Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-03-26
CHAPTER XVI.
AT poi ICE HEADOIrA RTER G


of the black coupe, superintendent
Barnes, the chief Of police, was SCAT
ed in his office, studying a mass of
! written reports that lay before him
on the desk. Evidently what he read
was not to his liking, for his gen
orally smooth forehead wore deep
frown and now and then he uttered
an exclamation that showed his an
ger and disgust.
Inspector Barnes, as he was better
known in the city, looked more like
prosperous banker than man who
had spent the principal part Of his
life in Investigating the undercur-
rents of society. He did not wear
that worn and worried look we are
accustomed to associate with man
who has so much work laid out for
him. He was none the less a capable
officer, and if his smile was ''child-
like and bland" he was feared and
respected by the, lawless world, and
justly SO.
Barnes was not in good hunor on
VI
he had finished his reading leaned
back in the big chair and pulled for
a moment on his black cigar, sending
forth such clouds that he resembled
fat idol surrounded by incense.
His glance fixed on the ceiling, it
only changed to look now and then
with a scowl at the pile of papers be-
fore him. Suddenly he leaned for
ward and rang the bell sharply at
his elbow.
The folding doors in the center of
the room opened and his personal
attendant appeared.
''Send Mac here at once!" he said,
and lolled back in his chair again,
smoking more vigorously than ever
and engaged in deep thought. The
attendant bowed himself out and a
moment later the chief of detectives
entered, and, closing the door be-
hind him, advanced to the desk
where his superior was seated.
He was a small man, looking not
unlike an over-worked clerk, quick
and nervous in his movements, with
a long pale face and sharp eyes that
almost glared from beneath bushy
eyebrows.
''Want me, Superb" he asked, in a
low voice. "Mac," was a man not
given to eloquence or long speeches.
Il am thinking that this depart
ment-yours, mine, everybody's, is in
OF
"Ah," but the little mans face was
unmoved.
"Look at that stack of reports
there" exclaimed the other, pointing
to his desk. 'Mostly made up Of the
hopeless attempts to find the fellow
who is at the head of most Of the
robberies that have been committed
in the city during the past year.
And not one of our people has been
able to get even clew to his where
abouts. Now, that fellow must be
caught or the department will stand
forever disgraced. Never since |
have been connected with the force
have we been confronted with so
many failures. Why, if things go on
this way you and 1 will have to get
out, that's ALL
''I'm sure [ wish it was different, .
sighed Mac, shifting nervously from
one foot to the other. after all, 1T
may not be the work Of one man.
You know thief gets reputation,
and then every other crime of note
is set down to his credit, or discredit.
Just like in our own business. We
often get credit in the papers for
unearthing criminal, when it may
be, like as not, entirely the work of
one of our men,"
Inspector Barnes looked at his
companion to see if there was any
| personal insinuation intended, but
the little man was busy eying the
glass case containing criminal curl
osities.
''Weu. if these robberies are not
the work of the same man, why
! don't YOU catch the ones who are
guilty. he said, in a voice of exas-
peration. 81 tell you [ still believe
there is one behind it all, for these
affairs bear the same stamp. 1t is,
of course, possible that some one
else has copied his methods. Who
ever he is, he is a clever man, and
we have not heard of the like since
the days of George Leonidas Leslie.
If I were not sure that Leslie was
very dusty, should believe that he
had a hand in these matters. Now,
Mae, why don't you catch him?"
''Why, indeed?" with smile
''Why don't l capture rainbow to
make ribbons out of it for my wife
l tell you, Super, we are doing all we
can. We have had some men who
work for him in hand, but, though
industriously pumped, they know lit
tie more about him than we do. To