Fleming Stone can. He holds that it is nothing but observation
and logical inference, but to me it is little short of
clairvoyance.

The smallest detail in the way of evidence immediately connotes
in his mind some important fact that is indisputable, but which
would never have occurred to me. I suppose this is largely a
natural bent of his brain, for I have not yet been able to
achieve it, either by study or experience.

Of course I can deduce some facts, and my colleagues often say I
am rather clever at it, but they don't know Fleming Stone as well
as I do, and don't realize that by comparison with his talent
mine is insignificant.

And so, it is both by way of entertainment, and in hope of
learning from him, that I am with him whenever possible, and
often ask him to "deduce" for me, even at risk of boring him, as,
unless he is in the right mood, my requests sometimes do.

I met him accidentally one morning when we both chanced to go
into a basement of the Metropolis Hotel in New York to have our
shoes shined.

It was about half-past nine, and as I like to get to my office by
ten o'clock, I looked forward to a pleasant half-hour's chat with
him. While waiting our turn to get a chair, we stood talking,
and, seeing a pair of shoes standing on a table, evidently there
to be cleaned, I said banteringly: