Secret Service; or, Recollections of a City DetectiveForrester, Andrew
General
Secret Service; or, Recollections of a City Detective
Forrester, Andrew
Detective and mystery stories, English; Fiction; Short stories
After about sixteen months' waiting and watching--during which time the
Newtons had made one or two pleasure-trips to the Continent, had resided
at various parts of the metropolis in superior furnished apartments, and
had patronised tailors extensively for various costumes--I ascertained
that they had resolved to re-commence business.
One of them, Mr. Henry Newton, went into the west of England, to the
town of B----, and took a large house and shop there, which he opened as
a music-seller's and a pianoforte warehouse. Next door to the goodly and
capacious premises which Mr. Henry Newton had taken, was a small,
dwarfed, and not by any means pretty building. This had been not long
before to let, but had found a tenant about a month or six weeks before
Mr. Newton took the adjacent more pretentious structure. The small house
was opened, in a humble way of business, by an old man and woman. The
old folk sold lollipops, fruit, children's books, &c. Newton complained
to the agent of the low character of this business, and went so far as
to negotiate with the small shopkeeper for the surrender of his tenancy
in the premises; but the negotiation broke off, in consequence of the
small shopkeeper demanding what Mr. Newton thought any thing but a small
price for his interest in the hovel. Mr. Newton declared that he had an
unconquerable objection, on principle, to being swindled or robbed in
that way. Rather than submit to the small shopkeeper's gross extortion,
he said he would put up with the nuisance, although it would interfere
with the respectable business he intended to carry on.
I ought to explain, that Mr. Newton did not appear in the town under the
name of Newton. He set up there as "Keeling and Co., wholesale
pianoforte manufacturers, dealers, and merchants." His establishment was
called the "Temple of the Muses," and a very pretty affair it was.
Mr. Albert Newton remained in London. He started, under the title of
"Cross and Co.," as "general commission-agent, importer, and merchants,"
near Tower Hill, and soon found himself engaged in rather extensive
operations at home and abroad. He also served as a reference for his
brother, Mr. Keeling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account