Detective and mystery stories, English; Police -- Fiction; Short stories
all do, look full at whomsoever they speak to.
We light the cigars, and hand round the glasses (which are very
temperately used indeed), and the conversation begins by a modest
amateur reference on the Editorial part to the swell mob. Inspector
Wield immediately removes his cigar from his lips, waves his right hand,
and says, "Regarding the Swell Mob, Sir, I can't do better than call
upon Sergeant Witchem. Because the reason why? I'll tell you. Sergeant
Witchem is better acquainted with the Swell Mob than any officer in
London."
Our heart leaping up when we beheld this rainbow in the sky, we turn to
Sergeant Witchem, who very concisely, and in well-chosen language, goes
into the subject forthwith. Meantime, the whole of his brother officers
are closely interested in attending to what he says, and observing its
effect. Presently they begin to strike in, one or two together, when an
opportunity offers, and the conversation becomes general. But these
brother officers only come in to the assistance of each other--not to
the contradiction--and a more amicable brotherhood there could not be.
From the swell mob, we diverge to the kindred topics of cracksmen,
fences, public-house dancers, area-sneaks, designing young people who go
out "gonophing," and other "schools," to which our readers have already
been introduced. It is observable throughout these revelations, that
Inspector Stalker, the Scotchman, is always exact and statistical, and
that when any question of figures arises, everybody as by one consent
pauses, and looks to him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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