The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-05-11
Peter McMannis
New York Guardian

The names told her nothing except
that the caller was reporter from
the most INSCRIPTIONS journal in the
city.
There must be some mistake, Per-
kins. Tell the gentleman Mr.. Harlan
is out and say you don't know when
he will be at home."
Eyes, miss"
The man left the room, but returned
almost Immediately with a message
that there was no mistake. It was
Miss Harlan the visitor wished to see
upon business of the utmost impor-
tance.
Leslie shook her head with puzzled
air and rose from her chair.
Very well, Perkins. Tell him I'll
be down in few moments. And, Per-
kins, stay in the pantry until the gen.
tleman goes"
"Yes, miss"
Leslies first impulse was not to see
this reporter, but on second thought
she decided it was better to afford
real interview than to have one in
| vented. Again and again she had
heard her father condemn people for
being rude to reporters who were
merely performing their duties with
out being in any way responsible for
the policy or character of their pa
per. Still she had an indescribable
dread of meeting this man. What
could he want to know from her that
necessitated a call at IL o'clock at
night? Was 1t possible her holding
of. stock in the Machine Companies
had become known, or that her inter.
view with her father at his Office had
been overheard? II SO, what could she
say to stop further inquiry? However,
there was no use puzzling over such
questions until they arose. The man
might be merely belated society re-
porter But that was scarcely prob
able. Society news was not likely to
require night CALL and 1t was cer-
tainly not business of the utmost i'm
portance." Could anything have hap
pened to her father? Leslie hurried
downstairs.
How'd do, Miss Harlan? Glad to
meet you at last"
Leslie drew back instinctively from
!. the outstretched hand and McMannis
laughed uneasily as he noticed the
movement.
Suppose you think I'm sort Of
fresh?" he queried, half-apologetically,
"but l know your pa SO well, 1t seems
as though knew you, too. However,
no harm done, | guess?"
Miss Harlan bowed gravely, and mo-
tioning the visitor to chair, looked
at him inquiringly.
Thanks, don't know but ! will sit
down. Been on my feet nearly all
day. Not that ! mind, seeing how |
got 'em all dead to rights this time.
There wasn't man Jack of 'em had
word about II in their last edition,
and | got the whole thing In. It's a
clean beat all the way through. Even
when they got there, they were dead
SLOW found Kennard's body my
self"
He started at Leslie's cry.
What! You don't mean to say you
haven't heard Well, this is luck"
he continued 81 mean OF course it's
awfully sad and all that, but ! sup
posed they'd get here before me. 1t
was in our nine o'clock. See here!"
McMannis pulled q crumpled news
paper from his pocket, smoothed II
out and held 1t up with conscious
pride. Stretched across the front page
In red letters six inches high was the
word ,R
ASSASSINATION! :"
Leslie gazed at the fiaring letters
In fascinated horror. She could see the
word and appreciate its meaning, but
beyond that her thought stopped. Fol
moment her brain was numbed and
her nerves alone responded to the
voice speaking close beside her. Their
suddenly consciousness Of everything
that had happened and was happen
ing returned to her. A deadly loath
Ing Of this whisky-smellihg creature
crept over her. but she fought II dowI
sufiiciently to whisper:
"Mr. Kenpard-John Kennard--ii
deadT
mo. he ajn't dead yet Guess 70,