The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-14

We're vermin," Schneider replied
grimly; and we want to ask you 3
few
IF you're from the F%anchon woman
- Apparently Delwater had more than
one skeleton Of a vengeful disposition
in his closet.
We're not" Schneider interrupted:
but before we get through with you.
you may wish we were"
Schneider and Tad grabbed Delwater.
an arm apiece, and backed him up
against a telephone pole. Schneider
struck him savagely in the mouth.
Damn YOU" he said from between his
clenched teeth, tell me what / ask
you, or I'll blow the top Of you head
off,"
Delwater was a big man, but he was
yellow clear through. Also-in JUS
tice to him-he was in a very unpleas-
ant situation, and the thought of Mark
Milton's body in the river may have
come to his mind. After Schneider
struck him, he blurted out til whole
affair, and then the two reporters did
not wonder that he had refused to say
a word about it before.
DelWater must have been scared
$1,000 liz 1CldlIOu d NSS
tige of sense. he would have known that
two genuine footpads could have no
interest in his treatment of his daugh-
ter; while had he suspected them of be-
ing reporters, he would have known
they would never carry out the threat
of Schneider's-although, to be sure, he
was an Englishman, and they have
wonderful and fearful ideas Of what
may happen in America. Anyway he
was too frightened to prevaricate; for
not one detail of the story as he gave
ii that night, has proved false, although
Delwater could hardly have distorted
the facts in any manner that would
not nave a him appear to better ad-
vantage.
When they got through with him.
Shneider said: Now I'll give you till
1 count twenty-five to run down that
alley. If you're not out of sight by
then I'll send a bullet after you"
Tad stopped for his fallen revolver
as DelWater ran. When he was lost in
the groom of the alley, the two walked
softly down the street.
That's a blind alley, Tad" Schneider
said with a chuckle, and he probably
won't venture out till daylight"
The two reporters started for the
office. At the first street lamp Schnei-
der looked at his watch. We've got
to get q gait OF to catch the city edf-
tion,' he said, as they hurried on. Il
wish had your legs He looked down
at Tad's legs admiringly. You made
a neat job of Billy Barnes. 1 thought a
Splinter might come in handy"
h night editor was calmly smoking.
with his feet on his desk.
Are those extra compositors I spoke
to you about, still here?" Schneider
asked anxiously.
The night editor nodded, and pointed
to the t~ypewriters.
I'll take from where Delwater set
lover" Schneider said. You tell how
the trouble started
The night editor took each sheet as
they wrote it and read it swiftly.
This sounds like a pipe dream-I
suppose it's straight" he said.
Straight as a string" Schneider an
swered.
We'll you two are Wizards the
night editor commented again, at the
end Of fifteen minutes.
Wo IIIeiI NoIhluS DIT Willie Hedlr dlu
leaving paragraphing, punctuation,
n capitals to the copy-readers. can
write a good deal in three quarters of
an hour. Triple-leaded the story COW
cred half the frontp page of the city edi-
ton, with a scare-head larger han the
paper had sported since the last presi-
Dental election.
They waited till they saw the first
copy from the press. her Schneider
said to the night editor, as they pre-
pared to go:
I'VE are wizards, as you said, and
this is our time for disappearing. Ex-
plain matters to Mr.. Brainard if we
don't show up for a few days."
"How did you get that story?" the
night editor asked.
Wen tell you some time. Just now
you'd better not know too much. Now"
he turned to Curtis, IF o know any
good retired spot, you'd better hiber-
nate for awhile"
Sam Fuller's been after me all sum-
mer to visit him at Lake Forest and
play golf" Curtis suggested.
Just the thing. They'll look for a
blood-thirsty thug most everywhere he
fore they will at Onwentsia. So long,"
Deiwater made a great u and cry
over the matter. First he had been
robbed. Then he had been brutally as
saulted by agents of his daughters.
Then a band Of reporters a tortured
the story out of him.. Then the whole
account was a pure fabrication, from
beginning to end. Then he said he was
going to offer a reward for his assail-
ants arrest, dead or alive" And ac-
tually did begin suit against the paper
for a million dollar damages. Altogeth-
er he gave himself away Sc badly that
the public became convinced of the au-
thentIcity of the story. If he had SIM
ply denied it, the chances are he would
have been believed; for of all the queer
truths were REPORTED, the Delwater af-
fair sounded the most like a dime novel
invention.
Everyone remembers the howl of ex-
ecration that went up all over the coun-