Mr. Maverick Narkom, Superintendent of Scotland Yard, sat before the litter of papers upon his desk. His brow was puckered, his fat face red with anxiety, and there was about him the air of one who has reached the end of his tether. He faced the man opposite, and fairly ground his teeth upon his lower lip. "Dash it, Cleek!" he said for the thirty-third time, "I don\'t know what to make of it, I don\'t, indeed! The thing\'s at a deadlock. Hammond reports to me this morning that another bank in Hendon-a little one-horse affair-has been broken into. That makes the third this week, and as usual every piece of gold is gone. Not a bank note touched, not a bond even fingered. And the thief-or thieves-made as clean a get-away as you ever laid your eyes on! I tell you, man, it\'s enough to send an average person daft! The whole of Scotland Yard\'s been on the thing, and we haven\'t traced \'em yet! What do you make of it, old chap?" --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Hamilton Cleek is a consulting detective and also known as "the man of the forty faces" for his incredible skill at disguise. Cleek is himself a reformed criminal and now helps Inspector Narkom of Scotland Yard in solving crimes in Clarges Street, London. The Cleek mysteries were originally published as individual short stories but were later compiled into separate books. Content: Cleek, the Master Detective; or The Man of the Forty Faces Cleek of Scotland Yard Cleek\'s Government Cases The Riddle of the Night The Riddle of the Purple Emperor The Riddle of the Frozen Flame The Riddle of the Mysterious Light The Riddle of the Spinning Wheel "For of a sudden, through a break in the traffic, a scudding figure had sprung into sight. It was the figure of a man in a gray frock-coat and a shining \'topper,\' a well-groomed, well-set-up man, with a small, turned-up moustache and hair of a peculiar reddish shade. As he swung into sight, the distant whistle shrilled again; far off in the distance voices sent up cries of \'Head him off!\' \'Stop that man!\' . . ." (Excerpt) Thomas W. Hanshew (1857-1914) was an American author best known for his Hamilton Cleek Detective Series, written in collaboration with his wife, Mary E. Hanshew (1852-1927).

There are days, even in the capricious climate of London, when the whole world seems at peace; when the blue of the summer sky, the fragrance of some distant flower brought in by a passing breeze, and the contented chirp of the birds, all unite to evoke a spirit of thankfulness for the very gift of life itself.

Mr. Maverick Narkom, Superintendent of Scotland Yard, looked up from the letter he was perusing, a wrinkle in his brow and one hand spread out over the sheet to keep it open, as the sound of a soft knock broke through the stillness, and with an exasperation born of the knotty problem upon which he was at work, called out an irritable "Come in." Inspector Petrie\'s head appeared in the aperture, stiff hand at the salute. "I know you wasn\'t to be disturbed, sir," he began apologetically, "but there\'s a leddy come to see you. Seemed distressed, and said it was urgent, and begged me for the love of \'even to let her in."