Semi-weekly herald., 1911-09-25
CHAPTER VIII.
Britz Takes Action.

Lieutenant Britt occupied unique
position in the Detective Bureau His
official grade Was the same as that of
Donneily and Carson. but, by sheer
force of his ability. he had lifted him
self so far above them that when
working on a case they accepted his
orders like subordinates. Britz was
one of the four or five men of the
entire detective force who could not
be classed as a "stool-pigeon man"
That is. he did not depend on the use
of stool-pigeons for his results. He
needed no staff OF thieves to inform
him of the doings of other thieves.
His detective ability was developed
to high degree, combining an acute
analytic sense with remarkable indus.
try. These talents we're reinforced by
a rare detective instinct, which often
led him irresistibly to the goal Of his
pursuit.
He was bundle of twitching nerves
beneath a placid exterior. Nature had
endowed him with an inscrutable
countenance, an iron will, aud rest
less energy that seemed to flow from
an inexhaustible inner fountain. He
matched his resourcefulness against
the tricks of the criminals he pursued
and. having the keener mind, he in
variably won.
Britz's enthusiasm never bubbled to
the surface. He carried himself with
an appearance Of mastery ease, as If
he held his impulses in complete sub
trtk kiuu
In his stature, yet he left an impress
sion of hidden strength as of steel
framework behind a light coating of
plaster. His eyes, deep set beneath
the arched outline Of his eyebrows.
seemed to emit a mysterious, mex
plicable current that circled around
one and drew one closer within Its
constantly narrowing circumference.
The shade of melancholy that gloomed
his nature was not hidden by the
mask of superb indifference that rest
ed on his well-defined features, with
their crowning breadth of lightly fur
rowed forehead. 1t revealed Itself
with the slightest twitch of his facial
muscles as well as in the dropping
line of his mouth. By some peculi-
arity of the blood, his complexion ran
yellow ivory. never varying its color
under the stress of the strongest emo
tions. 1t required superhuman cour-
age to meet the steady gaze of his
eyes and lie to him. Though some
what abrupt of manner and speech,
there was something engaging about
him. some subtle magic Of personality
that brought one under the thrall OF
his mind Almost without the utter
ance of a syllable. he could bend weak
natures to his will Only the strong
est persons we're able to resist his
domination.
. He was one of those strange beings
who live mostly within themselves
yet there were times when he felt
desolati of heart. longing for
companionship, for intimate associa
tion with his fellow beings. On such
occasions, his life seemed to lack
something of the beauty OF other lives
as II 1t had been cast in a more som
ber shade. He could feel a wave ol
melancholy coming on him. and t.
avoid its depressing influence, he turn
ed his mind resolutely to his work
feasting on the crime at hand as oi
some tempting dish. without knowing
why. the Missioner diamond robber.
held for him fascination more pow
erful than that called up by any othe
crime within his memory. He recoe
nized surface indications Of dee
cunning in the conception and execu
IL
eye saw that no ignorant or vulga
mind had engineered the substitution
Of those marvellous diamonds. Tn