Democratic messenger., 1906-06-23
The Man Who
Arrived
BY CLAUDE PAMARES


inhabitants and boastcd o fair hotal.
there had been arrivals there by train
for years. but they were what might
he termed everyday arrivals. Drum
mers paid the town visit; men when
looking for an opportunity to go into
business would come that way: stran-
gers who didn't always unburden them
selves to the inqulsitivc landlord would
come and 60 Each and every guest re-
cclverl more or less public notice. hut
dropped out of mind when he dropped
out Of sight
The man who finally arrived slipped
In So quietly that he had been n guest
for three or four days before II was
generally known that he WAS present
lie walked up from the depot instead
Of riding In the bus and paying a
quarter extra lie didn't make rush
for the bar as soon Ms he arrived He
didn't cuss the train for being late
or cusS the town on account of the
mndholes IN the streets lie took the
landlord into his confidence at once and
explained that he was In poor health
and might spend month In recuperat,
ing. He ate supper and then sat down
In the harroom and smokad and dozed
and answered but few questions and
asked none ut Ill., and II was the gen.
eral verdict before he went to bed that
4
with other arrivals.
George IL Jones as the man who ar
rived had given his name. moved about
town for the next week without ut.
tracting any particular notice and
without any one caring particularly
about his health. The landlord OF the
hotel had Just told friend OF his that
Jones was apparently softly. who had
tired himself ont In wondering why a
coffee mill turned to the right instead
of the left, when ne was asked for a
private interview. He Instantly made
np his mind that Jones wanted 10 stand
him of. but he granted the request
In two minutes there was great
transformation Jones of the sleepy
eyes and lag@ng feet became as alert
as FOX lie acknowledged that he
had registered under a false name: he
confessed that he was not what he
seemed. he owned up that he was at
the head Of IL detective agency and
ready 10 do business with his host on
the most liberal terms There hadn't
been amy crime Of any account around
Briggs ille Tor several years. but this
state Of affairs could not last much
longer. There would lie a crime wave
sweeping along pretty soon. and his
agency wanted to he In IL and make
OF the rewards
He was there IN advance of the wave
10 lay his wires He wanted 10 make
of the landlord detective-a real old
slcuth Of the first ordcr-and he had a
printed commission duly dated and
signed that would he exchanged for
twenty dollar bill. The landlord was
To spot robbers and murderers ms fast
as they turned up and send In his re
ports and receive half the rewards
1t did not take the proprietor OF the
Clarion over five minutes 10 decide on
handing over His income from the
detective business would not he less
than 5000 a year aud might run to
three times that and his opportunities
for "spotting" were Al
or course he was told that looking
wise and saving wood was the founda-
tlon of detective work and given many
verbal Instructions. and half an hour
later he was down In his bar and Siz-
ing up three or four old topers he had
known for fifteen years and wonder
ing which Of them was plotting muir
der That evening he picked out no
less than seven men 10 keep an eye on
in future. and II was generally remark
ed that he seemed more alert than
usual.
Next day the man who arrived saun
tered into the livery stable. He had
sauntered In there before. talked horse
for n few minutes and then sauntered
out again. much 10 the disgust of the
owner This time he didn't talk horse
The llveryman was all alone, but he
was taken 10 the rear end OF the barn
to be communicated with. MIR. Jones
had noticed that he had head on him.
Jones had also noticed that he had an
eye like an eagle and il pcrsplcaciiy
that enabled him 10 tell horse from
n COW on sight. The llseryman was
flattercd He couldn't help but be, He
had been called fool often enough
for trying To conduct livery business
In a county where there were 2Gi sep
arate. distinct and steep hills and 10
find that all the people had been wrong
about Il all the time was like pouring
sweet oil on n burn.
After an hours conversation the man
Of horses and buggles gave up So and
received commission TO act as detec-
tive. lie was not to be confined 10 any
one sort of crime but could 20 ahead
and do business with criminals of all
sorts regardless OF age or sex. Before
Mr.. Jones had left the stables the new
ly made detective had made up his
mind to keep an eye on III" landlord Of
the hotel. He had long sra. .'cted that
money was being made In