The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1903-11-19

On Nc Of those irritating young
* y men whose stock In trade
n consists Of an important
$iSx8okxK manner and n positive
voice. Billy Hartley was a
private detective and business was bad
with him. He had gradually nursed
himself into state Of mind where he
believed that the world did not appre-
Ciate him. When q man SO believes,
the plot Invariably begins TO thicken
into an omlnously fatal sort Of stew.
One day as Billy sat in his room at
the "Grupeli' apartment house, he
peeled the following little sweet po'
tato Of thought and threw it into the
simmering saucepan Of his additional
thought:
Il must bring my detective ability
E before the public in way which will
make a marked impression" said he.
He chopped up n logical turnip or
two. and thoughtfully stirred them in
"The public does not bring me its
private cases and so l cannot prove my
WORTH he continued. II must there
fore fix up a case myself. Now there
are a lot OF robberies going on in this
neighborhood, and the police seem help
less. Why can't l whirl in and catch
these thieVes|
Billy Hartley communed with him
self until he began to hate his own
company.
by the Great Guns of'War! l have
it, he finally exclaimed
He wrote the following note
"Dear Sir-If your representative
will be at the corner Of Broadway and
Eighth street tonight at II o'clock l
will hand bin 500 as agreed He
must have this letter to identify him,
and the signal will be a sneeze,"
Billy Hartley sealed this note ad.
dressed it to himself, and placed 1t on
n conspicuous part Of his bureau, On
the envelope he added the words;
Valuable. In hlste,'
Billy Hartley tiptoed 10 the window
and cautiously peered out. ooh, il
the burglars would only call here and
find that letter." he murmured implor.
ingly.
Billy Hartley tiptocd to the door and
listened intently. They'd 90 for the
500 and then we'd nab them sure"
he continued, in a sibilant whisper.
"Why, it would make me famous"
Billy Hartley picked up his hat and
opened the door, He shook an omin-
GUS finger with warning gesture for
absolute silence and disappeared.
The worlds stage. Up in one of
the boxes sat Dame Fortune ntelli.
gently following Hartleys little side
play.
Now I'll just help this worthy young
man." remarked the Dame to herself,
and she settled costly down TO see this
thing through.
The worlds a stage. The actors are
ready. The prompter is ut hand. The
stringed instruments in the orchestra
are shlverlng out their trembliest mu.
sic and thrilling detective mystery
rapidly begins to unfold itself.
1t was night. The stars shone bright !
Jimmy Short and Gus Simmons, at.
tired in irreproachable evening dress. !
wended their devious way up West
Forty-siXth street. They had an utter
disregard Of the fight of the crow.
Their faces We're bathed in an efful- |
gent happiness, Their gestures We're
of the heroic size They had all the
enylablo appearances Of having dined
to the tuneful accompaniment OF corls
that pop and tinlSling glass.
Occasionally Jimmy was stricken
v'th a convulsion Of apopletic merrl-
saent. isn't it easy?' he whispered
to his companion at these times.
TITS almost too easy" replied Gus.
vaSglng his head in a reflective man
ner
Tho Bacchanallan procession Of two
stopped in front Of the "Grupelli."
They assembled the steps. One of them
lurched inside. The other sat down
ON the door step and softly wept as
he unlaced his shoes. A sophisticated
policeman smiled indulgently as lie
passed
But now behold curious thing. The
method and manner Of the reveller
woo had IurChed inside suddenly