Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-29
DAILY SHORT STORY
AMATEUR DETECTIVE WORK.
lOriRfnaI

dence l have Of this is that my friends
are continually asking my opinion OF
this or that book. One class of fiction
1 always detested-detective stories.
Today l read every detective story l
can get my hands on. This is the cause
Of my conversion:
One summer my friend Charlie Coe
asked me TO spend some time with him
at his country seat. He had there a
number of guests, including Virginia
Carney. whom l had met before and
Miss Kate Taylor, whom 1 met there
for the first time. Virginia Carney
was inclined TO literature of refined
type. and 1t was supposed that on ac-
count of conGenial tastes she and 1
would make a match. When Miss Tay-
Tor told me that she loved detective
stories 1t seemed to me that we could
never have anything in common.
One evening as / was hurrying down
10 dinner. being late, l saw n well
dressed man on the stairs with an over
coat on his arm and a satchel in his
hand. On seeing me he looked tri-
fie embarrassed. told me that he was
a newly arrived guest, that he did not
wish to disturb the host while at din
ner and he would be obliged if would
show him to some room where he could
make a toilet. The butler was in the
hall below, and 1t occurred 10 me to
turn the man over TO him; but, not
wishing to appear disobliging. I took
him up to my own room and left him
there
/ did not think OF him again, nor did
I see him. / played an exciting game
of billiards after dinner and from then
till midnight danced. The next morn
ing early l was off with a fishing party
and did not return till shortly before
dinner
On entering the house / met my host
and told him Of my success ut fishing.
He listened without showing the slight
est interest-indeed, was very freezing
in his demeanOr toward me. At din
ner the guests treated me in the same
fashion. No one refused TO speak to
me, but all avoided me. During the
evening l went To Miss Carney and
endeavored to draw from her the cause
of my singular treatment. soon found
that, whatever the cause was, she had
been as fully affected by ii as any one
CiSS. Out Sllt KAY y
Later. much depressed by what
could not understand, went out on TO
the piazza and sat alone. Hearing a
light step behind me, l turned, and
there was Kate Taylor. l arose and
bowed formally, not knowing what to
expect.
You have noticed, l suppose" she
said, IA GOODNESS toward you. / doubt
if you know the cause"
Il do not"
"a number OF guests have missed
since last night some of their yalua-
bles, and diamond brooch was found
yesterday morning 10y the manservant
who brushes the guests clothes in the
side pocket OF your dinner jacket"
For moment l was thunderstruck.
but the guest, or rather, thief, whom 1
had taken TO my room soon came back
to my memory and accounted for ev-
ePything i hurriedly gave the girl an
account of the matter, and l saw at
once that she believed my story. Then
started to go in and explain the mat
ter to the host.
Zone moment" said Miss Taylor.
"Wiil he believe your"
why not? DO you not believe me-"
Yes, but did not believe you guilty
in the first place. If l had l don't
think l would be much Influenced by
your story. In criminal cases you will
notice that people range themselves on
one side or the other and do not change
their opinions whatever the evidence or
the verdict
What course do you adviser"
Il have always had Il fancy for de-
tectiye work. Suppose you do nothing
for the present and leave the matter
TO me-
was glad to avail myself of any
assistance. She asked me to tell my
story over, questioning me minutely
las | did 80. Then we separated, 1t
being understood that she was not to
treat me any differently from the
others.
The next few days were torture to
me. Avoided by the guests and treat
ed Coolly by the host, l wished TO leave,
but Miss Taylor advised my remain
ing, 50 I stayed on and every day was
the more summed.
AZ the end OF the fifth day. just be-
fore dinner. the host asked for the at
tendance OF every guest in the draw
ing room. / felt sure that my time
had come; that was about to be de
nOunced. When we were assembled,
COe addressed us:
My friends, a robbery has occurred
IN this house which has thrown sus-
pieion on one guest and has been I'M
ravcled by another" He then told
the story of my meeting the man in
the hall and continued: "A lady took
up the case, and, from the fact of the
butler having been I'm the hall when or
soon after the assumed guest entered,
she suspected him and left money
marked where IL would tempt him.
He was caught IN the trap. and on
promise of immunity confessed that
he had admitted the thief while we
were at dinner. The unexpected meet
ing on the stairs had well nigh frus-
trated the thiefs plans. Thanking he