The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-06
THE EVENING STORY
A Bit of Amateur Detective work.


oenee nave of this is that my friends |
are continually asking my opinion of
THIS or that book. One class of fiction
always detested-detective stories. |
Today l read every detective story |
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
number OF guests, including Virginia
Carney, whom I had met before, and
Miss Kate Taylor. whom / met there
Tor the first time. Virginia Carney was
inclined to literature of a refined type,
and it was supposed that on account
OF congenial tastes she and / would
make a match. When Miss Taylor told
me that she loved detective stories it
seemed TO me that we could never have
anything in common.
one evening as was hurrying down
TO dinner, being late, saw a we'll
dressed man on the stairs with an
oVercoat on his arm and a satchel in
his hand. On seeing me he looked a
tribe embarrassed, told me that he was
newly arrived guest, that he did not
WISH TO disturb the host while at din
ner and he would be obliged il I
would show him to some room where
ne could make q toilet The butler
was In the hall below, and it occurred
10 me to turn the man over to him;
put, not wishing to appear disobliging,
TOOK him up to my own room and left
him there.
did not think of him again, nor did
see him. I played an exciting game
OF billiards after dinner and from then
till midnight danced. The next morn
ing early was off with a fishing party
ana did not return till shortly before
dinner.
On entering the house L met my
host and told him of my success at
fishing. He listened without showing
the slightest interest-indeed. was
very freezing in his demeanor toward
me-. At dinner the guests treated me
in the same fashion. No one refused
to speak to me, but all avoided me.
During the evening I went to Miss
carney and endeavored to draw from
her the cause of my singular treat
ment. / soon found that, whatever the
cause was. she had been as fully af-
fected by it as any one else. But she
gave me no satisfaction.
Later, much depressed by what 1
could not understand, 1 went out on
to the piazza and sat alone. Hearing
a light step behind me, turned. and
there was Kate Taylor. 1 arose and
bowed formally, not knowing what to
expect.
You have noticed, suppose" she
said, a. GOODNESS toward you. 1 doubt
if you know the cause
Il do not"
"A number of guests have missed
since last night some of their valua-
bles, and a diamond brooch was found
yesterday morning by the manservant
who brushes the guests clothes in the
side pocket of your dinner jacket
For moment I was thunderstruck
but the guest, or, rather thief whom |
had taken to my room soon came back
to my memory and accounted for ev-
erything. 1 hurriedly gave the girl an
account of the matter, and I saw at
| once that she believed my story. Then
I started to go in and explain the mat
ter to the host.
zone moment said Miss Taylor.
"Will he believe your"
| why not? Do you not believe me?"
Yes, but did not believe you guilty
in the first place. If I had 1 don't
think I 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 a fancy for de-
tective 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 infinitely as
1 did so. Then we separated, it 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, I wished to leave,
DQE MISS Taylor dQVlSoQ my remain
ing, so / stayed on and every day was
the more stunned.
At the end of the fifth day, Just be-
fore dinner, the host asked for the at
tendance of every guest in the drawing
room. I felt sure that my time had
&C me; that I vas about to be denounc-
cd. When we were assem- bled, Coe ai-
G1 essed us:
MY friends. a robbery has occurred
in this house which has thrown sus-
picion on one guest and has been I'M
raveled 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 in the hall when or soon
after the assumed guest entered, she
suspected him and left money (n1arked)
where it would tempt him. He was
caught in the trap and on promise of
immunity confessed that he had admit
ted the thief while we were at dinner
The unexpected meeting on the stairs
had well nigh frustrated the thief's
plans Thinking he would be caught
he slipped the brooch in the guests
pocket. Our valuables have all been re-
covered. The name of the eXonerated
guest need not mention; the amateur
detective is Miss Taylor
Every one in the room took me by
the hand and congratulated me on my
vfndication, butsI have never since spo-
| ken to any one of them except Kate
Taylor, who is now my wife.
S. HUNTER EALSEY.
A TaSSor, fox. HuSyoauds