Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-06


tive faculty, and invention involves
mental labor. often thought that If l
could obtain real cases, such as the
sharp detective works out, | would be
able to dispense with the hardest part
OF my work. l applied to the police
for such cases, but all 1 got was the
tracking of a thief, a burglar or
murderer by some slip made by the
perpetrator or some one else. There
was not enough in 1t to keep reader
in anxious expectation through several
hundred closely printed pages.
One morning / had a real case come
to me without any inquiry. l was sit .
ting in my study racking my brain for |
material when a maid entered and told
me there was an eIpressman at the
door with a package for me. l went
downstairs, receipted for 1t and, taking
1t to my den, removed the cover. open |
ed the box and saw some jewels. Re |
moving a tray, there lay twenty or
thirty stones apparently of great value.
1 examined the address on the wrap
per. thinking that had receipted for
something intended for another, but
there were my name and address cor
rectly written in every particular.
What did it mean? Instead OF spend
| ing the rest OF the morning trying to
| invent a detective story, 1 was occu-
! pied in endeavoring to explain why
/ and from whom these jewels had been
| sent me- found the job more difficult
| than producing a plot. At last l made
up my mind that l must go about it
methodically, just as detective begins
work in criminal case.
First l went to the express office to
/ see if could learn there who sent the
package, but no one knew anything
about it. The expressmen don't keep
records Of the senders Of miscellaneous
packages. The next question was.
Are the jewels real or imitation"
This l might learn by submitting them
to an expert. But until the mystery
was explained l did not care to have
any one but myself know that they
were in my possession. They might
be stolen property, and had no mind
to go to Jail as the thief. However, l
selected one of a few small stones l
found in the tray and took it TO a
dealer in gems for inspection. He
pronounced it genuine.
l returned to my study, threw myself
into an easy chair and began to
ponder. The jewelry had been sent
me by some one whom l did not know,
for l had never before seen the hand
writing. There could have been no
mistake as to the intention. But what
was back of the intention?
Suddenly an explanation flashed on
my brain like the fame of n gun at
night. The jewels had been stolen, and
whoever had stolen them, fearing to
be caught with them In, his possession,
had sent them away. After all, was
not that a good scheme? Internal
machines and poisoned food had been
sent by express and the shipper was
never discovered. The thief would
doubtless open communication with
me after the danger their possession
would bring him had passed.
Then there was another fash in my
brain, and another idea was born. l
had a detective case before me that
might work out myself and make 1t
the theme Of n thrilling tale How
should | begin? Attempt to discover
the owner of the gems? No it would
be better to my purpose that | should
make that a separate problem. Should
i take the police into my confidence?
BY no meanS-at least till the denoue-
ment, when the guilty party had been
traced through the labyrinth of circum-
stance and the hero detective, point
| tn. L.;
the man" My plan would be to show
up the ingenuity of my hero in con-
trast with the stupidity of the police.
Should | advertise the jewels in such
way that the thief would recognize
that they were the property in which
he was Interested? Not till he had
time to feel assured that those hunting
the jewels were not on his track. But
this would involve delay, and was
anxious to pull the thread of my inves-
LEGATIONS at once. SO advertised that
If the party who had misdrected some
property sent by express would ad-
dress me a the office Of the newspaper
containing the ad. he would learn some.
thing to his advantage.
l received no reply to this. but very
soon note came through the mail
stating that certain property had been
addressed to me by mistake and II
would return it. asking no questions,
half the value would be deducted. Ii
was plain from this that my theory
was correct. The jewels had been
stolen, and the thief was inclined TO
bride Inc to return them to him with
out giving him away. To ease my con
science he said the matter rested on a
family affair that he was not at liberty
TO reveal
! replied that it was true | had re-
ceiyed by express a package that was
unexpected, and | pretended to be de
ceived by the family affair" writing
that / was not I'm the habit Of poking
into other persons business and could
readily understand why it should be
kept from me. | was ready to accept
the terms offered. A reply came to
this stating that If / were disposed IA
play fair End not attempt any she
nanigan' | would be paid $1,000 n
currency for the jewels. but II I at
tempted to lead my correspondent int