The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-10-05
SeleGt Stnrp.
A WONDERFUL SLEUTH.
BY EMMERSON BENNETT.

BY EMMERsoN BENNETT.
| The following wonderful exploit of a
Oriental Sleuth is the narration of gen
tleman who spent some years in Britisl
India, and is here given in his own language
was one day sauntering through one O
the prominent streets of Calcutta, when m,
attention was attracted to crowd of peo
pie gathered around a mountebank, who
on raised platform was amusing the spec
tators with some feats of legerdemain.
[ quietly drew up to the outer circle anC
remained there for few minutes watchin:
his clever tricks, and then resumed my
walk.
AS I did so I attempted to draw my
watch, to note the time; but, to my sur
prise, found the gold chain caught in th'
lining of my pocket.
As | disengaged it, | discovered to IN,
horor, that my watch was missing. | sa,
to my horror, because | can think of N,
other word that so nearly expresses what
felt.
The watch was not only of great intrin
sic value, but an heirloom in our family
a royal gift to distant ancestor-and ha
been in possession of elder cons for many
generations. There was legend, too
that, if lost, and not recovered, the las
owner would have u tragic end.
With a grasping faintness, and large
beads of perspiration standing on my fea-
lures, | at once started for police head
quarters; and there [ made my loss known
with the remark that was prepared tt
pay almost any amount to be again put ii
possession Of what | SO highly priced.
"Then you are disposed to offer tempt
ing reward?' said the chief of police.
"Anything you may think proper te
name, sir!" was my reply.
"Shall we say fifty pounds?''
"Double it-treble it-quadruple it, il
necessary
"We'll say hundred pounds, then,
and I'll get your watch back if in human
Or ghostly power
"What do you mean by ghostly pow
er?'
"You shall see. -
He touched button and presently ;
man appeared.
els Zanwi off duty?'
''He has just come in, sir.
"He is wanted here.
The chief detective opened door and
pronounced the name.
A nondescript came bounding in.
I say nondescript, because l never saw
anything like him before or since.
He seemed to be neither man nor mon
key, and yet something Of both combined
He was very small for a man, but to-
large for "a monkey. His head, face
army, hands, legs and feet were of the
monkey order, but he had no tail. Hi
ewes were black and bead-lik, and ht
seemed to have an intelligent cunning, ant
could talk in way to be understood BY
his master.
ssMr. Gonzal," said the chief of police
speaking to the detective, "this gentleman
(nodding towards me), has lost valuable
watch, for the reastoration of which he vii
pay hundred pounds. Let Zanwi fine
the thief and restore it. -
"Please state the particulars, sir?'' salt
Gonzal, turning to me.
| hurriedly and anxiously related all
knew of the matter, which really amounted
to nothing beyond the fact of the loss.
care you certain you had the watch
with you in the street, questioned the
detective.
eyes, l am certain of that, | replied
"becauss I remember looking at the tim
while walking along"
"Did any one jostle you in the crow'
around the montebank?
s'No one, I am certain, for I did no
stop long, and all the time remained OF
the extreme outer circle. "
Chow do you account for the watcl
being removed from the chain, and tn
end of the chain restored to your pocket
without you being made aware Of it in an
manner?'
81 cannot. That is mystery l hav
not been able to solve to my satisfaction
My only theory is that the pickpocke
must have been an adept in his profession
to draw my watch and twist it from tn
chain without my seeing or feeling him ,
ssYou have the chain the thief han
dled?''
'sThis is it, Ireplied, as 1 produced it
''and the end of the chain shows tn
twist, as you see here
"Goodr' smiled Gonzal, as he took tn
chain in his hands; this gives us chanc
to call upon power more mysterious thai
the problem we wish to solve! In thi
manikin (glancing toward Zanwi), as
sometimes playfully call him, you behol'
marvel that no one as yet has been abl
to explain, at least to my satisfaction
Some claim that he is endowed with sixt
sense. don't know Nature has he
mysteries, and he is one of them. Zanwir
At his call the little man monkey bound
ed to his side; his eyes glittered, and ever
nerve seemed to be on a quiyer.
Without another word. Gonzal took on
of the claw like hands of Zanwi, an
quietly placed the twisted and broken chai
within it.
The effect was electrical
The nondescript bounded up, as if h
had received a shock, whirled aroun
swiftly some half dozen times, and the
uttered a strange, unpleasant sound, some
thing that one might fancy compounde
of serpent's hiss, cats waul, and
human groan.
EVIL influences reach his sensitiy
soulr' smiled Gonzal. s'Well, Zanw
what is it?
The strange being began to jabber wit
excited gestures; and all could make OIL
of what seemed mere gibberish was
wihrring succession of r-r-r.rs, with son
marked intonations.
His master. however. claimed to unde