The Washington times., 1915-03-14
Stanford Quest, Criminologist."
lNSTALLMENT I.


i that afternoon, and his cousin,
town born and bred, had already
embarked upon the task of showing
him the great city. They occupied q
table in a somewhat insignificant cor
neri Of one of New Yorlt's most famous
roof garden restaurants. The place was
crowded with diners. There were many
notabilities to be pointed out. The
town young man was very busy.
See that bunch Of girls on the
right?' he asked "'Thoy are all from
the chorus in the new musical comedy
opens tomorrow. They've been rehears-
ing every day for month. Some show
it's going to be. too. | don't know
whether I'll be able to get you scat,
but I'll try. I've had mine for a
month. The fair girl who Is leaning
back, laughing. now. is Elsie IIavcrs.
She's the star. . You see the old fcl
low with the girl lust in a line be-
hind? That's Dudley Worth, the null
ti-millionaire, and at the next table
there - Mrs. Atkinson--you remember
her divorce case?"
1t was all vastly interesting to the
young man from the West. and hc
looked from table to table with ever
Increasing interest.
Say. it's fine to be here he de-
clsred ''Wo have this sort of thing
way home, but We arc only twelve
stories up and there is nothing-to look
at. Makes you kind of giddy here to
look past the people. down at tho
city"
The New Yorker glanced almost in
differently at the ono sight which to n
stranger Is perhaps the most impress
siVe In the new world. Twenty-Five
stories below, the cable cars changing
and clashing their way through the
narrowed streets seemed like nrcfles,
children's toys pulled by an invisible
string of fire. Farther aficld, the fare
of the city painted the murky sky. The
line Of the river scintillatod with ris-
ing and falling stars. The tall build
ings stabbed the blackncss, fingers of
fire. Here, midway to the clouds, was
another world. a world of luxury, of
brilliant toilcttes. of light laughter the
popping Of corks. the joy of living,
with everywhere the vague perfume ana
flavor Of fcmininity.
The young man from the country
touched his cousins arm.
Tell me-" he inquired. who is the
man at a table by himself? The walters
god. Is he millionaire, or a judge, or
what?"
The New Yorker turned his head. For
the first time his own face showed
some signs OF interest His voice drop
pod a little. He himself was impressed
You're in luck, Alfred" he declared
That's the most interesting man in
New York-one of tho most Interesting
In the world. That's Sanford Quest"
Who's he?'
You haven't heard of Sanford
Quest?"
Never in my life"
The young man whose privilege it
vas to have been born and lived all
his days In New York drank a gassfu
of wine and leaned back in his chair
Words. for moment, were an impos-
sibility.
Sanford Quest" he pronounced at
last. is the greatest master in crmi-
nolegy the world has over known. He
is magician, scientist the P.erpont
Morgan Of his profession"
say, do you mean that he is de-
tectivc?"
The New Yorker stcadicd himself
with an effort. Such ignorance was
hard to realize-harder still to dca, with.
Yes" he said simply, you could call
him that-just IN the same way that
You could cal Napoleon a soldier or
Lincoln statesman. He is a detcc-
i've, VI you llhc 10 can MN tnat, the
master detective of the world. lie has
a great house in ono Of the backwater
squares of New York, for his office. He
has wireless telegraphy, private chem
lists, a Nttlc troop of spies. private tcle-
graph and cable, and agents in every
city OF the world. II he moves against
any gang they break up. No one can
really understand him. Sometimes he
seems to be on the side of law some
times on the side of tho criminal. lie
oil iIIG W hh Ila MI
a million dollars wouldn't tempt him
to touch one he doesn't care about.
Watch him go out. They say that YOU
can almost tell the lives of the people
he passes from the way they look at
him. There sin't crook here or in the
street who doesn't know that. il San
ford Guest chose, his career would be
The country cousin was impressed at
last. With staring eyes and opened
mouth he watched the man who had
been sitting only a few tables away
from them push back his plate on which
of the chief maitrcs d'hotel handed him
his straw hat and cane. two walters
stood behind his chair, the manager
hurried forward to see that tho way was
clear for him. Yet there was nothing
about the appearance of the man him
self which seemed to suggest his dc
manding any of these things lie was
of little over medium height. broad
ShoEldoIcu, but with BODY somewhat
loosely built, llc nOr" Quiet gray
clothes WITH u black tic, pcu'l rD. and
ncat-rolOrnd shirt. Ills counl" Nion
was = lituc n"lo n, features Acli dc
l'ncd. his eve d"rn md p"r"irHti"%.
but hiIdCu urdc"uratn rather bu|n'
c!chrU>.$. lis dcrOrtIhcnt was GritC
unaHswnunc. and h" l"ft tho pac" A.
though Cntircl,. ignt rant Of the impress
sion he created. The little rMsicr OF
chorus girls looked al him almoSI WtiI
EWc. Orl" ono OF them V2ntur"d to
lguSh into his larc. as though "nNious
ia attract his notice Another dropped
her veil significantly a. l'e drew urar,
y I've millionaire sccT7ed to become y
smaller man as he Glanced ov'r his
shoulder. The lady who had hc"n re-
Gently divorced bent over her platN. 4
croup o: noisy Young fellows talking TO.
rethcr about 4 ST 'Ck exchange deal sud,
denly ceased their clamor OF voices a.
nc passed. \ man sitting alone, with
drawn face. deliberately concealed
himself behind a newsDapcr, and an al,
derm. .nic-looltinc gentleman who was
entertaining 4 nuftN haired Young lsd!
from a wcll-known typevriting Office
looked for moment like an erTanl
schoolboy. Not one Of these neoplr did
sanford Quest seem 10 sec. lie passed
out to the lift. t'ppcd the man who
SyCcphautly took him the whole way
down without a stop. walked through
the crowded hall Of the hotel and en-
Se-SsG : closed motor car vii borT haNinr