An Amateur Performance (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1909. Excerpt: ... VHL Keene, as I quickly observed, had dispensed with his physician's disguise. He wore the black Prince Albert suit that gave him a professional appearance, but I at once recognized the strong, clear-cut features outlined in the dim light. Iadeed I could not have mistaken the high, intellectual forehead, the full, square chin, and the finely chiseled mouth. He was not over five feet ten, but the soldier never lived that stood more erect, and there was a certain dignity about him that made him seem every bit of six feet. There was nothing in his attitude as he spoke to me to indicate that his experience that day had been in the least extraordinary or that he was dealing with a matter of any great moment. His very tone and manner, in fact, evinced a mind as calm and placid as a mill pond. And yet I knew that he must be at that moment in possession of knowledge concerning the tragedy that would have set an ordinary man into a fever of excitement. I had no doubt that he had been every whit as industrious as I, nor did I flatter myself that my own efforts had been more fruitful than his; and I had seen enough in the past few hours to satisfy me that a great crime had been committed, that the perpetrators were still in the vicinity, and that they had not yet reached the end of their deviltry. It was all I could do to restrain my eagerness to acquaint him with what I had learned, but I felt that I probably knew a great deal less than he could tell me. The tragedy, however, seemed farthest from his mind as he placed a hand upon my arm and said in his most natural tone: "Watts, old man, you're soaked. Get in some dry clothes at once." "I'm about frozen," I replied. "You need something to start your blood," he went on, pouring some whiskey into a glass and handing...