Arizona republican., 1910-12-25

ioh AO Ntlis dh swcred. It's over-that's all"
 She drew a sharp breath through her teeth.
 You are not going to marry that girl-that bourgeois doll in Streat- ham?"
 Fitzgerald sat up in his chair.
 Look here" he said, seriously, don't you call her names. If I'm 1ot going to marry her, it isn't my fault. She is the only girl 1 have ever wanted, and probably-most probably-she will be the only one l ever shall want. That's honest, isn't it?"
 The girl winced.
 Yes" she said, e" it is honest, 'I should have married her" the young man continued, and I should have been happy. I had my eye on a villa-not too near her parents-and saw my way to a little increase of salary l should have taken 10 gar dening. to walks in the Park, with an occasional theatre. and l should have thoroughly enjoyed a fortnight every summer at Skegness or Sutton-on- Sea. We should have saved a little money. I should have gone to church regularly, and if possible I should have filled some minor public offices. You may call this bourgeOiS-it was my idea of happiness"
 Was, she murmured.
 "Is still" he declared sharply. but shall never attain to it. Tonight had to leave Maud-to leave the sup portable of Daisy Villa-through the window
 She looked al him in amazement.
 The police" he explained. That brute Dory was at the bottom of it."
 But surely" she murmured. you told me that you had bona-fide situ- ation-"
 So I had" he declared. and was a fool not to be content with it. It was my habit of taking long coun- try walks, and their rotten auditing, which undid me- You understand that this was all before I met Maud? Since the day I spoke to her. I turned over a new leaf. I have left the night work alone. and repaid every penny of the firms money which they could ever have possibly found out about. There was only that one little affair of mine down at Sudbury"
 Tell me what yOu~are going to do? she whispered.
 "I have no alternative" he an sTered. The law has kicked me out from the respectable places. The law shall pay,
 She looked at him with glowing eyes.
 Have you any plans?" she asked. softly.
 "I have" he answered. "I have considered the subject from a good many points of view. and l have de- cided to start in business for myself as a private detective"
 She raised her eyebrows.
 My dear Peter! she murmured. Couldn't you be a little more origi- nal?"
 That is only what I am going to all myself" he answered. "I may tell you that am going to strike out on somewhat new lines"
 Please explain" she begged.
 He recrossed his knees and made himself a little more comfortable.
 "The weak part of every great rob bery. however successful" he began, |" is the great wastage in value which invariably results. For jewels which iOoA-Sdg llNt pOhhhos anu to procure which the artist has 10 risk his life as well as his liberty, he has to consider himself lucky if he clears eight hundred For the Hermitage rubies. for instance. where I nearly had 10 shoot man dead. l realized rather less than four hundred pounds. It doesn't gay"
 Go on" she begged
 "I am not clear" he continued. low far this class of business will attract me at all, hut l do not pro- pose. in any case, to enter into any transactions on my own account. l shall work for other people. and for cash down. Your experience of life, Violet. has been fairly large. Have you not sometimes come into con- tact with people driven into a situ- ton from which they would will ingly commit any crime to escape if they dared? It is not with them I question of money at all-it is sim ply a matter of ignorance. They do not know how 10 commit a crime. They have had no experience. and if they attempt it. they know perfectly well that they are likely to blunder. X person thoroughly experienced in the ways of criminals-a person of genius like myself-would have with out doubt. an immense clientele. if only he dared put up his sgnboard. Literally. I cannot do that. Actually, I mean to do so! I shall be willing 10 accept contracts either to help ner- vous people out of an undesirable crisis: or on the other hand. to meas uTe my wits against the wits of Scot land Yard. and 10 discover the crimi- nals whom they have failed to secure I shall make my own. bargains. and shall be paid in cash. shall take on nothing that l am not certain about"
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