The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-06-26
CHAPTER XVI.
At POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
On the day following the incident
of h black coupe, Superintendent
arnes, the chief OF police, was seated
I'm h~is%of1ce, studying a mass of writ
ten reports that lay before him on the
desk. Evidently what he read was not
ito his liking, for his generally smooth
forehead wore a deep frown and now
and then he uttered an exclamation
that showed his anger and disgust.
Inspector Barnes, as he was better
known In the city, looked more like q
prosperous banker than q man who had
Espent the principal part of his life in
investigating h undercurrents OF So
ciety. He did mot wear that worn and
worried look we are accustomed to as
sociate with a man who has so much
work laid out for him. He was none
the less a capable officer, and If his
ISsmile was ."childlike and bland" he
was feared and respected by the law
less world. and Justly SO.
Barnes was not in good humor on
the morning in question, and after
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 a
fat idol surrounded by incense. His
glance fixed on the ceiling, 1t only
changed to look now and then with a
scowl at the pile of papers before him
Suddenly he Leaned forward and rang
h bell sharply at his elbow
The folding doors in the center OF
h room opened and hts personal at
tendant appeared.
Send Mac here at onee!" he said.
and lolled back in his chair again.
smoking more vigorously than ever
and engaged in deep thought. The
MT hou,c6 h3p,So1P@ a,,A
moment later the chief OF detectives
entered, and. closing the door behind
him, advanced to the desk where hfs
superior was seated.
He was a small man, looking not
unlike an oyerworked clerk, quick and
nervous in his movements, with long
pale a n sharp eyes that almost
eglared from beneath bushy eyebrows.
Wan me, SUPERB" he asked, in a.
low voice. Mac" was a not given
to iefoquence or long speeches.
II am thinking that this department
yours, mine, everybody's, is in a bad
state" said the chief.
s1tAh,," but the little mans face was
unmoved.
Look at h a stack of reports there
exclaimed h other, pointing to his,
desk. MOSTLY made up of the hopeless
attempts to find the fellow who Is at
the head OF the most of the robberies
that have been committed in the oity
during the past year. And not one of
c1ew to his whereabouts. Now. that
fellow must be caught or the depart.
ment will stand forever disgraced.
Never since I have been connected with
the force have We been confronted with
SO many failures. Why, If things go,on
this way syo and I will have to get
out, that's ALL"
AHTpr1 z1Ifa 7 wish ID ur,o az
sighed Mac, shifting nervously from
one foot to the other. AFTER ali. 81
may not be the work of one man.
You know q thief gets "a reputation.
and then every other crime Of note fs
down to his credit, or discredit.
5ust like In our own business. We
get cnedft in the papers for UNI
earthing a criminal when it may be.
like as not entirely the work Of one
Of our men," -5
Hnspector Barnes looked at his
companion to O If there was any
personal insdnuation intended. but
h little man was busy cycling the .
glass case containing criminal curl
1'NWell, If these trobberies anne not
the work Of the same man, why
DON'T you catch the ones who are
guisty9e he said. in a voice Of sexas-
perataon T tell Q I still beaieve
there is one behind ut all, for these
bear the same stamp 1t ia, Of
course, possible that some one else has
hts!methods. Whoever he is, he
clever man, and we have not heard
If the like since the days Of George
.eonidas Leslie. II I were mo- sure
hat Leslie was very dusty, t should
that he had a hand In these
matters. Now, Mac, why don't you
.atch him?"
why, indeed3" with a smile. why
loh't I capture asrainbow to make rib
IONS out Of 1t for my wife? I tell you,
we are doing all we car. We
ave had some men who work for him
d hand. but, though ind~ustriorsly
jumped. they know little more about
than we do. To cali the man q
hadow' is wrong, for he never stays as
,ng az q shadow In one place. But !
ARE an idea"