The look-out Man

Written by Nicholas Bentley

 William Morris
• ordinary man, wide awake
• makes full use of common
sense
• unusual hobby: study of
crime and criminals
• impressed with ordinary
but alert detectives
Jeweller‘s assistant at Regnier‘s
• Regnier‘s: famous for antique
jewellery
• jewels at last three centuries
old
• some jewels with romantic
history
• Customer: multi-millionaire
celebrities
 Day begins at Regnier‘s
• Morris displays some
jewellery in windows
• a young woman standing
on the opposite side of a
street
• she stands there for about
twenty minutes and stares
at the two urns displayed
• Morris found the woman‘s
behaviour odd
 An American visits
• had a typical hair-cut
• eating chewing gum
• strong built, with red face
• about 35-years-old
• speaks with yankee accent
• wants to look at some rings
• is left handed
• has knowledge of precious
stones
 An American visits
• Morris showed him a
very preciour,
antique flowered
shaped ring

• American likes the

ring but the price is
too high, so he asked
to show some more
rings
 Fourth tray taken out
• Morris showed him more
rings
• Meanwhile the precious ring
dissappers
• Morris asks American to
return the ring for packing,
thinking he selected to buy
that ring
• American denies what
Morris said and
• search begins
 A thorough search
• Mr. Regnier, Miss Susskind
(another assistant) as well
as the American join the
search
• American‘s trouser turn-up
searched but ring still not
found
• taken to Regnier‘s office
• no trace of ring found
 Another customer visits
• same woman who
stood opposite the
shop comes in

• carries an expensive
hand-bag and clothes
 Broken brooch
• Young woman requests to
mend the broken brooch
• Morris declines saying no
repairs at Regnier‘s
• She swept against the
paper in which the brooch
had been wrapped making
it fall down
• Brooch fell down on
Morris side of counter
 Morris observation
• Morris understands that it is
a cunning trick
• He bends to pick up the
paper and hands over the
brooch wrapped in paper
• Morris stops the woman from
leaving the shop
• He asks to take out the stolen
ring from the left hand pocket
of her coat
 Ring recovered
• Woman returns the
ring and runs away
• American comes out
• Mr. Regnier worried
and apologises to the
American
 Morris unfolds the mystery
• Morris showed Mr.
Regnier the ring
• Mr. Regnier is suprised,
happy and asked for
details
• Morris answered:
- firstly the American
seemed as a strange
customer
- no knowledge of
jewellery
 Morris unfolds the mystery
- Odd behaviour of
young woman as:
1. Standing outside for
a long time
2. Requesting for
cheap brooch‘s
repair
3. Right handed but
used left hand
 Morris reaches conclusion
• American stuck
chewing gum under
counter‘s edge
• Pressed ring into it
• Later the young
woman took it off,
but caught
• Mr. Regnier is grateful
to Morris for
unfolding the mystery