Iditarod pioneer., 1916-11-11
CONAN DOYLE'S DEFECTIVE
 HAD NOTHING ON THIS ARAB
tNew York Sum


 The missionary had occasion to visit a wild and desola.e part of the country. One night bis eyes were gladdened by the sight of camp in which he found sheik whom he knew, a good and kindly old man with deep, searching eyes, silent and thoughtful fer the most part, whose occa- siCnal utterances almost invariably lett one thoughtful His people seemed wrought from different stuff-low browed, desperate look ing men, given to much muttering among themselves. with quick, sidelong glances that l took in much while the lips remained silent or moved in swift, half whispered speech intended only for the ear of a comrade near by.
 The missionary was received cordially by the sheik and made welcome. Weared, after many days of travel, of the heavy 1 leathern belt which he wore around his waist, which contained S200 or $500 in sli- yer. the missionary took 1t off when he went to bed and folded it under his pillow.
 In the morning when he awoke the belt and it's contents were gone. Distressed he went to the tents of the shelk and found the cid man already awake and sitting calmly before his tents watching the tiocks at pasture.
 The sheik listened to the missionary's story of his loss in grave silence. When | the missionary had finished the sheik said simply:
 q will get your money back for you; trust me"
 Then the sheik called for all the men of the camp to assemble. When they were al! there he told them what had happened and celled for the thief to come forward and give up his spells.
 He waited for full minute, but no one stirred. His brow darkened. He bade them C:i,Derse saving that in half an hour they must come again
 At the end of thirty minutes the tribes men again assembled, and again the shelk called for the thief to give up the silver and the leathern belt For the second time no one came forth.
 Bring me the mule with the white star in its forehead" he ordered. And when the mule was brought: Put it in the tent yon- der" And when this was done: 'Let every man pass into the tent, one after the other. Let each, having entered, close the flap be hind him, and when he and the mule are tot2lly alone, let the man take firm grasp on the tale of the mule. If the mule brays, that man Is the thief
 One after another the men passed into the tent, let down the flap, remained mo ment. and then, raising the flap, emerged It was strange eXperence to the miS- sionary. To him 1t seemed both chlldlShly ridiculous and inde6nably solemn. Despite his better Judgment he found him waiting with feversh intentness for the bray Of the mule.
 But the little group of trembling candl- dates for the tail grasping ceremony thlnned and thinned until the last man had passed with the tent and had returned, uncon- demned. Then the tribesmen looked be- wildered toward the sheik, to see what he would do
 It was crucial moment, The shelk stirred as if from dream, and raising hla voice so all should hear, said:
 "Now. let every man coma to me, m turn, and as he draws close, let him place hls hands on my face, one on either side, and will tell who s the thief, since the mule will not"
 The first man who came to the shelk knelt on the ground before him and placed his hands on the old mans face. The shelk instantly dealt him a gentle blow on the shoulder. indicating that he was not the guilty rerson. The others followed Tn the same fashion. More than score had passed when suddenly the sheik placed both hls hands on the shoulders of the man before him and cried out
 This one is the thief; this one stole the visitors silver
 The man trembled violently, throwing hls hands above ishiewhtti scileaseoaet dmm hands above his white face in supphcatlon The sheik shook his head and repeated his declaration wheraat the man fell upon hlS face groveling at the shelk's feet and con fessed his guilt.
 Men were sent to the hillside, whlther the guilty man directed them, and pres ently the silver and the leather belt were brought and put in the misslonarqs hands. The sheik then bade the people dlsper5e.
 Astonished, the missionary urged the sheik to tell him how the thing had been done.
 "As you are to go out from us now" he said never to return, l will explain. It IS simple enough
 "Mv people must often be governed through thelr SuperSutlonS. hltei 'iie 'hi0i refused to confess the first time, during the half hour I gave him to do so, l singled out the white starred mule and, unseen by any. smeared his tail with the oil o1 pun gent herb. When the mule was put Tn the tent ordered the men to go in and grasp his tail.
 "Thieves are towards, and 1 knew well enough that the man who stole your silver would shrink from doing what l com handed So I directed that the tent flap be put down.
 This left the hand concealed from all of us. Being coward and superstitlous, he feared that the mule would announce the blsckness of his heart. The gullt!ess ones took the tail in their hands, but the thief, finding himself alone with the mule, decided to take his chances and let the tall alone
 "When man placed his hands upon my face l knew at once by the odor Of the herb that he had done as l had bade hlm i On the thief's hands there was no odor ot the herb, and his Wickedness was manifest