Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-12-19
CHAPTER vIII.-(continued1

The dry. matter-of-fact way in which
ne recited the facts he had learned
added to the value of his narrative
More and more ! marveIed at the
mans detective ability. I was over
wheImed with a sense Of my own in
capacity All day long the coroner,
the constable and I had been trying
10 ferret out the mystery Of the unfor-
tunate womans identity with prac-
tically the same properties to draw
deductions from, the inspector in a
very few minutes had not only learned
her Identity, but many other impor-
tant facts about her. Nor did it oc-
cur to me to doubt the truth Of his
information. The assurance with
which he spoke was in itself a suf-
fcient guarantee.
How on earth did you learn all
this so quickly?" I asked in amaze.
ment
He smiled with that grim tantaliz-
ing smile of his that l had seen be
fore. His cigarette had burned itself
to a stub as he spoke. He turned it
carefully in his fingers, inspecting it
as IL to see whether he could extract
another puff before throwing it away
He finally decided that he could not,
and drew forth his cigarette papers
and tobacco. preparatory to rolling a
new one. Meanwhile I awaited his
answer in suspense.
Go on" I continued. Tell me
about 1t. must know how you did
It."
The principal part OF a magician's
art. he said as he lighted his new
cigarette, lies in what is called mis-
direction With a glance from Is
eyes, with a sudden movement of his
hand he attracts your attention to
his right side. Meanwhile his left is
doing the trick. Now misdirection. in
my business, has just the opposite eff
feet Amateurs. in investigating
crime. examine the evidence and see
clues pointing in some direction. They
follow those clues and find themselves
fiOundering. They have the right
clues. but they go in the wrong direc-
ton. You read the evidence Alright
as to Miss Sackett coming from
Bridgeport, but all your efforts to To-
cate her as Mary Jane Teller were
simply a waste of time. In the
clothes she left behind her was her
real name"
Look here" l said, you cant
string me in that fashion. myself
examined those garments closely.
There was no name in them and there
no marks by which she could be iden.
titled"
rs that so?" There was deep sar-
casm in his tone.
And not only that, even if | over
looked any marks that might have
been there. the landlord, the coroner,
the constable and half a dozen others
examined them closely. II there we're
any marks, some one of us surely
would have discovered them"
For answer he got up leisurely and
walked across to a chair where the
garments were still lying. He picked
up the skirt and held it by the lower
hem.
Look closely at it" he commanded
DO you see nothing there?"
1 scanned the dusty cloth intently
and shook my head. He picked up the
coat and offered it gravely for my In
spection, even turning 1t inside out,
sleeves and all.
We'll. what of it7' l exclaimed i'm
patiently. Il can't see anything there
either"
Can't your" he asked over-pIeasant-
Iy That's where I found the won
ans name"
Again l took up both garments and
studied them, but I was positive that
there was no name Of any sort or any
thing to indicate a name felt that
he must be simply testing with me.
You cant fool me, . I exclaimed. Il
would wager you a thousand dollars to
five hundred that coat and skirt do
not differ any in the slightest from
hundreds Of other coats and skirts
worn by hundreds of other women"
You lose" he responded tersely.
With one finger he began to trace an
almost invisible line on the goods