The Washington times., 1905-10-29
O. MEMRY2g STORY 81

The police are easy enough to fool;
but what do the newspapers do?
They send a lot of pin-headed re-
porters around to the scene; and
they make for the nearest saloon
and have beer while they take
photos Of the bartender's oldest
daughter in evening dress, to print
as the fiancee of the young man in
the tenth story, who thought he
heard noise below on the night
of the murder. That's about as near
as the newspapers come to running
down M. Burglar"
We'll, don't know" said Woods,
rejecting Some of the papers have
done good work in that line. There's
the Morning Mars, for instance. II
warmed up two or three trails, and
got the man after the police had let
'em get cold"
''I'll show you," said Herman, ris-
ing, and expanding his chest. "Pll
show you what think Of news
papers in general, and your Morn
ing Mars in particular"
Three feet from their table was
the telephone booth. Herman went
inside and sat at the instrument,
leaving the door open. He found a
number in the book, took down the
receiver and made his demand upon
Central. Woods sat still, looking at
the sneering, cold, vigilant face
waiting close to the transmitter, and
listening to the words that came
from the thin, truculent lips curved
into a contemptuous smile.
"That the Morning Mars?
want to speak to the managing
editor Why, tell him it's
some one who wants to talk to him
about the Norcross murder"
You the editor? All
right. am the man who
killed old Norcross Wait.
Hold the wire; I'm not the usual
crank Oh, there isn't the
slightest danger. I've just been dis
cussing it with a detective friend Of
mine. l killed the old man at 2:3O
a. m. two weeks ago tomorrow
Drive with you? Now,
hadn't you better leave that kind
of talk to your funny man? Can't
YOU tell when a mans guying you
and when you're being offered the
biggest scoop your dull, dishrag of
a paper ever had? well,
that's so; it's a bobtail scoop-but
you can hardly expect me TO phone
in my name and address
Why? Oh, because heard you made
a speciality of solving mysterious
crimes that stumped the police
No, that's not all. want to
tell you that your rotten, lying, pen
ny sheet is Of no more use in track
ing an intelligent murderer or high
wayman than a blind poodle would
be. What? Oh,
no, this isn't 4 rival newspaper Of
fee; you're getting it straight did
the Norcross job, and I've got the
Jewels in my suit case at-'the name
of the hotel could not be learned
you recognize that phrase, don't
you? / thought so. You've used 1t
often enough. Kind of rattles you,
doesn't it, to have the mysterious
villain call up your great big, all
powerful organ of right and justice
and good government and tell you
what a helpless old gas-bag you are?
Cut that out; you're not
that big a fool-no, you don't think
I'm a fraud l can tell it by your
voice. Now, listen, and I'll
give you a pointer that will prove
ii to you. OF course you've had this
murder case worked over by your
staff of bright young blockheads.
Half of the second button on old
Mrs. Norcross' nightgown is broken
off. l saw it when 1 took the
garnet ring off her finger. thought
1t was a ruby. Stop that
it won't work"
Herman turned to Woods with a
diabolic smile.
'Pve got him going. He believes
me now. He didn't quite cover the
transmitter with his hand when he
told somebody to call up Central on
another phone and get our number.
I'll give him just one more dig, and
then We'll make a getaway
Hello, Yes, I'm here
yet You didn't think I'd run from
such a little subsidized, scandal
monging turncoat rage of a news
paper, did you? Have me
inside of forty-eight hours? Say, will
you quit being funny? Now, you let
grown men alone and attend to your
business of hunting up divorce cases