The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-16

| of life, or become a golf champion,
or a senator, or freak aviator, or
invented perpetual motion? Do you
possess titles, honors, and Tibboned
decorations? Ought / to bat my brow
against the floor in addressing you?
What are you, anyway"
What / told you. and expert in the
service of the Department Of Justice"
ION the scientific side?''
"Why--yes, generally speaking
like to ffatter myself that my pursuit
is scientific
Pursuit? What do you pursue?"
Men and motives
Sedgwick's intelligent eyes widen
ed. Wait" he said, something oc-
ours to me. an article in French
journal about a wonderful new Am
erican expert in criminoiogy, who
knows all there is to know, and takes
only the most abstruse cases. / re-
call now that the article called him
le Professor Chetre Remnant" That
would be about as near as they would
come to your name"
It's a good deal nearer than that
Internal French journalists whom
Wiley brought to my table at the
Idler's Club got to the facts" stated
Kent
Then you are the Professor Kent.
But look here! The F'renchman made
you out n most superior species of
highfauitin detective. working along
lines peculiarly your own"
Rot" interjected Kent THE on
ly lines detective can work along
successfully are the lines laid down
for him by the man he is after"
Sounds more reasonable than ro-
mantle" admitted the artist. Come
now, Kent. open up and tell me some
thing about yourself
only last month a magazine put
that request In writing, and accom-
panied 1t with an offer of twenty-five
hundred dollars--which ] didn't &C
cept. However. as | may wish to
ask you a number of leading ques-
tions later, Ill answer yours now.
You remember / got into trouble my
senior year with the college authori-
ties. by proving the typhoid epidemic
direct against IA forgotten defect in
the sewer system. II nearly cost me
my diploma; but IL helped me too.
later, for a scientist in the Depart
ment Of Agriculture at Washington
learned of It, and sent for me after
graduation. He talked to me about
the work that man with the true in
vestigatiou instinc t. which he
ing his abilities along strictly scien-
tifc lines; and he mapped out for me
a three years postgraduate course,
which | had just about enough mon
ey to take. While I specialized on
botany. entomology and bacteriology,
| picked up a working knowledge Of
other branches; chemistry, toxicology,
geology. mineraiogy. physiology, and
most Of the natural sciences. having
Yxstgh rae NfzS "a hn-
lie curiosity about the world we live
in.
Once in the department, ] found
myself with a sort of rowing commits
sion. / worked under such men as
WHEY, Howard, and Merriman, and
learned from them something of the
infinite and scrupuious patience that
truly original scientific achievement
demands. At first my duties were
largely those of minor research. Then,
by accident largely. ] CHANGED upon
introducing the boil weevil into the
uniufested cotton area and checked
that. Soon afterwards | was put on
the 'deodorized meat enterprise. and
succeeding in discovering the scheme
whereby Il was hoped to sell spoiled
meat for good. You might have
heard of those cases; but you would
hardly have learned of the success In
which / really take a pride. the Guilt
walton of a running wild grape to
destroy Rhus Toxicodendron, the
common poison ivy What spare time
had / devoted TO experimenting
along mechanical lines. and patened
an invention that has been profitable.
Some time ago the Department of
Justice borrowed me on few cases
with n scientific bearing. and more
recently offered me incidental work
with them on such favorable terms
that / resigned my other position.
The terms include liberal vacations,
one Of which | am now taking. And
here I ami Is that sufficient
Hardly. All this suggests the arts
OF peace. What about your forty
horse power kick? You don't prac-
tice that for drawing room exhibit
lions. take it?''
Sometimes" confessed the scien
list. II have found myself at close
quarters with persons OF dubious
character The fact is, that an in
genious plot to get rid of very old
friend. Doctor Lucious Carter the
botanists, drew me into the criminal
line, and since then. that phase of in
vesttgatiou has seemed fairly TO OBJ
trude itself on men, officially and I'M
officially Even up here, where
hoped to enjoy months rest--Do
you know" he said, breaking off,
that you have a most interesting
inset Ur ocean currents heTeaoouts
"Of course Lonesome Cove. But
kindly finish that even UP here
recoIlect your saying that you were
waiting for me. Haven't traced any
scientific crime to my door have you 2
Let me forget my work for a lit
tie while" pleaded his visitor. and
look at yours"
Sedgwick rose. Come upstairs" he