Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-09
Copyright. 1902. by T. c. McClure.)
CHAPTER /.

"Ahl You don't take the matter at all
seriously" I observed, a triie annoyed.
: why should II" asked my friend Amber
Jevons. with a deep pull at his we'll colored
briar. what you've told me shows quite
plainly that you have In the hrst place
Viewed one little circumstance with sus-
piclon, then brooded over Il until II has
become magninsd and now occupies your
whole mind. Take my advice, old chap, and
think nothing more about II. Why should
you make yourself miserable for no earthly
reason? You're a rising man-hard up like
most Of us-but under old Eyton's wing
you've got a brilliant future before you.
Unlike myself, a mere nobody, struggling
against the tide Of ad~versity-you're already
a long way up the medical ladder. II you
climb straight you'll end with an appoint
ment Of physician in ordinary and a knight
hood thrown in as makeweight. Old
Macallster used to prophesy It. you remem-
Der, when we we're up at Edinburgh.
Therefore, can't for the life OF me dis
cover any cause why you should allow your
self to have these touches of the blues
unless it's liver or some other internal
organ about which you know a lot more
than / do. Why, man. yoSve got the
whole world before you, and. as for Ethel
wynn"
"Etheiwynni" I calculated, starting up
from my chair. Leave her out of the
question: We need not discuss herl" And
I walked TO the mantel-shelf to light a fresh
cigarette.
"As you wish, my dear fellow said my
merry, easy going friend. II merely wish
TO point out the utter folly Of all this sus-
picion."
II didn't suggest that" Then, after a
pause, during which he smoked on vigor-
ously, he suddenly asked. well now, be
frank, Ralph, whom do you really suspect?"
was silent. Truth to tell, his question
entirely nonplussed me. l had suspicious
distinct suspicious that certain persons sur
rounding me were acting in accord toward
some sinister end, but which Of those per-
sons were capable l certainly could not de-
termine. 1t was that very circumstance
which was ~puZzling me to the point OF dis
traction.
"Ah!" l replied. That's the worst of 1t.
/ know that the whole affair seems quite
absurd, but I must admit that l can't FIX
suspicion upon anyone in particular"
Jevons laughed outright.
"In that case, my dear Boyd, you ought
really to see the folly OF the thing"
perhaps l ought to. but 1 don't" l an
swered. facing him with my back to the
fire. ITO you, my most intimate friend,
I've explained in ~strictest confidence the
matter which is ~pusEling me. l live in
hourly dread Of some catastrophe. the ma
iture OF which I'm utterly at a loss to de-
termine. Can you define intuition"
My question held him in pensive silence.
His manner changed as he looked me
straight In the face. Unlike his usual care
less self, for his was a curious character
Of the semi-Bohemian order and Savage
I club type, he grew serious and thoughtful.
regarding me with critical gaze after re-
moving his pipe from his lips.
WELL" he exclaimed at last, 81 will
tell you what It is, Boyd. This intuition,
'or whatever you may call 1t. is an Internally
bad thing for you. I'm your friend-one
of your best and most devoted friends, old
chAp-and II there's anything in 1t I'll rem
der you whatever help l can"
Thank you, Amber" 1 said gratefully.
taking his hand. 81 have told you all this
tonight In order to enlist your sympathy,
although I scarcely liked to ask your aid.
Your life is a busy one-busier even than
my own, perhaps-and you have no desire
to be bothered with my personal affairs"
"on the contrary. old fellow" he said.
remember that any mystery I'm in my
element"
II know" / replied. But at present
there is no mystery-only suspician."
What Amber Jevons had asserted was a
fact. He was an investigator OF mysteries,
making 1t is his hobby just as other men
take to collecting curios or pictures. About
his personal appearance was nothing very
remarkable. When preoccupied he had
an abrupt, rather brusQue manner, but at
all other times he was a merry easy going
man Of the world. posessor Of an ample in
come left him by his aunt, and this he aug
mented by carrying on. in partnership with
an older man. a profitable tea blending bus
mess In Mark Lane.
He had entered the tea trade not because
OF necessity. but because he considered II a
bad thing for a mar to lead an idle life.
Nevertheless, the chief object OF his exist
ence had always seemed to be the unravel-
ing OF mysteries OF police and crime. Surely
few men, even those professional investiga-
tors at Scotland Yard. held such q record
Of successes. He was a born detective,
with a keen scent for clues. an ingenuity
that was marvellous. and a patience and
endurance that was inexhaustible. At Scot
land Yard the lame of Amber Jevons has
for several years been synonymous with all
that is clever and astute in the art OF de-
tecting crime.
To be a good criminal investigator a man
must be a born such. He must be physically
strong; he must be untiring in his search
after truth; he must be able to scent a
mystery as a hound does a fox. to follow
up the trail with energy u~nnagging and
seize opportunities without hesitation; he
must possess a cool presence Of mind and
above all be able to calmly distinguish tho
facts which are Of Importance in the
Strengthening OF the clue from those that
are merely superfuous. All these. besides
other qualities, are necessary for the sue
cessful penetration OF criminal mysteriesi
hence it 10 that the average amateur, who
takes up the hobby without any natural in
stinct. Is invariably a blunderer.
Amhlers Jevons, hlender OF teas and in
vestigAtor OF mysteries. was lolling back in
my arm chair. his dreamy eyes half closed,
smoking on in silence.
Myself. / was IS. and, I fear, not
much of a ornament TO the medical pro-
fessiOn. True. at Edinburgh / had taken
my M. b. and c.. NJ. with highest honors,
and three years later had graduated NJ. D.,
but my friends thsught a good deal more
of my success than l did. for they over
looked my shortcomings and mAgnined my
talents.
suppose Il was because my father rep
paaantad n couatv constituency IN ths