The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-09-13

CHAPTER /.
A CALL N rHl NIGHT.

~ CALL IN THE NIGHT.
A sudden gust Of wind wrenched the
door froa Godfrey's grasp and slammed
II with d bang that echoed through the
building.
"A1lything doing?" he asked, as he
Tapped the rain from his coat.
Simmonds. the grizzled veteran of The
charge of the devious business OF the
"Tenderloin." shook his head d%espond-
emily.
Not a thing. Only" he added, his
eyes cleaning suddenly With apprecia-
lion, you We're right about that De
anne abduction case. 1t was all Il
faked-up story on the mothers part.
She confessed this evening"
II thought she would if you kept at
her" said Godfrey. sitting down With
4 quick nod of satisfaction. She
hasn't nerve enough to carry through
= thing like taat-she's too pinS-and-
white How does it happen you're
alcne?'
"%Johnston's gone down to Philadel-
2hla TO bring back Riggs, the forger.
Fleming's got the grip. Bad night,
Amt it?"
"H%omible," agreed Godfrey. Listen
10 that, now"
a gust of extra violence howled down
the street, rafting the windows. shrek
nS around the corners, tearing down
ugns, n doing such other damage as
ay in it's power.
There was q certain similarity in the
aces of the two men, especially in the
Expression of the yes. and mouth Age,
ioWeNer, had given to Simnond's fea-
lures q trace of stolidity which was
Wanting In those OF his companion. He
had been connected With the Central
,ftlce for many Nears-was dean of the.
'orce, In fact-and though he had de-
/ plNna1 mo cnnrjn1 CANINE IN, hjc doc l
ngs With crime, he possessed a matter
VI fact industry and personal courage
which had frequently achieved success.
IN the end, his chief had come to trust
aim greatly. probably because the brill
liant theorists OF the force made so
many fortunate mistakes.
! Godfrey was a brilliant theorist and
'omething more. He was not so pat
ent as Simlnonds. but then he was
much OUNCE He had more ilmagina-
:ion. and perhaps his greatest weak
1ess was that he preferred picturesque
solutions to commonplace ones. Dur
ing his three years connection with
NE force he had won four or five no.
table Victories-so notable, indeed, that
hey attracted the attention Of the Rec
ord management. The end of it was
hat Godfrey resigned his badge and
expert, climbing gradually to the posi-
lon Of star reporter. Since then, the
Record had not waited on the police;
indeed. 1t had been rather the other
way around,
1t was with Simmonds that Godfrey
lad long since concluded AN alliance
offensive and defensive. The one sup
plernented the other-the eagle gave
syes to the mole; the mole gave the
tag1e the power OF working patiently In
The dark: Simmonds kept Godfrey in
toual with police affairs; Godfrey en-
.nled hiininonds to make a startling ar
test now and then. Godfrey got the
story. Simmonds got the glory. and
both were satisfied. 1t may be added
that, without in the least suspecting it,
The mole was considerably under the
influence Of the. eagle. Brains naturally
llead industry; besides. the blind must
have guidance.
They listened until the gust Of wind
He'd away down the street, then God
Trey arose and began to button up his
coat.
Nevertheless" he said, i've got to
De moY1ng on. l can't stay loafing here.
wouldn't nave stopped at all but for
the chance of seeing YOU"
on. don't go" protested Simmonds.
L was mighty glad to see you come
IN. l was feeling a little lonesome.
Wait till this squalls oyer. anyway
and have a smoke"
Godfrey toe the proffered cigar and
relapsed into his chair.
I'm only human he said, as he
struck a match. "and, besides, there's
a fascination about you. simmonds-
there's always a chance of getting a
good story out of you. You know more
about the criminal history of New
York than any other man living. I
think :
simmonds chuckled c~omplacently.
Il have been In on most of the big
cases" he agreed.
oe ,eome; now: ~ continued the other
you've got to produce "a story. Take
those big cases-whlch do you think
was the best of the lot?''
The best?"
The most intricate. I mean-the most
puz2ling-the hardest to solve"
Well and Simmonds rolled his
cigar reaectiyely, the hardest to solve,
of course, were those that were never
solved at all. There was the shooting
Of old Benjamin Nathan, in the sum
mer OF '1Q, at his house on West Thirty
third street. and there was the stab
bling of Harvey Burdell. | never had
the least doubt tina Burdell was Killed
by Mrs. Cunningham. the woman he'd
secretly married. The sta31bing was
done by a left handed person, and she
was left handed; but We weren't able to
convict her"
Yes nodded Godfrey; and tho
Nathan case?"
There wasn't anybody in the house,
SO far as known, but the two SONS, =
said simnonds slowly. and both OF
them managed to prove an alibi. But
I've always thought Hello. What's
this"
The dcor flew back with a crash and
q man rushed ina heavy set man.
with red cheeks. who stopped. gasping
clutcning at his throat.
Godfrey had a flask to his lips in ar
instant.
Come. brace up" he commanded
sternly, s!apping the stranger on the
back. Take d swallow of %this-that's
it.
1T seems to me l know him" re.
marked Simmoads. looking at the
flushed countenance With commemorative
eye.
"of course you do" gasped tn,
stranger. Tn Hisgins-th' Marathon
and he Jerked his mead TOWARD The door
Oh. yes" said Sin1nonds. You're
the janitor of the Marathon apartment
house, just across the street"
Well, what's happened at the Mar.
athon? demanded Godfrey. "Nt
ghosts aver there. l hope?"
'I.ltreIl be one Higgins