The Delta independent., 1915-12-31
CHAPTER VII.
A Real Detective,

One OF the greatest detectives In
the world Tin his own opinion and,
what was more remarkable still, in
that Of his wife) sat down to his eve
ming meal. He called it supper; as
they called 1t Immediately after the
stone age, when man and woman be-
gan to form habits. This supper con-
sisted Of corned-beef. cabbage and
boiled potatoes. Haggerty heaped his
plate. proceeded to slice the three into
coarse hash and sprinkled 1t liber-
ally with salt. pepper and vinegar. He
was not talkative man at his meals.
which he thoroughly enjoyed, having
constitution far more rugged than
that of the United States. in that it
was not open to promiscuous amend
ments. Nor was Mrs. Haggerty trou-
bled with the vapors of the fashion
able. She ate as silently and heartily
as her lord and master They finished
off the meal with quarter slices of rich
mince pie, washed down the whole with
pints of aromatic coffee. and then
smiled across the table. Their admira-
ton for each other was mutual; it had
stood the acid test of eight years of
propinquity.
Haggerty was a real detective. a
postgraduate in the virtues and delin-
quencies of humanity; the detective
you and 1 know in everyday life: who
was once a policeman on our block and
who winked when we broke a window
playing one-old-cat. Haggertys salary
might be called handsome. IL one in
cluded the splits in frequent rewards;
but as the pay of Q man who took his
life in his hands seven days in the
week and fifty weeks in the year, 1t
was less than meager.
"Milly. you've got 'em all kotowing
when 1t comes { corn.beef an cab
bige Say I'm thinking OF buying that
little OIL shack up Bronx way, after
ALL"
mol"
"Sure thing!"
But ! don't like these mortgages,
Will. II anything happened to you.
where'd / be?"
"Sh! It's going t be cash."
And where are you going to get
three thousand dollars? They won't
take cent under six for the place"
Leave it t me-" He pulled out a
thick black cigar. Had General Lee
sent box of them to General Grant
there wouldn't have been any Apo
mattox.
"Will, you aren't taking any Of that
graft stun. after your promise to me
six years ago?"
mix on tn graft, Milly. amt
handsome but I'm honest More n
that, / amt the gink they think am
down at Central"
You're a smart man, WILL"
Haggerty was worth looking at. He
had round head, a sign of combative-
ness. He had heavy rectangular jaws.
a sign OF perseverance. He had keen
blue eyes. too. with room enough be-
tween to satisfy the most critical of
phrenologists and physiognomists (for
whom the detective had the heartiest
contempD. To see things. to observe
and retain impressions, 1t is not neces-
sary to hold a university degree
Theory and logical deduction, as writ
ten, Interested Haggerty Just about
as much as missionary's lecture on
the uplift of the sinful Hottentot would
have done. Crime to him was merely
a picture-puzzle; there were so many
pieces and only one way to put them
together When he found another
piece he tried to fit the two together
II they did not fit he proceeded to hunt
for the other pieces. BY and by he got
corner together. maybe a center
piece; in the end the picture unfolded.
Nothing mysterious about this.
Haggerty was not brilliant; he was
only slow and sure. And because of
this ability to wait he had now been
detective of the first class for six
years. AS the character OF his investi.
cations somewhat removed him from
The graft zone his promise to his wife
was rather negligible one. The low
cut-purse. the polished swindler. the
dishonest bank official. all were fish
TO his net Being man OF great phys
lcal strength. courageous as all Irish
men are who have had to fight their
way to a decent pay roll. and fond of
his work besides. he was formidable.
He was well known, feared and re.
spected. He never approached his
quarry till he was absolutely certain
Of his picture-puzzle. Then his hand
fell heavily. He was Just but merci.
less. His business was to get the GRIM
fpal. IL jury wanted to let the man
20. that wos no concern OF his.
Some time between now an mid.