knowledge, and in which, from the trend
of circumstances, was compelled to act
leading part.
A certain October day, a few years
ago, was one of the most dismal l ever
experienced. The downfall of rain was
constant for two days. and when night
closed in the steady drizzle continued.
We had not seen a customer since the
forenoon, and I allowed my two clerks
to go home early. There was nothing
for them to do after placing the stock
within the massive safe, and 1 was in
that state of unrest when l was glad to
be freed from seeing their faces.
/ would have left the store at the
same time but for a call from my old
friend, Carl Wittner, the detective,
who, with the remark that he knew I
would be lonely, walked behind the
counter and back into my private Office,
where ] Joined him and we lit our ci-
gars.
was glad to see him. Wittner was
an officer of exceptional skill, bright,
intelligent, we'll educated, and / am sure
thoroughly honest. We had been friends
for years, and he knew that he need
never wait for an invitation to visit me.
He was always welcome.
The genuine detective is not a man
to tell his secrets or boast of his ex-
ploits, as members Of the profession dc
in fiction. Nevertheless I am satisfied
that Wittner let me know more of his
doings than any other person. He some
times appealed to me for counsel in GER
tain matters, but inasmuch as, so far as
j could learn, he generally took an op'
posite course from what I recommended
(and / raust confess with good results,
as a ru,e) / suspect that he had little
purpose except to compliment me.
We had talked 10 minutes or so upon
nothing ia particular when the door o.
the store opened and a man entered.
SIS it possible that / have a custom
err" 1 remarked, rising and walking for
ward to greet the caller.
/ was struck by his appearance III
was tall, elegantly formed and dressed
and evidently a foreigner. He set down
his dripping umbrella in the stand, anC
then, as he turned, / gained a good view
of him.
His hair, eyes, mustache and imperia
were as black al the ravens wing. Hi
teeth were glistening white and hi
complexion as swarthy as a S~paniard's
though / was sure he was not a nativ,
of Europe. His gloves, silk hat and at
tire were of fashionable make, and a dia
mond of the first water glistened on hi
scarf.
Years before / had spent severa
weeks in Calcutta, and prompted by
curious within i said:
'Rajah sahib salaam. Ap ka mia.
kaisa hai?"
These words are Hindoostanee an
mean: peace to you, honorable sir
How is your temper today?"
The black eyes flashed, the whit
teeth showed behind the jetty mustache
and he instantly broke forth with a lo
Cd words which / could no more under
stand, except that they were in tn
same language employed by me, than
rould speak Choctaw.
81 picked up only a few sentence