The Appeal., 1908-10-31
A MENTAL
MISCHANCE
By THOMAS F. ANDERSON
Copyright. by shortstory Pub. Coz

udu Ueeu DOrn WIN the power or QaQ
been suddenly endowed with it by
some unexpleinable agency will prob
ably always remain mystery. But
this much Is certain:
He was yet comparatively new to
this world and its wicked ways when
the fullness of the mysterious power
was upon him, and was not yet 20
when he began to put it to a practical,
money-making use.
Young Reeves first utilized his
unique gift in this manner as an anna
teur detective, with the same success
as when, few years earlier, he had
been able to divine the intentions of
his school-teacher toward him in the
matter of corporal punishment, by
getting that worthy's mind in occulta-
ton with his own.
Naturally, his detective career was
wonderful success. Indeed, he might
have achieved the fame of a Byrnes
and Vidocq in one had he chosen to
remain in that profession, for he had
the advantage over all other detec-
tives in that he was enabled not only
to read the thoughts of a guilty man,
but to diagnose the mind of man
who had not committed a crime but
was planning to.
But in spite of his phenomenal sue
cess, the detective business palled
upon young Reeves before he had
been in it two years. Besides, his in
~ no 81, ~
newspaper work. Within three days
after he made known his proposed
change Of calling, Reeves received
five tempting offers from as many big
dailies.
After weeks deliberation Reeves
accepted position as special writer
on the city staff of a metropolitan
daily, where he was welcomed as a
unique and valuable addition to mod
ern journalism. In his position as
star reporter he rose almost at a
bound to the position of the leading
newspaper man of his time. In less
than two months he gained reputa-
ton for phenomenal Scoops" And
this reputation he won in the simplest
possible way.
He had only to go to any man, no
matter how high in official station or
how taciturn and reserved, and by
simply getting his subjects thoughts
fixed upon the desired topic, could
drag from him, without his knowledge,
the fullest details of the affair.
Statesmen and cabinet officials
with weighty secrets of the greatest
public Importance locked up, as they
thought, in their own minds, were as
easy prey for him as the bank cashiers
used to be when he was detective.
Reeves had worked on like this for
about year, gaining new laurels day
after day and getting his salary
doubled as regularly as the month
went by, when he awoke one day from
his absorption in his profession to the
fact that he was accumulating gold
as we'll as glory. To his savings in the
detective service he had added during
the past year everything except his
very modest living expenses. And he
now found himself the possessor of the
nest egg for fortune. With this dis
covery a new idea flashed into his
busy brain. Why not take advantage
himself second Morgan or Rookie.
feller by watching the big deals in the
stock market? If "insiders" who were
not mind readers could make princely
fortunes out of their knowledge, why
couldn't he?
The idea had no sooner suggested
itself than he put it into practice.
1t worked like charm.
All he had to do was to walk into
the offices of any Of the big men who
change the railroad map or the in.
dustrial situation to suit themselves
and talk pleasantly about the weather,
or the crops, or the prospects of this
or that stock.
Then if, on the occasion of such
visits, any of these great manipula.
tors had big scheme on hand, Reeves
quickly became an ''insider" on his
own invitation and bought or sold
stocks as the case demanded.
In less than six weeks he was in.
dependently wealthy, forging ahead OF
all the younger financiers as easily as
he had Outrivaled his journalistic COL
leagues.
One day about two months after this
newest young Napoleon of finance en-.
tered upon his Wall street career, he
became convinced that a IDEAL" OF
more than ordinary proportions was
on foot. He tested a dozen big men
of his financial acquaintance-for he
was able now to give even big men
valuable "tips" without
getting any satisfactory clew, and
finally decided that a certain. we'll
known financier, who seemed to be
on the minds of those whom Reeves
had sounded, was the man he wanted
to get at. AS It, happened, Reeves
was on specially friendly terms with
this financier, who was of somewhat
literary turn Of mind, and liked moth
ing better than to discuss the degener
acy of journalism and kindred topics
with the brilliant young journalist. AS
cordingly, the young man received a
pleasant greeting when he presented
himself, although he soon discovered
that the fnancier was very deeply en-.
crossed in some important matter.
1t was an oppressively hot day, and
the headache Reeves had acquired in
his excited search for the all-important
clew caused his brain to be less re,
ceptive than usual. He had no diff.
Guilty, however, in learning that the
magnate was struggling with the de-
tails of some great IDEAL"