Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-04-03


ties taxing to even your powers.
cannot help comparing your calling
with mine. 1t is important enough t.
find where stolen property has gone
land to restore it to it's rightful owners
lhow much more important to find sin
ners who are lost and bring them bacl
to him to whom they should belong il
every sense of the word. To hunt ou
crime and to punish it, is importan
enough: but who can compare it will
the work of convincing crime of it,
iniquity and humanity Of its needs
and pointing out the way Of escaping
the penalties. My calling is necessa.
ry but a few years will show that my
successes and my failures have alike
amounted to little: while-you built
for Eternity, or fail everlastingly.
Kane bowed gravely.
Il do my best Great as is the res
possibility, / do not allow it to wreck
my pleasant life or crush me with wor-
ry But really, Mr. Prier, have you moi
mistaken your calling?"
| Prier shook his head.
| II think not. It is too late to change
now, even If l had. While Constance
Craig's death remains a mystery shall
give no work in any other direction
than the study of criminals and theil
ways, and of crime and its conditions
1 shall give my work to other cases
than that Of my half-sister only be-
cause l must have the money l earn In
studying them in order that l may
adequately and successfully (God grant
IitD study hers. I shall accept only
such cases as seem to give promise OF
helping me to learn that which vii
be an aid in that one direction later
But-to answer your question in way
you probably did not expect, l will tel
YOU something l seldom mention:
did think of your calling as my pos
sible employment once: l took a very
Thorough course in theology once, some
time before / became q detective, and
| -"
WHY didn't you make use of your
education? Why did you go so fully to
the other extreme Of work?" asked Mr
Kane. in undisguised astonishment.
We'll, to tell the truth, was almost
too liberal in my views. l didn't be-
leve all that seemed necessary. 1 had
an idea that mankind was better han
it is. But did l go to the other eX-
treme of the work of the world?"
Pardon me-" said Mr.. Kane; Il did
not intend to hurt your feelings. But
you certainly undertook a work which
was we'll calculated to impress you
with the depravity of man, did you
not?
Indeed did-God knows l did,
said Prier.
And have, perhaps, changed your
Iviews?"
indeed l have-radically."
II remember what you said to me
when Elsie Barron became Gilbert
Senn's wife. l did not understand II
then, for l little guessed the crime
you were so soon to lay at his door
mo" said the detective; 'you little
guessed that One little guesses a de-
tective's purposes until he reveals
them. We go, in the most natural
manner imaginable, and often on the
personal invitation of those with whom
| it is to our interest to talk, wherever
-uSually-wheneVer we please. we
talk much-and tell little. We listen
llittle-and learn much. But what was
| it | said which so impressed you
though I have myself forgotten it,"
THAT you believed in eternal pun
ishment! You meant it, did you not:
You believe it, l presume?"
Il meant it. I believe it," said
Prier. solemnly.
And when did you first come to be-
lieve it?" queried Kane.
| Prier bowed his head upon his
hands, leaning heavily with his elbows
on the breakfast table.
"Oh, my God" he cried, in agony OF
voice, while the tears ran through his
fingers, and he shook with his emo
ton as an ague- cursed man might have
done: Il learned that when / look
| ed down upon the dead face of Con-
stance the sweet face of the sister
had loved so since her earliest baby
hood, slain in her youth by the cow
ard hands of secrecy; murdered-mur-
dered-murdered!"
| All" said the clergyman, in
strangely hushed voice.
| And then there was silence, silence
save as it was broken by the sobs ano
groans of Prier. for many minutes.
Prier looked up at last. His tears
were gone. His eyes looked as though
they had never known what tears
were. nor would ever know. His lips
smiled. actually smiled, but l pity the
one who ever has to face that smile
when Prier's hand has found the way
to Priers purpose.
"I-I-you needn't tell me again thai
you are in Boomville for pleasure,
said Mr.. Kane, quietly, after he hao
Hooked Mr.. Prier in the face for
lhalf dozen seconds "fOr it wouldn't be
true. You are here on business, and
And you needn't tell any one else
answered Prier, pOintedly.
Certainly not said John Kane
reaching his hand across the table, anc
Igrasping that of the detective; Ger
tainly not. BY the-way. where is Gill
bert Semi"
Il don't know
You don't know?"
No. He left town during my abb
sence in Boston, l think, and | have
not learned where he went"
Cannot you find out?"
Il haven't tried
Are you not afraid of losing him /
you delay?"
1T makes no difference to me where
Ia, on, 5nna with him "