The blue scarab

Opening of the book

THE BLUE
SCARAB
BY
R. AUSTIN FREEMAN
AUTHOR OF
“THE SINGING BONE,” ETC.
NEW YORK
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
1924
[COPYRIGHT]
CLjǙΏǡƗƄƒǵ, 1923,
BΏ DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY, Iƿŕ.
Published, January, 1924
Second Printing, January, 1924

CONTENTS

I. Tƒŧ BƯǼŧ Sŕĵǡĵœ

II. Tƒŧ CĵǪŧ Ljż ǵƒŧ WƒƗǵŧ FLjLjǵ-PǡƗƿǵǪ

III. Tƒŧ Nŧ΅ JŧǡǪŧΏ SǙƒƗƿΎ

IV. Tƒŧ TLjǼŕƒǪǵLjƿŧ

V. A FƗǪƒŧǡ Ljż Mŧƿ

VI. Tƒŧ SǵLjƯŧƿ IƿƄLjǵǪ

VII. Tƒŧ FǼƿŧǡĵƯ PΏǡŧ

THE BLUE SCARAB

I.

THE BLUE SCARAB

MŧŠƗŕLj-ƯŧƄĵƯ practice is largely concerned with crimes against the person, the details of which are often sordid, gruesome and unpleasant. Hence the curious and romantic case of the Blue Scarab

(though really outside our specialty) came as somewhat of a relief.

But to me it is of interest principally as illustrating two of those remarkable gifts which made my friend, Thorndyke, unique as an investigator: his uncanny power of picking out the one essential fact at a glance, and his capacity to produce, when required, inexhaustible stores of unexpected knowledge of the most out-of-the-way subjects.

It was late in the afternoon when Mr. James Blowgrave arrived, by appointment, at our chambers, accompanied by his daughter, a rather strikingly pretty girl of about twenty-two; and when we had mutually introduced ourselves, the consultation began without preamble.

“I didn’t give any details in my letter to you,” said Mr. Blowgrave.

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