Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-11-28
Professor Kent Makes a Case.

AZ Ihe name. NObOuy Cdh-
ed me that for ten years."
"Just ten years ago that
you graduated, wasn't it?''
Eyes. Then l knew you in college.
You must have been before my class"
The bearded one nodded. Senior to
your freshman" said he.
The younger man scrutinlzed him.
Chester Kentr said he softly. what
on earth are you doing behind that
bush?"
Kent caressed the maligned whlsk
ers. Utility" he explained. Patent,
impenetrable mosquito screen. I've
been off in the wids and amor was
going back presently"
Not until you've stopped long
enough to get reacquainted,' declared
Sedgwlck. Just at present you're go
ing to stay to dinner"
''Very good. Just now you happen
to be In my immediate line Of interest.
1t is a fortunate circumstance for me
to find you here-pOssibly for you too"
Old interests sprang to life and
speech between them. Presently Fran
els Sedgwlck was telling his friend
the story Of his feverlsh and thwarted
ten years in the world. Within a year
of his graduation his only surviving
relative had died. willing to him a
considerable fortune, the income Of
which he used in furtherance OF
hitherto suppressed ambition to study
art. Paris, his Mecca, was first
taskmistress. then a temptress, finally
a vampire. Before succumbing he had
gone far in few years toward the
development Of curious technique of
his own. Followed then two years Of
dissipation, year of travel to recu-
perate and the return to Paris, which
was to be once more the taskmlstress.
But, to his terror and self loathlng, he
found the power OF application gone.
The muscles Of his mind had become
tlabby.
"All by virtue of u wOman's laugh;
the laugh Of woman without virtue"
he told Kent ut was at the Moulin
de Ia Gnlette-perhaps you know the
dance hall on the slope Of Montmartre
and she was one Of the dancers, the
wreck of what had once been beauty
and, one must suppose, innocence,
Probably she thought me too much.
abslnth soaked to hear or understand
as sat half asleep at my table. At
all events she answered, full voiced,
her companions question Who Is the
drunken foreignerY by saying He
was an artist. The studios talked Of
him five years ago. Look at him now.
That Is what life does to us, mon ami.
I'm the woman Of it. That's the man
Of it., staggered up made her a
bow and promise and left her laugh
Ing Last month redeemed the prom.
Use; sent her the first thousand dol
lars | made by my own work and de-
clared my debt discharged. How about
yourself?"
"'Postgroduute science, Agrlcultur-
al department job. Lectures. Inyen-
ton, Judiciary department expert,
Signed Chester Kent Ten words
count them-ten." ....
Interesting, but unsatisfying," re-
torted his friend. Cant you expand
bit? | suppose you haven't any dark
secret in your life?"
mo secret, dark or light" sighed the
other "rhe newspapers won't let me
have"
"Eh2 Wont let your Am to infer
that you've become Il famous person?
What are you, anyway
what told you, an expert in the
service of the department Of justice.
like to nntter myself that my pur.
suit Is scientific"
Pursuit? What do you pursue2"
Men and motives"
Sedgwlck's intelligent eyes wldened
"Wait," he said; something occurs TO
me, an article In a French journal
about wonderful new American ex-
| pert In crlminology who knows all
there Is to know and tnkes only the
most abstruse cases, recall now that
the article called him lie professeur
Chetre Kennat.' That would be about
as near as they would come to
your name. The Frenchman made
you out a most superior species Of
hlghfnlutln detective, working along
lines peculiarly your own
Rot" interjected Kent THE only
lines detective can work along sue.
cessfully are the limos 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" "
"Yod remember got into trouble
my senior year with the college au-
thorities by proving the typhoid epl.
demic direct against forgotten de-
feet In the sewer system Il nearly
cost me my diploma, but II helped me
too, later for a scientist In the depart.
mcnt Of agriculture at Washington
learned Of II aud sent for me after
graduation lie mapped out for me n
three years postgraduate course, which
had Just about enough money to
take While specialized on botany,
entomology and bocteriology picked
up wording knowledge Of other
branches chemistry toxlcology, geol
ogy mincrnlogy, physiology and most