Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-11-29
HOW BOB CAME TO BE A DETEc.
TIVE.

so you wish to become a detective?"
Yes, SIR"
L suppose you consider yourself able
to give points to any man in the force.
don't you?"
mo, sir. l am only anxious to have
fair trial. I believe that l can be-
come a useful member Of the force
after 1 have had little experience"
We'll, sir, am not fond of employ
ing green men; but as you seem to
have modest opinion of yourself, l
have some hope of making something
out or you. The chief has requested
me to give you a trial, and so l shall
have to do so. l shall give you
tough case to begin on, and if you
make a success of it you shall have
permanent position on the force"
Thank you, sir. | shall do my best"
THE only clew which can give you
is this paper. 1t came into my pos
session entirely by accident. 1t was
seen to fall from the pocket of man
who had been implicated in several
'burglaries, and one of my men, who
happened to be standing near, picked
it up and handed it to me. | think
there is more in it than appears on
the surface. Take it with you, and
see what you can make out of it,
Bob Westbrook took the envelope
which the inspector-to whom he had
made application for a position in the
detective force-gave him, and left
the office
He had never done any detective
work before, and had only been in the
police force about eight months, but he
was very ambitious, and desired to be-
come a detective.
Going home, he retired to his room,
and proceeded to examine the letter.
The direction was as follows:
MR.. ALBERT SINCLAIR,
General Postoffice,
London. E. c."
The postmark was that OF Bays
water, and the date Jan 10. Inside
was the following letter:
''BaysWater Jan. 10.-Dear Albert:
Meet Mary Owen as you promised me,
and ask her to come at noon the day
she gets the message. / have made a
corner in some of the securities Of
which | spoke when at Tottenham the
other week. If you court her. the
house in Gloucester road shall be
yours soon. On Monday, expect to
spend the evening with you without
fail, and at that time 1 shall bring
nine others. Expect us at 8 o'clock
sharp. I shall then indicate to you
how we had better divide the work, so
that the profits may be large as pos
sible, Jim, g.
Bob read the letter over carefully
several times, but could find nothing
suspicious about it except the figure
co. in the lower right-hand corner of
the page.
This puzzled him not little, and as
he studied the letter more the convic-
ton grew upon him that underneath
this apparently innocent communica-
ton there lurked some mysterious
meaning, which might prove the key
to the deed of villainy
In vain he puzzled over the letter;
in vain tried every combination his in
genuity could suggest He applied
heat in hopes of bringing out a SYM
pathetic ink; but again in vain. He
went to bed that night thoroughly
puzzled and almost discouraged.
In the morning he again started to
work, but in a more systematic man
ner. He tried every other line with
DO result; every third line, then every
fourth line and so on, but still with no
result
Then he began and tried every other
word, but he met with failure.
Just at this point the mysterious
figure caught his eye. He started, as
q sudden thought struck him. Could
this be the key to the mystery? He
would try, and accordingly he began,
and then, with the first word, took
every sixth word of the letter.
The result was certainly startling.
When he finished he found that he had
the following communication:
Dear Albert: Meet me at the corner
Of Tottenham Court road, Monday
evening, at O'Clock, to divide pro-
fits JIM.
There evidently must have been
some powerful motive of concealment
here else why should this note have
been written, and the true meaning so
carefully hidden?
Bob felt much elated at his success,
and determined to meet one of the
larty at~the corner OF Tottenham Court
Dad on Monday evening.
On the appointed evening, a few min
utes before O'Clock, man was walk
ing up and down the pavement at the
rendezvous named in the letter.
He was evidently expecting some