Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-06-07
CHAPTER TX.

LeDuc was a medium-sized man,
wiry of build and tough as whale
bone. His eyes were restless and the
faint smile which hung habitually
about his lips was Offset by hawk
ish nose. I had known him ever since
we had attended the same school as
youths Later on be had naturally
gravitated into the service of one Of
the big detective agencies; had been
successful on important cases with
uniformity that mere good luck could
not account for, and having thus &C
quired a reputation had established
an agency Of his own. I had seen
very little Of him in the last ten years.
but as boys we had been more or less
chummy, the difference In our ages
having been neutralized by the phys
zeal fact of my being considerably
larger for my years than was he. /
had admired him In those days for his
remarkable agility and strength. AS
II is quality Of brain matter which
counts rather than quantity. so It is
equally true Of muscle. And while
Billy was not especially powerfully
made as far as appearances went, his
muscles were like piano wire and the
bulk of his competitor In q physical
contest was to him matter OF SUI
preme disregard Moreover, he was
shrewd and pleasant to meet and a
decent fellow withal, and our friend
ship had wended along smoothly I'M
til the Inevitable separation Of our life
| paths. As he had never called to
see me before, It took no rare instinct
on my part to divine that this visit
was not purely a social one.
Dr. Courtney passed US in the hall
on his way back to his ofice, and
with a farewell salutation to him
led my, old friend up to my private
quarters. He seated himself and
gave him a cigar. No sooner had be
got II burning to his satisfaction than
he preached the subject Of his visit.
Il have Just heard that you have
had a robbery of some consequence
he began. assented with the remark
that II was a beastly affair. LeDuc's
eyes had always impressed me as haV
ing the alertness Of a watching
hawks, and l now noted that they
were fiicking about the room al
though searching for some lost article
and apparently overlooking nothing
He continued:
81 don't suppose under the circum
stances that It is necessary for me L
} state the object of my visit, although
J presume l may as well do so. Whel
: got wind of this affair It occurre'
to me that perhaps might be Of as
sistance to you professionally. AM
| even IL that were not the case that
would be glad to see you again Of
: general principles. So hurried RICH
: over. But now that we have shake
! hands and looked each other over,
: am anxious to know the particulars G
| this affair-thief catcher's instinct, 20
!. know. Mind telling me about it,"
I Not in the least. Glad you came,
r I returned heartily. Without furthe
/ ado briefly outlined the salient fact
4 In the. case as they had come unde
y my observation. He then asked m
J. few questions as to who had pc
s sessed the keys, and such like.
+ which gave him the same answer
that had the police. He listened quie
v ly and without comment, and the
n expressed a wish to be introduced
e Uncle Abner, whereupon immediat
4 ly took him to the adjoining roo
s and made them acquainted LeDr
Z settled down to business without d
!. lay.
r AS you perhaps know. am pr
i fessional detective and cases like tn
l are strictly my speciality. take
II for granted that you wish to apr
d bend the parties who did this Job, al
g that you would like to recover yol
], money. or as much of 1t as possibl
o That being the case would like
It make an arrangement with you. ] a
in a more favorable position to g
h you results than are the regular ?
y. lice for a number of reasons. In q
a first place ! am better equipped {
IF It than are the majority OF them. DO
,e by nature and education. II is ms
Of ter OF common observation that Z
b. smart crook is smarter than the