The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-01-25


his career broadened with time. He
was always student of human ma
ture and paid close attention to bust
ness. He was also student of other
things and very well-read man.
Naturally, he was detective; he had
u peculiarly strong intuitive power
and keen sense of deduction. l
mean by this natural deduction. He
was not Sherlock Holmes-could not
tell your wife was away because a
button was off your Waistcoat, or that
you had lately moved your dressing
glass because your face was more
smoothly shaver ON one side than on
the other. These things he left for
the realms of literature and romance.
He studied crime as theologian stud
led theology and the Holy Writ First
he would find the motive of a GRIM
1nal act-there was always a motive;
then he would find the person that had
this motive
Cheney was esthetic in his taste,
= lover of art, literature and music,
and always gentleman. His bachelor
apartments in st. Louis were beauti-
fully furnished and became a rendez-
Sons for coterie of choice spirits.
While he saw a great deal of the
4eamy side of life, that great under
world so close to our very doors and
yet always covered, his nature never
became hardened. He was ever ready
10 help, and many man, and woman,
too, for that matter, are walking the
streets to-day, free and honored by
eheir fellow beings, because at a cru
elal point in their career Col. Jack
Cheney had turned them up the hill
when their footsteps were carrying
them down. His fame as detective
spread over the country and many
natter1ng offers were made him to
take charge of special work for large
corporations, but he was more con-
tent to work for the government un-
I'LL the time was ripe for him to
branch out for himself He enjoyed
the acquaintance, confidence and hos
pltality of many persons of promi-
nence from one end of the country
to the other. Women he admired. but
that is all. His many and varied ex-
periences had taught him that women
were not to be trusted with great Sc
GTets. A good woman was an angel
to be respected, nurtured and cared
Tor; a bad one, the reverse. Dan
Cupid had as yet never made him
captive, but there was always pres
ent with Jack Cheney a mental pho
tograph of happy home presided
over by woman he could love and
who would love and respect him.
But that was in the indefinite future,
not now.
Cheney never allowed his close con-
tact with crime to contaminate him,
When he was on a case he was all
detective, veritable sleuth, every
nerve strained to accomplish the de-
sired end; but when the chase was
over and the quarry run to earth
Cheney forgot it.
He was sitting in his Office one
morning smoking his usual cigar and
allowing his mind to run back to
some of the stirring days of the civil
war in which he played no small part
when knock interrupted his reverie.
Come in,'' he sharply said.
A young man about 80 years old,
well dressed and of good appearance,
came in and stood before him. He
was visibly perturbed and shifted
from one foot to the other while he
nervously twirled his hat in his hands.
Are you Col. Cheney, sir?"
'~1 am"
well, sir, my name is Stanton.
Fred c. Stanton Cheney recognized
the name as one of prominent fam
lily living in st. Louis.
Well, Mr.. Stanton, what can 1 do
Tor you, sir? Sit down." replied
Cheney, waving his hand towards
chair. ''Have a smoker"
: Thank you, no, Co.. Cheney. You
se' l am in great trouble and Judge
Treat, who is an intimate friend of
mine. told me you might help me
out if you would. He gave me this
card to you" Cheney read the card
and when he had finished said:
ANY friend of Judge Treats is
Friend of mine and if can be of serv-
Ice I shall only be too glad to do so.
You are in trouble; what is it?'
Yes, I am in trouble, and serious
trouble at that. Last year I married
Judge Andersons daughter and we
have beautiful home out on Laclede
avenue. We are very happy. There
never has been cloud to mar our
domestic happiness. About two
months ago anonymous letters began
coming to Mrs. Stanton. Four so far
have been received and similar let
tiers have reached several friends of
mine sa;'fng they will get to Mrs.
Stanton sooner or later. These let
tiers all contain references to me, hint
At an unsavory past and a coming
revelation which will destroy me So
cially and otherwise in St. Louis,
Mrs. Stanton is not we'll and in
very nervous state and the receipt of
any such letters would, 1 am afraid:
cause serious consequences Mr.. Stan
ton paused for moment to regain
his composure and then proceeded.