The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-28

clock in the tower OF the
house OF parliament Is
noisy neighbor The last
stroke Numbered out as 1
climbed the stairs that led 10 the
modest lodgings of Inspector Adding
ton Grey. and silence had fallen as
knocked at the door. l was alone mat
night. and in the mood when a man
escapes from himself to seek a friend.
/ found the little detective at his
open window, staring across the tum-
bled roofs 20 where the abbey towers
rose under the summer moon The
evening breeze that came creeping up
with the tide blew gratefully after the
heat OF the July day. He glanced at
me over his shoulder with short nod
OF welcome.
Even the police grow sentimental
on such a night" l suggested,
or philosophic."
1.-THE reflections Of Diogenes the de-
tective, or the Aristotle of Scotland
Yard" I laughed. May l inquire as
10 the cause of such profound
thought?''
lie held out slip OF paper, which
took and carried 10 the central lamp.
It was an old newspaper clipping
stained and blurred relating in six
lines how James Coran, described as
student, had been charged at the Bow
Street police court with drunkenness,
followed by an aggravated assault on
the constable who arrested him. He
was fined 20 or seven days. That was
all.
Not a subject Of earth-shaking i'm
poTtauce," 1 said.
NO. but it has proved SUFFICIENT
excuse Tor blacAmail."
Then the victim is a fool" I an
swered hotly. Why. from the look
OF the paper. the affair must have
taken place a dozen years ago"
'Thirty-two years this month"
Which means that the riotous stu
dent is now a man over nifty. If
James Coran has gone down the hill,
the past can't hurt him now. IL he
has led respectable life, surely he
can AFFORD 10 neglect the scamp who
threatens to rake up SO mild a scan
daI Blackmail for a spree back in
The seventes-it's ridiculous, inspec-
tor"
The little man stood with his hands
behind him. and his head on one side.
watching me with benevolent amuse-
ment. When he spoke it was in the
pOnderous manner which he sometimes
assumes, a manner that always re-
minded me Of a university professor
explaining their deplOrable errors to
his class
Mr.. James Coran is a respectable.
middie-class widower who lives with
his sister Rebecca and two daughters
in the little town OF BTendon, twenty
four miles from London. lie arrives at
the Fashionable Clothing Company -
his London establishment IN oxford
streeJ-at 10 o'clock In the morning,
leaving for home by the 5;lS. In his
spare time he performs d variety Of
public duties at Brendon. He is d
recognized authority on drains, and
has produced a pamphlet on dust
carts. As "a temperance orator his
local reputation is great, and his labors
ia the cause OF various benevolent as
sociations have been suitably commem-
GRATED by a presentation clock, three
inlstands. and a silver salver. His
interests are limited 10 Brendon and
oxford street: OF world movements he
thinks 10 more than the caterpillar on
u leaf considers the general welfare
OF the cabbage patch. Please remem-
Der these facts. Mr.. Phillips. in con-
sideration Of his case.
six months ago the envelope ar
rived at his house with two Enclosures.
One was the newspaper Clipping you
hold. the other "a letter denouncing
him as a hypocrite. and warning him
that unless the sum of go be placed
in the locker Of little summer-hOuse
at the end OF his garden. the writer
would expose him TO all BTendOn IN
his true character as a convicted
drunkard.
'.Coran was in despair. He had
imagined his unfortunate spree long
forgotten. Not even his own relatives
were aware of il. He was trying for
a seat on the county council; the cleo
tion was due IN month. ana he relied
for his success on the support of the
temperance party. As an election
weapon the old scandal could be used
with striking effect. So he paid-as
many "a better man has been fool
enough 10 do under like circumstances.
In three days-on Saturday. that is
the election takes place. This morn
ing he received a letter similar to the
FIRST, save that the demand was for
AI.y. He had Just sense enough 70 see
that If he allowed himself to be black
mailed again, it would merely encour-
when he arrived in town he took d cab
10 Scotland Yard. l heard his story
and caught the next train down TO
BrendOn. / did not call at the house,
but gathered few details concerning
him and his family. In all particulars
he seems to have spoken the truth
Must the hundred pounds be placed
in the summer house tOnight?'
NO. The blackmailer gave him a
day TO collect The money. Ii must be
in the locker tomorrow night by II
o'clock.
Which means that you viii watch
the place and pull out the fish as he
takes the bait. It seems simple enough.
anyhow"
"Oh, yes" he said. But IL is the
faulty sense of proportion in Coran
which provides the interest in the case.
Even at the time the scandal was no
very serious matter. What must be
his frame of mind that IL should ter
roriZe him after all these years.
When l left him half an hour later
it Was with the promise that I should
have first news of the comedy's con-
clusion-for a tragedy it certainly