Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-12

upon their previous acquaintance with
crooks and upon a knowledge Of their
ways and haunts than upon simple deteC-
tive skill. The police are not so clever
smart. think you call it-as people think
they are" Maxwell smiled with an ex-
preston in his eyes that had a meaning
she could not comprehend, and that pc
culiar. cunning look which she did not
exactly like came over his face
If the police had nothing to guide them
but the place that was robbed" he went
on. very few thieves would ever be
caught. They recognize in the manner in
which the house is entered, in the careful
way the shades are pinned up. instead Of
being rolled. or something like that. that
the job is the work of a certain man.
Then they locate the man they suspect.
and try to find out where he was that
night and what he has been doing since.
In this. other thieves often furnish valu-
able assistance and information; some
times to avoid trouble for themselves in
minor cases. That is where your common
criminal is a fool He should work alone"
and again the same smile stole over his
face.
And do murderers get caught because
the police recognize their special style OF
work." asked Helen laughing at the droll
idea.
mot exactly" he admitted with a smile.
when a man is murdered the police try
to pick out the person who is most likely
TO have committed the crime. They look
for motive. and from the motive they
reason out the man, and then they watch
him and question all his friends, espe-
cially If he has a sweetheart. 1t is his
friends that usually betray him. Many
man has been hung by his sweetheart"
The girl shuddered and Involuntary
drew her furs closer around her I'VE have
wandered a long way from the dinner"
she remarked
80 we have" he agreed. "Wel, let us
finish It up. Douglas insisted that the
police could never catch a thief unless
he were a we'll known criminal" he went
on. Members of newly formed gangs, he
said, were hard to trace. He cited cases
of the sons of respectable parents who
had committed one burglary after an
other, without even being suspected until
they were accidentally caught in the act,
the plumber was traced to them. Hartley
laughed at him, and said the police could
catch any thief in three days II they were
in earnest about It. But Douglas main
tanned that If an absolutely unknown Grim
inal, a newcomer in the world of. crime,
were to commit a robbery without having
to take into his confidence any accom-
plces, there would be absolutely no pos
sibiity of catching him except by trac-
ing the stolen goods.
THAT made Hartley positively abusive.
, He talked OF betting unheard-of amounts
, on the skill of police. Finally Douglas took
out his note book and offered to make a
| straight bet of $4,000 that IL there was
/ any way in which Mr.. Hartley could ar
range to have robbery committed by an
/ amateur, so that the amateur should have
( twelve hours start of the police they
/ could not catch him in a month, to say
3 nothing of three days. DR.. Ramie. the
4 host, seemed to think that Mr.. Douglas
was about right, and offered to bet SlOt
the same way"
And / suppose you wanted to bet too
i Oh, but you men are dreadful when yol
= get by yourselves, drinking and gambling
and betting on things" exclaimed Helen.
70 Indeed, 1 should not have tried to. tel
l. this. had no idea it would sound $,
bad Maxwell cried. Forgive me! e
d don't see why I ever referred to the in
{ cident. yet something has compelled me t,
confide in you Something tells me 4
5 may be Of interest to you some day. Some
times you seem more like a boy conrad,
J. than a girl"
, Don't interrupt yourself" Helen com
manded firmly. 81 can listen, even though
n l confess to a feeling of-of truly fem
mime revulson."
She trusted him, she told herself, ye
) not an hour after that self-revelatlon OF
n the sands she was made keenly consclou
/ Of the mystery of personality which 81
u often disturbed her. The door of his hear
o might be open TO her, but the way to tn
door was a labyrinth.
l. Il confess l should have backed DougIa
d myself; but there was no actual be
IS made" Maxwell went on. "They slmpl
agreed to think II over for a week prob
n ably to let Mr. Hartley cool off a bill
We broke up with the understanding tina
we should meet there again next Saturday
ii and that il any one had anything prac
teal to suggest that would settle the be-
u each Of them would put up ten thousan
on the result"
And you are going TO be a party t
20 such a gambling transaction? And bet O
d robbers being too clever for the police
Helen demanded with severe accusatio
ID in her voice, Why, robbers sometimes hi
lie people when they are resisted, don't they
~ Why did you let yourself he drawn int
such things
Really, l think it Is extremely interest,"
81 Ing, all the moro 80 because 1t is betwee
n those two, I am quite sure, II / am an
Judge of human nature, that the poll,
would not lack assistance, financial an
T. otherwise, il Mr.. Hartley had ten thousar
ID at stake and Mr., Douglas was the pro,
II pective loser. / fancy a trial Of that kin
81 would be as exciting as a horse race
should certainly put a bit on myself"
She turned the conversation TO othe
matters, and they soon found themselve
lie at the bridge over sheepshead bay. IN
dinner story was still running through hC
10 head, but she made no comment upon
until they were nearly home.
81 don't know what TO think OF YOU.
he she said suddenly with assumed careles.
" ness, but / suppose / shall ask you in
Tea. Perhaps 1 can get hack my first GOO
impression OF you before you return TO n
l. city; but not a word before papa an