Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-09-15

a necessary one. Fol the opportunity
must be provided for the detectives 70
become familiar with the counter
ances OF the ~lawbreakers, And by the
simple device Of the masks. the hunt
ers are shielded from becoming qua
ly familiar to the hunted.
The opening of the door at the
rear of the room brought the waiting
detectives t attention. Their forms
stiffened to military erectness, their
manner became watchfully alert.
"Good-morning," greeted Chief OF
Detectives Manning. The men sa-
luted in return.
With quick, nervous strides the
Chief made his way behind the long
desk that ran half the length OF the
room, and took up a position OF sur
vey. His eyes, Of hawk-like penetra-
ton, swept the room while the desk
lieutenant called the roll. The alb
sentees having been entered on the
blotter. the process of lining up the
prisoners began without further cere-
moay.
A line Of bedraggled, disheveled
men md women. their eyes bleary
from a night of wakefulness In mar
row, Authenticated cells. shuffled into
the room.
Michael Noonan." droned the lieu
tenant.
An emac1ated, weak-faced man, the
wretchedness of his lot emphasized
by the frayed clothing that hung in
loose, broken lines from his form,
stepped forward. A look Of dull mis-
cry was stamped on his c~ountenance,
a hopeless disregard of the fate in
store for him showed In his manner.
Take a good look at this crook"
commanded the Chief. Never was
pinched before. Caught with the goods
on, however, by Virgins n Wolf.
Swipin' lead pipe from a half-tinished
house"
The eyes of the detectives bent on
the human wreck as he shrank back
into line.
philip Pratt" called the lieuten-
ant
A young man, not more than thirty,
whose sullen mein and restless eye
betrayed his occupation even before
the Chief announced 1t, faced the
massed battery of eyes. His thin lips
curled into a disdainful smile as the
Chief read his record from a slip OF
paper. q
Another old friend back" the head
of the detective force commented.
philip Pratt, alias Morse, alias
Charlie Dodge, alias Toledo Phil. Con-
R1o-oo Govt ND n torr, in F1Ynjra
two short stretches up the river, and
a long leg In Joliet"
Carrie Chase" came from the lieu
tenant
Member of hat trail sisterhood
whose shame is no deeper than that
of the civilization from which 1t
springs, she carried herself with an
cas- dignity born of familiarity with
her surroundings. The heavy lines OF
her ACE were drawn into an express
sion OF grim defiance, but her eyes,
dulled by long dissipation, could not
hide the dumb fear that lurked in her
soul.
Got away with a gents super"
the Chief drawled. He displayed a
gold watch as If it held all the tri-
umph of his ear of pursuit in the
underworld. But we found the goods
on her." he added smilingly.
Her career was part of the ele-
mental knowledge Of the assembled
detectives and the Chief dismissed
her quickly.
The chances are she'll do a long
stretch this trip" he commented.
Every condition of moral obliquity
was represented in hat shifting line
of prisoners. There youths, still
in the formative period of their Grim
inal careers, vying with the old-tmers
in the forced bravado of their de-
meanors. Others there were. shame
faced and sad. overcome with remorse
and praying silently for the termina-
ton OF tbs painful! spectacle. ScM
others, old men and young men, re-
garding the proceedings with the in
difference of dis1nterested spectators.
And there were women, too, from the
bedizened badger queen" her hair
and complexion as false as the jewels
s~himmering from her fingers and
throat, t. the tremulous, weeping res
taurant cashier accused of some petty
d~efalcation. They represented types
as varied as the emotions struggling
within them, but as they stood side
by side facing the expresstonless
masks, they seemed beaded toward
the same ultimate destiny. One after
another they stepped forward for in
spection until the line was exhausted.
When the last OF them had filed out
Of the room. the detectives did not re-
move their masks, as was the custom.
Instead, they stood about in a high
fever of expectancy. Quizxical glances
were cast in the direction OF the door
leading to the cells. Suddenly the
men bulked forward, IS If inspired by
a common impulse Of curiosity. The
swish Of skirts, accompanied by the
tread of masculine feet, sounded In
the doorway. A woman's form, her
head bent to her breast, her limbs un-
able to bear the weight Of her frail
body, was being half dragged, half
carried into the room. All the life
seemed to have drained u Of her.
Her hair hung d~isordered over her
shoulders her hands swung limply.