One afternoon Jimmy Valentine and his suitcase climbed out of a train in Elmore， a little town in Arkansas. Jimmy， looking like a student who had just come home from college， walked out of the station and went toward the hotel.
丢失的财物越来越多，因此该由本·普莱斯这样的大侦探来着手侦查。在比较了所有的案件之后，普莱斯侦探发现盗窃手法如出一辙。
本·普莱斯调查了所有被盗案件的现场。尔后，人们听他说道：
“这都是基米·范林丁。他又重操旧业了。他有非常棒的工具，可以打开任何保险柜而不留下任何蛛丝马迹。是的，这是范林丁干的。”
本·普莱斯知道基米的习惯。当他在侦查春田案件时就掌握了所有这一切。
一天下午，在阿肯色州一个名叫爱尔摩的小镇，基米·范林丁下了火车，手里拎着提箱。他看上去就像一个离校返家的大学生。出了火车站，他向旅馆走去。
A young lady crossed the street， passed him at the corner and entered a door over which was the sign “The Elmore Bank”. Jimmy Valentine looked into her eyes， forgot what he was， and became another man. She lowered her eyes and blushed slightly. Young men of Jimmys style and looks were scarcescarce adj.缺乏的， 不足的， 稀有的 in Elmore.
Jimmy called a boy that was standing on the steps of the bank as if he were one of the stockholders， and began to ask him questions about the town， giving him dimesdime n.<美> 一角硬币 from time to time. By and by the young lady came out， passed Jimmy again， pretending not to see him， and went on her way.“Isnt that young lady Miss Polly Simpson？” asked Jimmy slyly.
“No，” said the boy. “Shes Annabel Adams. Her father owns this bank. What have you come to Elmore for？ Is that a gold watchchain？ Im going to get a bulldog. Have you got any more dimes？”
这时，正好有一位年轻小姐穿过马路，在拐角处和他擦身而过，走进了军有“爱尔摩银行”的大门。基米·范林丁盯着她的眼睛，忘乎所以，像换了一个人似的。她双眼低垂，脸色羞红。在爱尔摩，像基米这样风度翩翩的年轻人还是不多见的。
银行的台阶上站着一个男孩，那神情就活像一个股东，基米把他喊了过来了解该镇的情况，并不时给他几个一角的银币。过一会儿，那个姑娘走出来，又从基米的身边走过，假装没看见他，只顾自己走路。“这不是波丽·辛普森小姐吗？”基米狡诘地问道。
“不是，”那个男孩说，“她是安娜贝尔·亚当斯。她的父亲是这家银行的老板。你到爱尔摩来做什么？你这是金表链吗？我想买一条哈巴狗。你还有很币吗？”
Jimmy went to the planters Hotel， registered as Ralph D. Spencer， and engaged a room. He leaned on the desk and declareddeclare vt.断言， 宣称， 宣布 his intentionsintention n.意图， 目的 to the clerk. He said he had come to Elmore to start business. How was the shoe business now in the town？ He had thought of the shoe business. Was it worthwhile opening a shoestore？ The clerk was impressed by the clothes and manner of Jimmy and he was ready to give the young man any information he desired.
Yes， it was worthwhileworthwhile adj.值得做的， 值得出力的 investing money in the shoe business， he thought. There wasnt a shoestore in the place. The drygoods and general stores sold them. Business in all lines was fairly good.
“I hope， Mr. Spencer， youll decide to stay in Elmore. Youll find it a pleasant town to live in， and the people are very nice，” continued the clerk.
用拉尔夫.D.斯宾塞的假名，基米在普兰特旅馆登记了一个房间。靠着桌子，他向店员说明了来意。他说自己想在爱尔摩做生意。这镇上鞋生意怎么样。他想做鞋子的生意。开一家鞋店划得来吗？基米的衣着和举止使店员感到这人来头不小，因此很乐意为这个年轻人提供他所需要的情况。
投资经营鞋子应该是相当不错的，他这么想着。因为这个地方没有专门的鞋店。鞋子只在布店和百货商店有售。各行各业的的买卖看起来都相当不错。
“我希望，斯宾塞先生，你能决定在爱尔摩居住。你会发现住在这个小镇是非常令人愉快的。这里的人都很好，”店员继续说道。
Mr. Spencer said that he would stop in the town for a few days and consider the situation situation n.情形， 境遇.
The clerk wanted to call the boy to carry up the suitcase， but Mr. Spencer said that he neednt do it. He would carry his suitcase himself； it was rather heavy. Mr. Ralph Spencer， the phoenixphoenix n.凤凰， 长生鸟， 完人， 完美之物 that arose from Jimmy Valentines ashes—ashes left by the flame of a sudden attack of love—remained in Elmore and prosperedprosper v.成功， 兴隆， 昌盛，使昌隆. He opened a shoestore and made large profits. In all other respectsrespect vt.尊敬， 尊重， 不妨碍 he was also a success.
He was popular with many important people and had many friends. And he accompaniedaccompany vt.陪伴， 伴奏 the wish of his heart. He met Miss Annabel Adams， and fell more and more deeply in love with her.
斯宾塞先生说，他想在这镇上待一段时间，看看情况。
店员想让服务生帮着搬手提箱，但被斯宾塞先生拒绝了，他坚持自己来。当然，手提箱是相当沉的。拉尔夫·斯宾塞先生，这只由基米·范林丁的灰烬中再生的凤凰——灰烬是由突然袭来的爱情之火燃成的——在爱尔摩定居下来了，并且取得了成功。他开了一家鞋店，获利甚丰，其他方面也都一帆风顺。
不久他就名声大震，同时也结交了不少朋友。他也实现了自己的心愿，和安娜贝尔·亚当斯小组织，并深深地坠入情网。
In a year the situation of Mr. Ralph Spencer was this： he had won the respect of most of the inhabitants of the place， his shoestore was prospering， and he and Annabel were to be married in two weeks.
Mr. Adams， Annabels father， who was a typical country banker， approved of Spencer. Annabel herself was very proud of her fiancefiance n 未婚夫. In fact her pride almost equaled her affection. Jimmy was as much at home in the family of Mr. Adams and that of Annabels married sister as if he were already a member.
One day Jimmy sat down in his room and wrote this letter which he sent to the address of one his old friends：
“Dear Old Chap，
“I want you to be at Browns Cafe， in Little Rock， next Wednesday night at nine oclock. I want you to do something for me. And， also， I want to make you a present of my tools. I know youll be glad to get them—you couldnt get such a set for a thousand dollars.
这一年里，拉尔夫·斯宾塞先生可谓好事不断：他获得了大多数当地居民的尊敬；他的鞋店生意越来越好；他和安娜贝尔也将于两周内喜结良缘。
安娜贝尔的父亲亚当斯先生，是一位典型的地方银行家，他对斯宾塞也相当满意。安娜贝尔为自己的未婚夫也感到自豪。实际上，她的自豪几乎等同于她的爱情。基米在亚当斯先生的家里以及在安娜贝尔已经出嫁的姐姐那里，都感到像在自己家里一般无拘无束。
一天，基米坐在桌前给他的一个好友写了这样一封信：
“亲爱的老伙计：
“下周三晚9点，请你到小石城波浪咖啡馆。我有事相托。同时，我将把我的工具送给你。我知道，你得到它们会很高兴的——你花1000美元也买不到这一套东西。
“Say， Billy， I gave up the old business a year ago. Ive got a nice store. Im making an honest living， and in two weeks Im going to marry the finest girl on earth. Its the only life， Billy， the straight one. I wouldnt touch a dollar of another mans money now for a million.
“After I get married Im going to sell my store and go west， where there wont be so much danger of meeting people who knew me before. I tell you， Billy， shes an angel. She believes in me and I would never do another crookedcrooked adj.弯曲的， 拐骗的， 不老实的 thing for the whole world. Do come to Browns， for I must see you. Ill bring the tools with me.
“Your old friend， Jimmy.”
On the Monday night after Jimmy wrote this letter， Ben Price， the detectivedetective n.侦探 adj.侦探的 ， arrived in Elmore. He walked about the town quietly until he found out what he wanted to know.
“听我说，比利。我已经在一年前金盆洗手。我开了一家非常出色的商店。我现在过的是正直清白的生活，两周内我要和世界上最好的姑娘结婚。这才是真正的生活，比利，这才是正直的人生。现在我已经对别人的东西秋毫不犯。
“结婚后，我打算把店卖掉，去西部定居，在那里可以更安全些，不致碰到那些知道我过去底细的人。我对你说，比利，她真是一个天使。她信任我，而我无论如何也不能再走邪路了。务必到波浪咖啡馆来。我必须见你。我将随身带来那些工具。
你的老朋友，基米。
这封信寄出不久，一个星期一的晚上，本·普莱斯来到了爱尔摩。他悄悄地走遍了整个镇子，搞清了他想知道的一切。
From the drugstore across the street from Spencers shoestore he got a good look at Ralph D. Spencer.