The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-24
CHAPTER VI
Unknown at p, Try 10. "

- BE morning dragged alcnS As
monotonously for the police
as for Barton No progress
had been made in fathomins
the mystery despite all the energy
which the chief Of police threw
into the case The more sensational
uape-s. and the Planet IN particu-
lar. had worked upon the morbid curios-
fly Of the public until al Paris was ao-
Eorbed IN the case. This intense public
excitement was awkward for the police
The clamor for more news could not be
answered. Scathing criticisms OF police
inefdcieEcy could be heard on every
side
So far, the police know nothing but
the name OF the victim Upon that feeble
basis they reared a structure Of vague
theories that pointed nowhere They
had cross-exauiued every tradesman
within the quarter who had ever met the
old man The result IF the inquiry was
IneaEer. His name was Forget He was
a very quiet and reserved man. who had
no friends and apparently no relatives
For tnree years he had lived in utter
loneliness. leaving his house rarely.
speaking 10 but few and receiving letters
only ct very rare intervals The post
man could not recall the delivery or any
2 -
The Iecter-Csrrier had an itching palm.
Vet the services he had rendered were
so slight that he had not the heart
10 ring the old man S dOOrbel OF New
Year Lay &c collect the usual tribute
Barton suffered mere from this stag
nation than the police. he was weary
OF waiting There was nothing 10 90
al day long but sit In his room, read
the newspapers. stroll around = the
streets and return 10 his quarters The
days were endless His idIeness left
him tine 70 think be began 20 real
lie now how formidable were the com
plications in which he vas involved
BuC he had set out TO accomplish a
new journalistic feat He knew that
weeks might elapse before he would be
captured he had formed no very clear
conception Of the manner IL which he
would pass the days during that ter
T1bly long interval Had he known that
time would haEg 50 heavy upon his
hands, that each hour seemed more
Ike a whole day than the sixty minutes
Of which II was really composed. he
doubted whittier he would ever have
tstic confinement The more the time
dragged. the less brilliant his prospects
seemed TO him
Strangely enough. he experienced
more than one Of the sensations Of the
true criminal. or at least Of the criminal
whom DCveiiSts delight 70 picture He
could hardly restrain himself from re-
visiting the scene OF The crime Time
himself On the adviSa5jlstv Of returning
20 No . Boulevard Lannes. he would
argue that If he returned 10 the scene
he might hasten the solution OF the
case In all likelihood a trap had been
laid for him Among the crowd that
sWarned IN front OF the dead man
mouse there -Vere probably as many de-
teCtives IN plain clothes as there were
1nquiSitive oilers BE would be recCE-
nized Immediately The Planets rnys-
teTloUsly inspired articles had und0urt-
edlv irrlcate5 the police They would
not hesitate to arrest him, OF al lees
question him closely. After that.
ogress would be rapid
IN the other hand, q real criminals
AZ Of arrest possessed him. He was
tenseiy weary OF idlinE away his
the law He could not explain 70
imSelf this morbid fear Of q prison
ell when he actually yearned for the
nance TO expose police IncOrpetencv
and prison ba-Darfties
The complete solitude n which he had
passed the last two days vas sau1fng
his energy and the vim which is the
chief ingredient Of a good reporter
personality He was painting for activ-
fTy- Tor a chance to intOEiCate himself
with his own articles. He Iuste5 for
argument ana combat Deprived OF al
excitement, he felt himself iunotenr.
HesitaCcy had enthr0ned itself and
usUTped his vOlitiCn- He was Ike q fieck
o. foam In the great sea Of humanirv-
lost and u1ObSerTed. At every step he
took he brushed the shoulder Of n m
known man He sat alone IN cafes and
restaurants No one ever spoke 70 him.
only scraps OF conversation reached him
now and then. SO obviously uni1tended
Tor his ears that his loneliness was a.
centu2ted- Whenever ne had occasion
10 hear the sound OF his own voice IL
was merely 20 order his meals or 20 ask
Tor Information which he needed 70
guide himself in this Otlt-of-tFe-Tav cor-
-f "
man this was hard. Stories OF sailors
cast upon desert islands and living il
such loneliness that they lost the art Of
speaking for lack OF a COMPANION re-
CURED TO him tine and time again re
was rec 10 act as he wished vet soil
taTy confinement IN a prison could hard
" have been more irlSsome than this
HneIy life
Tol~ard ; O'Clock he called m the
Planet On the telephone. He was told
tat the wire was busy He waited
= few minutes and called I'D again The
wire was still busy He heard snatchez
nassl inquiries Of telephone girls Sur
denly. IN all thiS babel. in all this hiss
Ing and scratching and clicking. some
one asked
Is this the Planet2"
He leaned forward and protested hotly:
Excuse me, but called the Planet
frst"
Very sorTy, but Central has Efveu
ne the number and 7 mean to keep #.
HALO Is this the PIanatI-'
fsThis IS TOO much Halo. Centrafr'
Al the other end OF the wire he heard
2 lauTh- He stamped with rage
HALO Central the wires ara crossed
Teu connected two Of as with the same
number"
II know H. but can't help It It's
not my fault Please get of the wire .
Y intend to do nothing Of the sort
have been waiting q quarter OF an
hour here. and I have had enough OF
this Give me the manaE-
za did not finish the sentence The
man a. the other end Of the wire talfcA7
fnsistentlvs He heard c1cz1ionS ara
answers very clearly. SuGdenIr al tha
confused noises and nlurIDuTs were sun
17-fSSr6 and only the conversation -
his teIephoue antaCOnist with the
Planet could he heard. He was not at
eavesdro7Der by nature, but there was
something IN this exchange o. INQUIRIES
an6 answers that interested him vitality.