The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1910-02-17
He Was Really A
Great Detective


menter left his Office and went over
TO see Sweazey about It at once.
The stenographer, who had been
very sympathetic, had recommer ed
Sweazey's agency. She did not know
Sweazey herself. but young woman
friend of hers was Swea2cy's cousin,
and she knew that he was Just grend.
Parmenter expected to see gentle
man with high, intellectual brow a
grave, inscrutable facc--the face OF
student and an eye that had a habit
of suddenly leapng from sleepy lids
into a penetrating luminosity, and he
was a little disappointed when the
great detective proved to be dumpy in
figure, pop-eyed and fat faced. His
heavy mustache, which was of let.
ty bacl1ness. except near the roots,
where it had rather rusty tinge, was
also in the nature of a disillusionment
to Parmenter; so was the fiat. black,
semi-circular curl that decorated
Sweazey's forehead.
Sill, If Sweazey was a disappo;nt.
mont in other respects. his inscruta.
biiity left nothing TO be desired. \
wooden Indian standing in frcnt Of a
cigar store is not more inscratabe
than Sweazey was.
He waved Psrmen-cr to 4 ricHety
chair in his desk and Invited him TO
state the case. Then he reNt the
stump of an evll.smelling cigar. cnd
composed himself in listening atti-
tude, with his feet on his desk.
There was not much to tell. Mrs.
Parmenter had worn the diamonds to
the theatre. She remembered per.
fectly that she took them OFF when she
retired that night, but the following
afternoon she had beel unable to find
them.
1t had happened that in the morning
a young man applied for assistance
at the front door. The poor fellow had
Just been discharged from the hospi.
tai and he asked for some cast-orf
garments. The maid had incautious.
ly left the door open while she went to
tell the mistress, and had then re-
tur ned to the kitchen, still leaving the
door open, while Mrs. Parmenter rrm.
mayed for some old clothes in the
garret
There had been ample time for the
young man to ransack the house, as
Mrs. Parmenter recalled when she
missed her jewels.
Sweazey chewed his cigar reflective
ly and frowned at the almanac on the
wall
Presently he turned suddenly on
Parmenter and the pop eyes bored
into that gentleman's inmost soul.
Have you told me everything you
know" he asked.
81 think that is everything" replied
PNrmenter.
"You think. But are you sure?" de-
manded the great detective.
Everything that is material" said
Parmenter.
"See here, Cap" said Sweazey. "a
guy that amt in the business don't
know what's material and what aint.
Yor tell me all there is to tell-See?
Or, tell you what I'll do. There amt
none of my men around just now, so
] guess I'll take this case myself. Well
go to lunch and you can get busy CIV
ing me the rest of it while We chew"
They went to lunch. Sweazey was
an expensive feeder. AS he explained
to Parmenter, the best was none too
good for him and he liked lots of it
especially when another feller is foot
ing the BILL" he AIDED, humorously.
Meanwhile he put a number of ques-
tons to Parmenter, eliciting the fact
that Mrs. Parmenter OCCASIONALLY play.
ed bridge whist.
"Not that l can see how Mrs. Par
menter's amusements can be any con-
Germ Of yours" said Parmenter, with
considerable heat.
Certainly not; certainly not" said
Sweazey, soothingly. Il was just ask.
ing. There's nothing in that. My wife
plays bridge herself. She can put it
all over me at seven-up. Now, as to
the hired girl of yours"
There's another thing I want to
speak to you about" said Parmenter.
I'VE haven't the slightest suspicion
of the maid. We think everything of
hNi anu VIC Noului nave utl ltclluSS
hurt for the world. II you have to
question her, should like you to be
very tactful."
you leave that to me, Cap" said
Sweazey. reassuringly. 81 don't sup
pose your good lady noticed whether
that guy that come to the door for a
handout had a mole on the back of
his neck-a brown mole?"
"She didn't mention it," replied Par.
menter. "Why?"
1T looks to me like Rat-Tail Reil-
ly's work." said Sweazey. 'If he had
that mole, it was Rat-Tail-and, you
see that finger?"
He held up stubby and rather dir
ty forefinger for Parmenter's distin.
guished inspection.
81 can put that finger-right-on-
Reilly" said the detective impressive.
ly. "Any time want him, can put
that finger-right-on
They went down to Bibberley