The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-02-23

he looks it.
His partner Bradford Swain. is not
yet So. but he appears older. His hair,
that used to be as black rs an Indians,
IS strcakcd with gray and is beginning
to be Scanty on the top of his head In
severity and precision of manner he is
almost a match for Ingalls,.
Imagine these two men in Mr. Swqin's
private office jan. 2 confronted by
Samuel VAN Buren,. ex-sccrct service
officer of the government and for many
years the proprietor of a detective "bu-
reau." Van Buren, is all circles. and the
other two are all straight lines. The
detectives face Is round. and his body
is round. His hands are plump and
soft his cheeks are like fat baby's.
and the glasses of his spectacles ar" as
round as silver dollars and almost as
big. His smile is so sweet and his man.
ner SO motherly that it is positively
agreeable to be arrested by him. In
Tact. few men whom he ever pursued
have been able to deny themselves that
pleasure.
'ln accordance with your order" said
Van Buren,. II put q shadow on your
confidential clerk the afternoon of Dec.
30 as he was leaving the Office. | have
my operatives report here
He took some typewriter pages from
his pocket.
81 trust that you discovered nothing
unfavorab'c," said ingalls,. 1.-The young
man came to us highly recommended
and has seemed to be honest. sober
minded and able Nevprthe on adj
yancing him to his present position ut
the beginning of the new year. We
thouGlt it best to have n little more III
formation ahout his habits"
"Wcil. You're going to have it." re
piled Van nuron. and smile ripnlrd
out from tie center of his count"uaurn
like the waves on little placid pNol
when some one has gently dropped
stone into it, And let me say in ad-
vance h" continued. that though |
have had my men do this Kind Of work
many times, | have never had result
quit" like this one-certainly not from
single evenings work"
will you b" good enough to read
what Won have there" said Ingalls,.
settling himself in his chair and hol-
lowing a hand behind his right ear.
though his hearing was as good as any
mans.
Van Ruren heamcd over his spccta.
cles at Mr. Ingalls, and then for pre-.
ciselv equal period at Swain. To look
over such large glasses without dis
turning them on his nose was feat
that few other men could have accom-
pliShed. His glance was full of mean
Ing 1t always is. and no one could be
In doubt upon that point. The difficulty
is to know just what the meaning may
be.
AS | understand It," said Van Blu
rep, "thc clerk. Mr. Watson has been
in receipt of q salary of S15 q week up
to last Saturday. when. upon giving
him position of responsibility where
he would be required to handle consid-
cradle money. you advanced his pay to
SIS ns New Year's remembrance"
Ingalls, and Swain nodded judicially.
"A According to your information"
continued the detective. abe was living
VERY cheaply in a boarding house and
was engaged TO be married to an csti-
mablp Young woman in humble circum-
Star"CS."
''rhat was what told you" said In
gals
every good" responded Van Buren,.
snow let us hear the report of Opera
tive A. B. Gone of my best men. by
the wav:
"'ickpd up w. az office of |. & S..
4:23 p. m. Dec. 30 w. took elevator
No / 10 ground floor; went out by
Broadway entrance of building and
walked to Rector street elevated sta
tion He met woman near foot Of
stairs: age -. weight 1879, height 3 feet
inches. dark complexion. wearing
g19v tailor made dress gray hat trim
med with pink and gray ribbon bows
gray gloves, low cut patent leather ties
anti black silk stockings -
"Well. rpon my word" said Swain.
"Eh?" said Van Buren,. beaming over
his glasses
"Nothlng. nothing" said Swain
SONY your operative must be very
observing person"
"rhese little details are often highly
important" responded Van Ruren. 40
resume: Five rings on left hand y
81 thoughI she had her gloves on"
Interrupted Swan
at Is easy to count the rings through
glove. remarked the detective. "Op.
erativr A. L q continues diamond
brooch. Siy stones. about two carats
earlI gold. open faced chatelaine
watch. studded with diamonds. which
was six minutes fast at that time; an
opal hatpIn and two with fancy gold
heads"
alt is amazing" said Ingalls,. land
indeed almost alarming. to think of the
Cl0senpss of this scrutiny to which q
man WHO Is watched subjects his
friends ana acnuaintances. Yet II has
little Bearing on the case of Watson"
"it's "ather queer that he should
know that woman" remarked Swain
"Did your man hear what he said to
htrY'
The detective consulted his report
md read as follows:
~'Exchanyed few words In low fonc.