Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-12-06
ASLEEP OR AWAKE
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

INEFFECTIVE KINcH was baIied.
IL And the manner of his baffiement
was as follows:
In my official capacity as chief of
the detective department / had put
kinch on an important case of Lob.
Now, the detective department of
which l was chief was connected with
a large manufacturing town in the
north of England, and the important
case of Lob. was illicit diamond sell
ing rather than illicit diamond buy
ing. man, not unknown to me (pro-
fessionally speaking), had attempted
to dispose Of a fine uncut stone to
the principal jewel merchant of the
town. This jewel merchant had sus-
picions; these suspicious he COM
municated to me. However. before
sending to me, the dealer had ar.
ranged with the would-be seller to
call again on the morrow. / sent De
tective Kinch. with orders to be con
cealed witness of the bargaining.
Kinch went; Kinch heard; Kinch
captured. But this last he did only
partially. The Lob. man proved his
guilt by escaping. and his bad luck
by leaving the diamond behind. When
Kinch recovered an upright posture
he put the stone in the lining of his
hat. Then he carefully set forth. He
did not return at once to the Office
and to me. Instead, he watched the
temporary haunt OF the Illicit dia-
mond seller. This he did for is hours.
At the end of that somewhat tire
some period he crawled back to where
| was anxiously awaiting him. And
as he entered the sitting-room Of the
Office | rose TO my feet with pleasant
greetings.
what luck, Kineh, my boy?"
He told me everything.
"Well. never mind" said, soothing
", ''you've already done enough to-
make Rowland yet more jealous;
you've got the stone; the man Wen
have later. Meanwhile, I'll put this
precious little pebble in my desk"
did so. In addition, made TO lock
the desk found that had left my
keys in the front office; went there
Then found that had no matches
FumblinR about in the dark. at last
came upon my knees. BY the time
had returned to the sitting-room some
minutes had elapsed. And Detective
Kineh was asleep.
was not surprised. The dutiful
man had been on his feet about one
and-twenty hours. 1t was now five
a. m / determined not TO awaken
him. He could sleep in that coy arm
chair very well for the next hour or
two; and. as for myself, / could have
a pitch on the bed upstairs. / saw
Kinch's bowler hat lying on the floor.
picked il up and put il on a peg be-
hind the door. Should | close and
fastea the Window Well, ] am man
OF many suspicions the nature of my
business and the disposition of my
wife have made me so. But there was
little danger and on that sultry sum.
mer night the room was already too
hot. / turned down the gas. As
left the room-quietly. so as not TO
disturb the slumbering man - II
seemed 10 me that, even then, there
was something that | had forgotten
TO do; but not for my life could
h.ve determined the nature Of that
something.
In. the morning / was forcibly re-
minded Entering the room / found
that Kinch was still asleep. j softly
moved 10 the desk. II was not locked; |
that. then, was what / had forgot
ten 10 do. / lifted the lid. looked in,
I fumbled about-the. diamond was
gonei
We'll. we raksd that desk as a stary-
ing man might rake his pockets for
money. and with just about as much |
hone And. look where we would, we
failed TO find the diamond. And that
was how Detective Kinch came TO tell
me that he was bafiied.
"No one entered the room"
asked.
"Not 20 my knowledge
"You were asleep all the timer
aAu the time" he answered, stoutly
After more searchings and more
Questions and more answers-all equal
II fruitless, all equally bafiiing-l sug
gested that Kinch had better go down
Stairs into the wsrdroom and have
some breakfast. He took that sugges-
tion and his departure. But. hrst' ne
n,de 10 take his hat. pointed out
,,ia,Iv as | could, that such was not
necessary. He admitted as much and
left his hat hanging on the peg where
had placed it overnight. Evidently . tn.
loss Of the diamond had rather upset
him.
When he had gone from the room !
pursued my search. Its result was
speedy. curious and astounding de
,rrmined 20 communicate that result 70
Detective Kinch. summoned him. he
entered. i requested him to be seated,
He sat. | told him that had learned
Ut,le matter connected with the dia-