The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-27

he young man paid for HIS calls
and, stepping outside, stood for a mo-
ment in the grateful shade of an avn
ing.
He wiped the perspiration from his
forehead. It was nearly four o'clock.
Even Connors might expect him to
snatch a bite Of lunch about this time
30 that could explain his absence il
the star man " should call up the
drug store in the interval.
Halt an hour later, one Of the sales
men Of large Wholesale button house
In the dry goods section Of Broadway
was critically examining between fin
ger and thumb small white button
with black streaks. Yes, they made
that variety. Why, certainly. 1t was
one of their standard lines. Popular
with the western trade. but little used
in the East. Had they sold any guam
tity in the greater city recently?
Really, he would have to ask the Yisi-
tor for his business card A reporter?
Murder? He would have to refer him
to one Of his superiors
The head of the department listened
graveiy to Bruce's story and then
rrned to a fling cabinet and ran his
myers swiftly over the cards in a
narrow drawer. All, yes. The house
had disposed Of only two lots in the
metropolitan district In the last two
years. One had gone to firm In Ho-
boken. The other had been sent to
large factory in Long Island City.
Would he care to give the address OF
the factory? In The circumstances, he
saw no reason why he should not.
By the time Bruce arrived at the fac
tory all thought Of returning to the
police station had vanished All the
Fever OF the chase was in his blood
Cover the station? Keep on that job?
Not if ne knew 1t. His blood--lis
cub blood-was up,
The factory superintendent inter
est increased perceptibiy as Bruce
went over the ground from the begin
ming. but the sharp-faced manager
could throw no light on the appearance
OF that button on the victims clothing.
Bruce showed his keen disappoint-
ment. Then new idea struck him
with the force OF mental trip-ham-
mer.
You say these buttons he began,
are used only on undershirts which
are sold out West Isn't it quite pos.
sible that some OF the men employed
here take home buttons from the fac.
tory and put them on their own cloth
ing?"
The superintendent smiled.
It's more than possible" he said.
It's quite the usual thing. Petty
grating OF that kind goes on IN all
establishments. But what of IT,"
The younger mans eyes roamed over
the walls of the Office until they rested
upon large framed photograph. He
indicated the picture with nod.
Your employees" he asked
The superintendent wheeled round in
his swivel chair.
Yes" he said. Taken about seven
months ago. Two hundred girls,
hundred men, There's a key to the
group on the back OF the frame
The reporter looked at the picture
curfously but did not rise from his
chair
How many men OF your present
force he said slowly, did not report
for work this morning.
The superintendent looked grave.
Yes" said he as il to himself, yes,
that's more ike"
He touched a bell, gave an order,
and, in few minutes. slip Of paper
war laid on the desk before him. He
scanned 1t carefully and then turned
again to his visitor.
We have two absentees" he said.
One OF them, Sam Leonard, has been
sick for three days with malaria The
other, John Joyce, did not report this
morning. He has not been in good
spirits for some months, the foreman
tells me. Probably sick He's a
young man OF superior education. An
orphan, believe"
Bruce went first to the home of tho
malaria victim There was no aues.
ton about the young man being there
in the flesh. In fact, the caller saw,
through the half-opened bedroom door.
the flushed face of the patient as be
explained his quest to the excited
mother in the hall of the little frame
cottage,
A short walk from the cottage
brought Bruce to a brick fat-house
which had been given as John Joyce's
address. There Bruce made friends
with the garrulous janitress and was
admitted into small fiat on the top
floor at the rear.
John, the janitresg said had gone