The Prairie Detective — page 27: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

18 , THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. © But we must not stop with his eyes. The face was rather pale, and the mustache which curled upon his lip was yellow as amber. His nose was longer than the average, and not quite straight. The shape of his face rather oval than round, although neither of these terms is an exact description. It was rather longer, even, than the commonly accepted oval. His figure was not heavy. The shoulders were set broader than the medium, but they were square, and thrown well back. However, if his body was not broad, it was thick. From the breastbone through to his spine, the distance was more than usually great. He was tall, too. So tall that he seemed sliim—which he was not—and reminded one of a graceful reed swaying in the breeze. His move- ments were quick, bold, graceful, indicating agility and an active system. Take him all in all, he was a man to hold your at- tention when you had once fixed it upon him. On the morning alluded to he walked down Penn- sylvania avenue, carrying a small traveling-bag in his hand. At the lower end of the avenue he turned suddenly in through an open door-way, and ascended _ the stairs. Arrived at the second floor, his eyes fell upon a door which had a ground-glass panel let into it. Painted upon this semi-transparent background were the words: o SE re a sacri mars k | SECRET SERVICE. | o ——_———_ —____o9 Turning the knob, he pushed the door open and walked briskly into the room. A clerk, sitting be- hind a heavy French walnut desk of rich design, . was the only person in the apartment. He looked up cS comicboo col