Arizona republican., 1911-02-26
fishing Coz

| mlmeOGrapne0 bulletin Oh the Clty
| News Association and whistled a bar
! of a popular song. Then he looked
! over the City Room at whose numer.
! Gus desks the reporters were sitting,
awaiting their assignments of sto-
! ries " for the day. 1t was not yet two
! o'clock, and none OF the star space
men had yer been sent out.
Mr.. Connors, the editor called at
last
A short. stout. specialized man,
whose hair was beginning to turn
gray at the temples. rose from a desk
in the middle of the room and came
forward
Mr.. Corners" the Day City con-
tinued crisply. a young mans body's
been found floating in Newtown Creek.
Clear case OF murder. Head missing.
Been in the water only few hours.
No clue to identity. Looks like a
corking good mystery"
The reporter took the bulletin and
I half turned away.
You may need help the Day City
went on. You might tahe Bruce
along"
The star man raised his eyebrows
slightly.
Oh. | know" continued the speaker
He's a cub yet. hut there may be a
good deal OF leg work. He'll Go just
as you say. ii pat him under your
orders
An hour O. 50 later. the short. stous
man and companion whose long ogs
and bOyish face offered a humorous
contrast. emerged from dismai-lOoS-
ing undertake-'s shop in Long island
CITY,
No use waiting time al this end"
the older man was saying impatentiy.
You hurry round ard cover the police
station. I'll call no the drug store
next door when J want yoI-you he in
the store from FIVE minute. CO Until
five minutes Ysst each hour. Don's
leave the station un.i ! Say so. 10
you understand?
The cuh" reporter moved his long
legs uneasily.
Yes, GDicrs=sod." he sad slowly.
The older Tqr starred away.
Just a minute. Ill. CcrnoTs," the
younger man continued. a" Did you
see any clew 70 jts--tc RS ideati:y?"
The star man shrugged his
shoulders
Certainly not" he replied. rather
brusquely. mo birthinarks or any
thing of that kind. Laurcry marks
on undershirt are CIR off Shirts
rather Door ouailty--lite .fuse labor
ers wear-but one docsu't need to play
up that fact. Missing head makes
Identification impossible. It's good
for a two-column mystery yarn any
how"
He paused. Then something in his
companions manner attracted his at
tention.
Ct" I suppose you picked mp a clew in
there, my boy" he saiG. with just the |
suspicion Of a hooking tone il his |
voice.
The cub " took his right hand out |
Of his pocket and opened it, palm up !
ward.
Only this" he said.
The older man snoT.ed
What Of II? he asked. picking up !
small. white button through which !
ran irregular streaSs ~ hlark after /
the manner of certain varieties OF !
marble
Bruce's voice took on deprecatory
shade
1t just occurred to me- said he,
" that the fact there there were four
buttons on the undershirt, and that
three OF them were Just alike and
white. whereas that this one Is quite
different from the others, was rather
peculiar. So | just shipped this one
off for future reference"
A lot OF good Il will do me-
snapped he older man. :" suppose
~, - I,,. 7
and the Identification Of Uncle Russell
Sage's borrh friend. Norcross. Well,
that was piece OF fool luck that won't
occur again in million years. more or
less. I've played button. button. who
wore the button before. You just
Jump over 10 the station. my boy. and
keep on The job"
The "cub ' pocketed the curiously
streabed button and departed for the
local police headquarters. where he
found a corrs OF fellow-reporter
grouped or tie steps cross-questioning
every new arrival as 10 whether any
thing new hGd turned up Bruce
stepped into the drug store next door,
where no began calling up the livery
stables in the neighbOrhood. At the
ifth call, he struck what might or
might not he fire.
Yes. O'Brien & Dorlan's had rented
| tvo-seated runabOut the night be-
ore. 10 a young man who had driven
lway about seven O'Clock He had not
'eturued and the horse and runabout
lad been found wandering through |
he streets by the police about three
o'clock the following morning. Who
lad seen the man? Only Mike Nc
iinnis. the head stableman. Was
le there now? No. but he would
'e on duty again al four O'Clock. Who
vas IL speaking? Why, there was an
tbsr man from the same paper in the
table now. asking the same questions.
He'd put him on the wire.
Never mind" Bruce began, but the
tableman had already gone.
In the interval, the young man was
empted to hang up the receiver but
Fhile lie hesitated. well-known voice
anne over the wire.
Hello. there, Who are you?"
Bruce frowned slightly.