The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-09-16
CHAPTER VIII.
prifz Takes Action.

Britz Takes Action.
II f,.uteuant Britt occupied unique
4 ,,sInon In the Detective Bureau. His
4 adal grade was the same as that OF
amuelly and Carson, but. by sheer
49, II his ability, he had lifted him.
I'm 40 far above them that when
U srHng On a case they accepted his
4 girs like subordinates. Britt was
q IF the four or five men of the
4 ,,t;re detective force who could not
I'm c1assed as a "stool-pigeon man"
Nat Is he did not depend on the use
m stooLpigeons for his results. He
seded no staff Of thieves to inform
Hltn Of the doings Of other thieves.
l8Hh detective ability was developed
Ma high degree, combining an acute
3 ralytic sense with remarkable indus
~ These talents were reinforced by
4, rare detective instinct, which often
5M him irresistibly to the goal OF his
pursuit.
Il He was a bundle Of twitching nerves
abneath placid exterior. Nature had
] sraoHed him with an inscrutable
suntenance, an iron will, and a rest
Ia energy that seemed to flow from
9n ineyhaustible inner fountain. He
matched his resourcefulness against
j ha tricks of the criminals he pursued
and, having the keener mind. he In
prably won.
4 Britz's enthusiasm never dubbed to
age surface. He carried himself with
Ma appearance Of mastery case, as II
h held his impulses in complete sub
bstton. There was nothing striking
III bib stature, vet he left an impress
i'm Of hidden strength as of steel
framework behind light coating OF
easter. His eyes, deep set beneath
as arched outline of his eyebrows,
aHemed to emit mysterious, mex
#aScable current that circled around
Inc and drew one closer within its
ganstantly narrowing circumference.
inc shade Of melancholy that gloomed
~ nature was not hidden by the
slask Of superb Indifference that rest
10 % his well-defned features, with
saF browning breadth of lightly fur
MVed forehead. 1t revealed itself
d no the slightest twitch of his facial
pEetes as well as in the dropping
we OF his mouth. BY some peculi-
Il NEy Of the blood, his complexion ran
s!eliow ivory, never varying its color
y Raer the stress of the strongest emo.
IA as 1t required superhuman cour-
5sa % meet the steady gaze of his
Ves and lie to him. Though some.
saat abrupt Of manner and speech,
aere was something engaging about
7M some subtle magic of personality
aas brought one under the thrall OF
al mind. Almost without the utter.
wee Of syllable, ne could bend weak
q aAEafes to his will. Only the strong.
s#S persons were able to resist his
elimination.
% was one OF those strange beings
& sao i've mostly within themselves
wy there were times when he felt
81 eesolation of heart. a longing for
y Mapanlonship, for intimate associa
WI y. WIN MS fellow beings. On such
Nsaslons. his life seemed to lack
sae'aing Of the beauty Of other lives
81 sA II mad been cast In a more som
U shade. He could feel a wave OF
as.eucaoly coming On him, and tc
.,0lu us depressing influence, he turn
us mind resolutely to his work
sss''ng on the crime at hand as or
~ tempting dish. Without knowins
~ ". NJ the Missioner diamond robbery
u. ~ tor MIN a fascination more pow
II. ~ ulan mat called up by any othe,
ssas within his memory. He recog
IL a,sa surface Indications of a deer
l. lhlng IN the conception and execu
M ssa q the theft. His experienced
a ~ ~ saw that no ignorant or vulgar
a J had engineered the substitution
NJ. sasse marvellous diamonds. The
I'll NM q the criminal fairly spanked
b. exciting possibilities, and Brit;
III 4 q l. .ae thrill Of the chase even before
III NJ started the pursuit.
n a,sz paced nervously up and dow,
s Il, !, revolving the Incidents sur
NM Mug the discovery of the thief
,. Us mind, but he was unable to picl
IN. ~ 90 which to work. Nor did Thu
srsnces in which Donne e wv NM IN,
a Participated furnish anv prom
III ap,,a oes1n at the very bottom" b,
~ ~ ared .and work gradually to tn,
Mn. % saustered out Of the house
A,s1sss With the air Of one trying t,
hi 4sa 2, moments of rejection. |,
Man,. q TIE Missioner home n
salls I'LL surveying the massive ston,
y Y trying to as1sre the poyz,