Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-28

she was serving The girl attracted him instantly.
She was petite person, with eyes as dark as night
Her orbs sparked like the stars above Her hair was
Jet black, and harmonzed with her eyes with an al
most sinister brilance Her lips were ruby red and
her forehead smooth and white, but at intervals
she fell into attitude OF silent detection The
bright eyes appeared to grow dim if they were try
ing to look back scene that was difficult to
recall Quick managed to get into conversation with
her. and tried to induce her to talk about Giuseppe
and failed However. she took quite an interest in
him. and little by little ascertaned the fact-in some
subtle female way-that he was after Giuseppe, and
that his interest in Giuseppe was not for Giuseppes
good After that she talked to him briefly, but sym
pathetically.
After Quick had finished his meal, she got into the
habit of taking his hat from its place the hook and
handing it to him with a graceful gesture. There was
something fascinating about the girl-and mysterl-
ious too The detective often looked at her in the
expectation of learning something that would give him
clew to the case which was now beginning to get On
his One day, as he put on his hat, he noticed
that it did not fit comfortably AS he reached The
door of the restaurant he tried it on the second tme
and felt bugng under the front part of the leather.
He lifted it, and found that little piece of white
paper had been carefully tucked inside of the band
He opened it, and found, scrawled in childish hand,
and in almost undecpherable English, this mysterious
sentence:
~ now find that old Enoch will soon
speed things up and sell his watch to help
him to live closely
He read it two or three times, and then went back
into the restaurant to question the waitress but
he too late. Quick puzzled his brains in vain to
find solution of the cryptic message which he had
received from the darkeyed girl.
One night, in desperation, he locked himself in his
den and made that he would not leave until
he had discovered the cew that must surely lurk with
in the nnocent-looking words. He provided himself
with corncob pipe and copy of his favorte book
the Pickwck Papers. His procedure simplicity
itself First, he smoked pipe and then read chap
of Pckwick, and finally he studied the little paper
for about five minutes Failing to discover anything,
he calmly repeated the process. AT the end of the
fifth repetition he jumped from his chair with
whoop of joy The thing clear daylight.
lie wondered why he had not discovered it Immediate
ly The key to the cryptic sentence to read every
third word and to ignore all the rest In this form
the message read:
''Find . =. Enoch Speed .and..
watch him. closely. -
The following morning Quick started out on the
with renewed confidence. call at police head
quarters led to the discovery that Enoch Speed was
an old jailbird. The records showed that he had
served at least twenty years of his short life in the
penitentary. The warden of that institution in
formed the detective that his star boarder had left
about six months before, but that he had no knowl-
edge of his whereabouts The secret service man, III
the of his inquiries discovered that the city
contained an institution which known the
Home for Discharged Convicts. He hurried there
fast the trolley would carry him. He present
ed his compliments to Frank E. Starr, the superin-
tendent.
~ the trail of named Enoch Speed,
and would like your assistance. -
The cOuntenance of the superintendent fell
''What has he done?" he asked
81 don It know, replied the detective, frankly. 81
simply want to him. and to learn his mode of life
''Well, he is apt to be here any day, and l will
point him out to you 1 want to say, however, that
the man has made sincere effort to reform and 1
think he should be given the benefit of any doubt that
may arise in your mind. -
81 agree with you,'' was the cheerful response 81
have desire to hamper Speed On the contrary
may be the means of helping him to keep his good
resolutions -
Within twenty-four hours the strange Mr.. Speed
made his appearance. He looked like a who
trying to fight unruy appetite His breath smeled
of strong drink and he looked at the superintendent