Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1900-12-01
ASLEEP OR AWAKE
\ETECTIVE KINCH was


the detective department I had put
Kineh on an important case of LIB
Now. the detective department OF
which I was chief was connected with
a large manufacturing town in the
north Of England. and the important
case of I.D.B. was Illicit diamond sell.
ing rather than Illicit diamond buy
ing. 4 man. not unknown 20 me (pro-
fessionally speaking). had attempted
20 dispose OF fine uncut stone &c
the principal jewel merchant OF the
town. This Jewel merchant had sus
-picions: these suspicious he com
municated 10 me. However. before
sending TO me. the dealer had ar
ranged with the would-be seller &C .
call again on the morrow. 7 sent De /
tective Kinch. with orders TO be a con J
ccalcd witness of the bargaining.
Kinch went: Kinch heard; Kinch T.
captured But this last he did only :
partially. The ID.B. man proved his ,
guilt by escaping. and his bad luck
bv 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 20 the Office
and TO me. Instead. he watched the
temporary haunt OF the Illicit dia
moud 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 sittiug-room of the
Office rose 20 my feet with pleasant
greetings.
"What luck. Kinch. my boy2"
He old me everything.
"Wei. never mind said, soothing
". you've already done enough &c
make Rowland yet more jealous;
you've got the stone; the man vel
have later Meanwhile. III put this
precious little pebble in my desk"
did so. In addition. made 20 lock
the desk. I found that ! had left my
keys in the front office; went there.
Then found that had no matches.
Fumbling 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
Kinch was asleep.
I was not surprised. The dutiful
man had been on his feet about one
and-twenty hours. IL was now five
a. m. determined not 10 awaken
him He could sleep in that cozy arm
chair very we'll for the next hour OF
two: and. as for myself. I could have
q pitch on the bed upstairs I saw
Kinch's bowler hat lying on the floor
picked it up and put ia on a peg be
hind the door. Should l close anc
fasten the window? Well. ] am a mar
of many suspicious; the nature OF my
business and the disposition of m.
wife have made me so. But there wa.
little danger. and on that sultry sum
mer night the room was already toe
hot. I turned down the gas. As
left he~room-quietly. so as not L
disturb the siumbering man - 4
seemed 10 me that, even then, Their
was something that l had forgottel
20 do; but not for my life could
have determined the nature of tha
something.
In the morning | was fOrcibly re
minded Entering the room ! foun
that Kinch was still asleep. / sOftl
moved TO the desk. IL was not locked
that. then, was what I had forgot
ten 10 do. l lifted the lid, looked il
l sumbled about-the diamond wa
gone!
Well, we raked that desk as starV
ing man might rake his pockets fo
money. and with just about as niue
hope. And. look where we would, W
failed 10 find the diamond And tha
was how Detective Kinch came to te
me that he was baffied.
"No one entered the room?"
asked.
"Not 10 my knowledge"
"Yon were asleep all the time?"
"An the time" he answered. stoutl,
After more searehings and moi
questions and more answers-al equa
ly fruitless, ali equally baffiing-I sui
gssted that Kinch had better go dow
stairs into the wardroom and ha'
some breakfast. He took that suggs
tion and his departure. But. first,
made TO take his hat. l pointed on
quietly as j could, that such was M
necessary. He admitted as much. ar
left his hat hanging on the peg where
had placed IL overnight. Evidently Il
loss OF the diamond had rather ups
him.
When he had gone from the room
pursued my search. Its result ".
speedy. curious and astounding. l d
tsrmined TO communicate that result
Detective Kinch. l summoned him. i
entered. ] requested him 10 be seate
Ne sat. / told him that l had learn
nth fha "A