The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-19
7 H E R A 7


The chief of detectives sat alone in Null
berry street. From behind the green
swinging door which led from his private
Office to the assembly room and the
Rogues' Gallery he could hear humble
Of voices while the detectice sergeants
talked over the crooks who had been
STOOD up" at roll call for identification
and future remembering. Thes ystem OF
memories at police headquarters is pri-
mary, but undeniably effective.
He could even distinguish the click of
the brass catches as some one searching
through the gallery unloosened panel
after panel of the hinged wall photograph
album The chiefs brows were contract
ed and he pulled at his beard. He had
not been head of the Central office for
many months. and besides ne was alone
and might allow himself a momentary re-
taxation of features forbidden him in the
presence of his subordinates, who must
ever be impressed with an official front"
1t was annoying-worse than annoying
st was even dangerous. The murder was
a week old. and already the newspapers
were in full cry over the ineficiency Of
the department. lie knew that the detec-
tive bureau was expected 10 make good"
And making good meant making ar
rests. If the situation had not been
desperate one he would not have ordered
the brining in of The Rat the night be-
fore. Warren and Murphy had taken him
IN McTurlCs. with the Sing Sing chalk
&igt still in his face. He had not been
: out six weeks. and he was very drunk.
And so The Rat had been taken, and the
chief OF detectives had sent across the
street to say that reporters might call
at four and be told how the mystery had
been solved. He sighed heavily as he re-
yiected, for the detective bureau was more
no be desired than a precinct And ne
had been in uniform long enough to rel
ash the privilege of wearing citizens's
clothes to say nothing of having his pie
auro printed in the newspapers great
many times. with astute remarks upon
crime which he frequently distributed,
neatly typewriter
He looked at his watch. 1t was half
after three. Then he leaned forward in
his chair and touched an electric desk
button. \ uniformed sergeant responded.
The chief nodded. Harry" he said,
bring IN The Rat"
The green door opened and closed, and
opened again as The Rat entered He
slouChed half way across the room, and.
turning, glared at the chief. who said
Good morning aTably enough and
pointed TO chair placed so that the
light from the courtyard would strike
the face of its occupant fairly.
His appearance did not belle his title
ma no At 10 wa q
tured, stunted creature, with thin hair
that grew far down upon his neck and
clustered about his eyes. which were
set strangely close together. His mouth
lacked the curve of expression without
which no mouth is human; and the upper
lip was 50 short that it gave one the i'm
preston Of being continually drawn back
in an ugly sneer. Not a pleasant spec
tacle TO dwell upon was The Rat.
The chief looked at him hungrily. If
could only make him stand for it," he
thought. 1t would be the prettiest sort
of a story. He looks the part. The pa
pers would print diagrams Of. his head,
and send women reporters TO write about
inherited criminal instinct. 1t would
Square me for six months. This is what
thee hief thought. What he said was,
so you've come back to US, eh?"
The Rat swore cut that out" said
thee hief, pleasantly You're sober now.
We're only holding you till you tell us
where you were Tuesday night That's all
They found Dutch Gallapher over on
,Chrystie street early Wednesday morning.
There was Knife and a red handker-
chief. Rat These With a qiuck move
ment the chief whipped the knife and
Handkerchief from the top drawer Of his
desk and held them towards the prisoner.
But The Rat was emotiorless. lie looked
at the detective and at the objects h
held in his hand There was no surprise
or fright. only hatred in his gaze.
The chief leaned over the desk. His
voice was soft and almost appealing. 1t
camel rom between lips that were we'll
nigh locked and he touched The Rats
arm. It's silk he murmured. Red
silk with a blood-stain.'
The prisoner swore again-comprehen-
sively. 4 amt afraid Of var third de-
gree he snarIed Bring it along.
know its coming. They told me all about
It up the river. There's a greengoods
man up their in tier Fl named Burke
He works in the bake house because he
amt no good on the stone piles He's
got one side of his face stove in. and
three fingers twisted together where two
of your wardmen give him the Jitsu turn
.sZM ssvavv Mmsssese