The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-11-02
CHAPTER XVI.
At POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

on the day following the incident
OF the black coupe. Superintendent
arncs. the chief OF police. was seated
I'm his Office. studying n mass OF writ
ten reports that lay before him on the
desk. Evidently what he read was not
to his liking. for his generally smooth
forehead wore n deep frown inc now
and then he uttered mn exclamation
that showed his anger and disgust.
Inspector Barnes. as he was better
known In the city. looked more like "A
prosperous banker than a man who had
spent the principal part OF his life I'm
investigating the -undercurrents Of NO.
cicty. He did not wear that worn and
worried look we are accustomed to as
sociate with n man who has so much
work laid out for him. He was none
the less a capable officer. and IL his
smile was ''chiidlike and bland" he
was feared and respected by the law
less world. and justly 80.
Barnes was not In good humor on
the morning In question. and after
he had finished his reading leaned
back I'm the big chair and pufSed for
"a moment on his black cigar. sending
forth such cloud that he rcsembled "A
fat idol surrounded by incense. His
glance fixed OF the ceiling ~ only
flltflktu W louh " anu lIFH WIFI ~
scowl Mt the pile OF papers before him.
Suddenly he leaned forward and rang
the bell sharply at his elbow.
The folding doors In the center of
the room opened n his personal at
tendant appeared.
Send Mac here NJ once!" he said.
and lolled back In his chair again.
smoking more vigorously han ever
and engaged In deep thought. The
ATTENDANT hpVyaI htnnaalf put upI "a
moment later b chief OF detectives
entered. and. closing the door behind
him. advanced tn the desk where his
superior was seated.
He was IA small man. looking not
unlike nm ove-workcd clerk. quick and
In his movements. with a long
pale face aud sharp eyes thni almost
glnrcd from beneath bushy eyebrows.
Want me. SUPER he asked. I'm a
low voice. Mac" was n man not given
To Cloguencc or long speeches.
Il am thinking That this department
yours. mine. cvcrybody's. is In "A bad
state said tho chief.
All" but the little mans face was
unmovcd.
Lock 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 lead OF the most OF the robberies
that have been committed In the city
during the past rear. And not one of
qua people has been able ;o get even "A
Clcw to- his whereabouts. Now. that
fellow must be caught ar The DEPART
Inent Will stand forever dIsgrnred.
Never since I have been connected with
the force have we been confronted with
so many failures. Why. II things go on
this way you and | VIII have Ia get
out. that's ALL"
I'm sure I wish 81 VAS different
sighed Mac. shifting n~crvousiy from
one foot to h other. After all. Il
may not be the work OF one man.
You know a thief gets q reputation,
and then every other crime OF note lis
set down To his credit. or discrcdit.
just like In our own business. w.
often get credit In the papers FOR un-
.arthing a criminal when Il may b..
like rs not. entirely the work IL u
OF our men,
Inspector Barnes looked at his
companion To see ~ there was any
personal in~sinuation Intended. bur
he little man was busy cycling thu
glass case containing criminal curl
Critics.
Well. II these robbericS are not
the work OF the same man. why
don you catch the oncs who are
guilty he said. I'm a voice ~ .Sas-
pfFitlpIl. ! ten you l SllU beltcNe
there b. one behind u all. for these
an-irs ear the same stamp. IL b.. OF
course. possible that some one else has
copied his mcthodB. Whoever he is. ne
III "a clever man. and We have not heard
OF the like since the days of George
l.eonidas Leslie. II I were not sure
that Leslie "a very dusty. | should
believe that he had "a hand In these
matters. Now. Mae. why don't you
catch him."
why. indeed" with n smile. why
don I capture "a rainbow Ia make rib
bons out OF IL for my wife? I 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 little more about
him than we 10. To call the man IA
shadow In wrong. for he never stays as
long m a shadow In n place. But I
have an idea"