The Washington times., 1910-12-19
By
MAURICE
LEVEL

can uprising and substituted the item
dictated by his mysterious informant
A few minutes later the presses were
running at fl2u speed At o'clock IN
the morning $4,000 copies had been sent
20 the more important distributing sta
JOfs- Al 4 - o clock half the Partisan
edition was on the press The night
editor looked at his watch and called
Run to Rue de Doual and tell Bar
ton want 20 speak 10 him at once"
victor Barton was IN bed when the
boy from the Planet knocked at Eis
door. A first he was not sure that he
had heard and promptly turned over
and went 20 sleep again But when the
boy knocked again he sat up and called.
w hos there2"
John, the Office boy
He lit a candle and drew on his
trousers, frritated that he should have
been awakened 50 early.
''Avyot wants you to come at once"
o'clock
Its twenty after 8"
Twenty after 5? Even so, that's not
an hour TO wake man out Of his sleep.
Tell him You couldn't ind me- Good
He motioned the boy away
I'D do il. ali right" said the boy,
but I think it's something important
this time"
What's happeuedy'
John took a wet copy o. the paper
from his pocket He opened # at the
third page and pointed with an ink-
stained finger to the news Of the crime
While Barton hastily. ran his eve over
the brief notice the boy volunteered:
We got IL hot over the telephone at
the last minute" q"
Tell Avyot that am coming as soon
as I am dressed
Alone again, Barton smiled How
strange that the news should have
been brought to him, When the boy
had opened the paper he had really
Of heavy sleep had obliterated the enc
tons Of the night II took him sec
Ond or two 70 realize the dramatic
scope Of the situation Decidedly MS
ever he had hoped. He had feared that
some other reporter would be assigned
to cover the murder, with the result
that he would have been more or less
paralyzed- Now he could shape his
course to suit himself
II was cold in the room He took
flannel shirt from his bureau and
dressed himself in heavy clothes and
on his hat he thrust his hands in MS
pockets to Teassure himself that he had
his KEYS, his money. his pad. and his
fountain pen. He had forgotten moth
ing.
4 cab came bowling along He hailed
II. gave the address OF the Planet and
leaned back in the seat TO reflect on
his next movements
absolute ignorance. Perhaps little
obstinacy In allowing himself 10 be
convinced that the story was true
might help matters AvyOt would De
more Ike ' TO play into his hands II
he opposed him slightly than II ne
agreed with every theory ne advanced
The cab stopped he paid the driver
and ran up the stairs 70 the editorial
rooms The night editor was evids ntly
awaiting him with ul-cOncealed lmpa-
dence- As soon as he saw Barton ne
exclaimed
Here you are at lastl We have been
looking fer you since I o'clock It's
none OF my business where you pass
your nights, but I should think you
ought 10 keep the needs OF the paper
more II mind never know where
70 find you when I want you
Home said Barton. in the most
natural voice in the world 7 Clnef
with sCC-s friends, and at 1 O'Clock I
was in bed When I left this room az
half-past se-eo everything was running
smoothly What's happenedT'
This has happened- At 2 o'clock this
I received news OF crime
that had been committed in the Boule-
ward Lannes."
VERY well. III jump into a taxi and
go to police headquarters
The night editor laid a hand on his
shoulder
''One minute. They would hardly be
able 10 tell you much, TUT the very
good reason that they don't know any
thing about il as yet
7 don't understand Do you mean
to tell me that a crime has been com
mitted Of which the police know moth |
ing and OF which you know every
thing2'
Look al that-Ook at thatr'' said
Avyot, opening the paper.
For the second time Barton read his
news, apparently studying every word
with the greatest attention
1T looks queer to me- he ventuTed- /
Are you SIRE it's all straight?'
If wasn't absolutely sure wouldn't
put IL in" retorted the night editor
Then he added mysteriOUsly-
4 have pretty good reason TO believe
that it's as straight as a string
Would II be indiscTeet to ask you
the course Of this bit OF news?''
useless The first thing TO do is 70
verify the facts Then, since were the
FIRST to hear Of this TO take advantage
Of our twenty-fOur-hOur start and make I
side with the police The man from
whom got this e bound 70 turn up and
want Us to pay him for It
DO you think sO?. inquired Barton
Il do answered the night editor.
NY dear sir, after twenty years in
the newspaper business I think you
ought to be willing 10 admit that
that know something Of human na-
ture-''
Barton wondered what he really would
have thought II he only knew the true
facts Mentally ne called him pre-
historic mastod0n. a back number an
old ignoramOus who ought to be driving
a milk wagon instead OF running
BOttling Up his wrath be
'iPerhapsN you're right The true
stories often turn out the Queerest
Where shall begin2''
That's your business First Of all
get the facts. Then give me half a
page OF copy with photographs for this
afternoon If you swing this III see
to il that the old man raises you 70
francs q month"
Than. you, very much answered
the reporter
To himself ne thought: 'Tf carry
this through you'u raise men good
deal more than 80 francs The paper
that wants Victor Barton VIII pay him
his own price"
The light Of the lamp was fading in
the increasing daylight The presses
had stopped. OECe more confused
noises Of the street could be heard,
with the occasional piercing blast Of n
automobile horn. An omnibus passed
with a clatter Of wheels and windows.
Barton arose took a number Of the
Planet and put II IN his pocket.
What number Boulevard Lannes did
.s'Twenty-nine. Try TO get your mind