Fiction > Book editions > London, 1885 - Dynamiter

200 NEW ARABIAN NIGHTS.
added, as Challoner lit his cigar, ' how did you get
on with the detective trade ? '
' I did not try,' said Challoner curtly,
' Ah, well, I did,' returned Somerset, ' and made the
most incomparable mess of it : lost all my money and
fairly covered myself with odium and ridicule. There
is more in that business, Challoner, than meets the eye ;
there is more, in fact, in all businesses. You must be-
lieve in them, or get up the belief that you believe.
Hence,' he added, ' the recognised inferiority of the
plumber, for no one could believe in jDlumbing.'
' A propos,' asked Challoner, ' do you still paint ? '
' Not now,' replied Paul ; ' but I think of taking up
the violin.'
Challoner's eye, which had been somewhat restless
since the trade of the detective had been named, now
rested for a moment on the columns of the morning
paper, where it lay spread upon the counter.
' By Jove,' he cried, ' that's odd ! '
' What is odd ? ' asked Paul.
' O, nothing,' returned the other : ' only I once met a
person called M'Guire.'
' So did I ! ' cried Somerset. ' Is there anything
about him 1 '
Challoner read as follows: ^ Jli/sterious death in
Stejniey. An inquest was held yesterday on the body of
Patrick M'Guire, described as a carpenter. Doctor
Dovering stated that he had for some time treated the
deceased as a dispensary patient, for sleeplessness, loss of
appetite and nervous depression. There was no cause of
death to be found. He would say the deceased had sunk.
Deceased Avas not a temperate man, which doubtless
accelerated death. Deceased complained of dumb ague,
but witness had never been able to detect any positive
disease. He did not know that he had any family. He
regarded him as a person of unsound intellect, who be-
lieved himself a member and the victim of some secret
society. If he were to hazard an opinion, he would say
deceased had died of fear.'
' And the doctor would be right,' cried Somerset ;