Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-06
The Box of BorneOs
AN ADVENTURE OF PETER cREwE-"THE MAN
WITH THE CAMERA EYES"
By HAIR Id RTER


1t was q rough passage, and though
we were already half way between
New York and Tnbury. our destina-
ton, few Of the passengers had found
thsiT sea legs. ! sat on the captains
right; upon his left was . pleasant,
norid. gray-haired man, rather slow Of
speech, who was introduced b me N
Mr.. Peter Grove.
DO you md that this Atlantic
breeze agrees with you better than
the air Of Plainneld. n. J.. Mr. Lang
tonf- asked Mr.. Grove politely.
1T certainly does" answered. But
moy ask you how on earth you know
that I am q resident Of Plainfeld, N.
j.? To the best Of my belief have
told nobody; IN fact, as q lawyer. !
am naturally secretive about such
matters"
II only know" replied Crewe, 'be-
cause on two occasions have seen
you hurTying TO the boat from the
New Jersey tezminaI at nine o'clock
In the morning. You carried q news
paper and . suitcase, and your shoes
were red with Plainheld clay. Ii not
that reason enough"
"Quite," / replied. But how In the
name Of conscience do you remember
meT
why. ! saw you" returned Crewe.
Everybody within q twelve mile
radius Of New York has seen every
body else-or at least, ninety per cent.
of all other citizens. at some time.
Need ] remind you that on August IL,
1910, you took q small party TO q roof
garden on Fortysecond street? Or
that, the previous February, you rem
dered nrst aid to q child who had
been Knocked down by q street car on
Sixth avsnus7''
Later In the day, discovering Mr.
CFvwe alone in the smoking room,
showed him the photograph OF a young
man in cowboy attire and asked him
II he could give me his history. He
took the photograph and studied It IN
tenty; then closed his eyes In mental
concentration.
81 have only seen this young fellow
twice" he said. Seven years ago be
strolled up Broadway from the Bat
terry in q suit Of English clothes, carry
ing a Gladstone bag. Three years
afterward. while visiting New Yorh
from the west, he was arrested at the
corner Of Twenty-third street ant
Fifth avenue on q charge Of intoxica
ton"
/ leaped from my seat. For the
love Of heaven, explain your secret Il
me-" l exclaimed. You may be the
man / am most In need Of"
Crewe smiled in a selfdepreciatory
manner. ut is very simple" he ex
planned. You are. no doubt, aware
Of the discovery Of psychologists tina
every mental image remains perma
nently impressed upon the brain?"
YES"
Unfortunately, when the averag
man sees a thing he straightway fol-
gets It. Similarly with what he hears
When you and hear q passing SCUM
the scrape Of a wave against tn
ship, the fall OF a twig in the park
the impression is so faint that It is a
throughout life. But when receiv
an image through the eyes l neve
forget II. have always had this fa'
ulty. In my earlier days II caused m
much Inconvenience. Now, having az
quired q modest competence and II
tired from business, derive consider
able amusement from this power.
travel. Dtudy, try 70 turn my az
vantage TO the good OF humanity. A
T,nA 4
~ every inhabitant of New York cit
by sight and can recall every occi
sion on which / have ever seen hin
] could tell you strange stories in hi
regard. / know half London and TIVE
thirds Of Paris. Not . day passe
but meet 8 dozen old acquaintance
ell Of whom are blandly unconsciou
OF hRYing ever encountered me b.
fore"
But why should you not help me-
] exclaimed You are Just the ma
need to help me in unraveling
painful mystery"
'T shall be delighted to be Of ser
fee to you" said Crewe. Let US /
perfectly frank-that Is all ask"
Il will be entirely frank" / q
swered. Il am travelling to Englar
20 investigate an affair which threa
ems the life of a man whom / belieN
20 be innocent. Here Is the story:
Upon small est"te in Sure
there lived two brothers, retired A
gloIndian officials. Both were wido'
srs. S!r George Bamwell, the eldes
q baronet, had a daughter. His brot
er. William Bamwell. to whom Il
bsronetcy would in due course
scend had a son, a ne'er-do-weh, VIII
after a rather profigute career. we
OF 10 America, where he became 81
cCssively a sheep-herder. prospects,
and cowboy. The boy was cast OF
his father, a martinez OF the old Ell
lish school and it was understo
that the bulk of his money would
90 Selim. an Indian servant, who
William Bamwell had brought hor
with him, and who had served Z
brothers faithfully for twenty year:
The boy. take II. is the origin
o. the photograph you showed me
said Crewe.
Yes, and your statements in rega
to him were perfectly correct. He
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