DETECTIVES NOT NEEDED.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 76, 21 October 1905, Page 4

DETECTIVES NOT NEEDED.

Herlock Shomes, tbe celebrated detective, was strolling along Oxford Street, when he observed a well known jeweller, whose acquaintance he had made through a case of embezzlement, standing in his doorway, and smiling in the most aggresive manner. " Good morning,' Mr Ephraini," aaid Healock. " What makes you look so pleased to day?" " Why, to tell you the truth," replied the jeweller, " I was just thinking how much better a sensible man — " " Like yourself?" " Well, yes— can get along without tbe assistance of tbe police, if anything goes wrong, than with all the rigmarole and red tape of the Criminal Investigation Department, and the Police Court, and the Old Bailey, with loss of time and temper and money." " How does this apply in particular ?" asked the detective. " Why, juet now I had a cus tomer — a regular swell he was, and no mistake- who wanted to look at some diamond rings, and while be was admiring and pricing them, my assistant saw him pop one into his pocket. He didn't buy, and as he went out my shopman told me, and I followed him, intending to bring him back and give hnn into custody ; but just as I was going to put my band on his shoulder, a respectable sort of man came up and said : "Beg pardon, sir, but has my master been up to his tricks again ?" 44 4 He has just taken a diamond ring out of my shop,' I replied. ,' 4 ' I was afraid so,' said the servant. ' He suffers from kleptomania, poor old gentleman, and he cannot help it ; but I'm employed to follow bim up and make things rigbt. How much is tbe ring, please ?' The ring was only a 60 guinea ono ; but when I looked at tbe man's wellfilled purse, and thought of the unpleasantness and inconvenience I had been put to, 1 considered that I was justified in charging him a hundred. He paid without a murmur, took his receipt, and foi lowed his master." " M'yes," said Herlock. " Did be pay you in notes?'' " Why, of course, people don't carry that amount of gold about with them, as a rule." " I thought so," observed tho detective. " Tbis is one of Slippery Jem's tricks, I'll bet Lombard Street to an orange. Let's have a look at the notes." Mr Ephraim rushed inside and took the notes out of bis cash box. Alas ! it was too true, and with a wild despairing cry he acknowledged that they were counterfeit, and be bad been done again.