Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26


from coast to coast in the various roles OF passenger
brakeman candy butcher, and hobo He had worked
for newspapers all over the United States Moreover he
possessed keen literary sense and had written articles
for hghbrow periodicals. AT least of these had at
tracted notice by its ironc humOr indicated in tete,
"On the Advantages of Being Dead But he never
affected the literary pose On the contrary he wore his
hair cropped closely and dressed in the quetest
Apart FROM these things, it known also that
Ryker belonged to good family -rather aristocrac.
in fact-and that he had visited them occasionally and
made welcome You see Ryker gentleman
nearly every good reporter is, despite popular mis-
conception to the contrary In word, he was not diff
eren from thousands of other skilled and experienced
newspaper men. He might have had little more di-
verSlty his career he might have been more fertile
his uck-well that remains to be By all tokens
it seemed to have failed him now, if he had ever had it.
HE had just returned from Central America after one
- of those opera bouffe revolutions which to
achieve little beyond the swelling of newspaper expense
accounts He ready and eager for work,-real
work. he called it-but there nothing for him to
do Apart from routine matters, everything deadly
dull There only big story the schedule the
Malverson case, and Holland a capable man,
handling that If Ryker had only conrived get back
two days ago. when the story "broke." would have
been his, of course. And it peach! So McClin-
tock the city editor, sympathetcally.
Him. said Ryker in nOncOmmittal tone, and
about suggest that he take weeks vacation at the
expense of the office. McClntock didn't give him the
chance The chief had been telegraphing thoughtfuly
with his pencil on the edge of his desk and now he said
"I'n tell you what, old chap. Here's opportunity
for you to make the hit of your life" City editors al
ways say that when they hand out something undesr
able "he boss has been kicking about the quality of
society stuff. Now, sit back a minute l don't
routine stuff The regular fellows will look after
that But this going to be big season,-two or three
swell international weddings and bunch of other i'm
portant things. What want is somebody to get in
touch with real conditions in the set lot of those
people know that you all right. There's coolies of
good yarns that never out. Blow around and get
acquainted. It's easy enough. Make your own assign
ments, if you like. And when anything big off
you can have all the help you want
whats the stunt?" asked Ryker. Scandal"
"By no means. my boy. by means! No back
stairs stuff You ought to know by this time that The
Star doesn't go in for that sort of thing. But there's
heaps of Clean good stories hidden away up along the
not necessarily cataclysmc in value, but
good just the same. Get acquainted and they'll galop
up and hand them to YOU"
Ryker pondered moment. Then he said, "A right,
I'll have shot at it
"Good!' exclaimed McClintock. you'll rather like
1t, think. All the same, though wish you'd turned
up in time for the Maverson case. It's gorgeous
chance. Tough luck"
"And then some!" added Ryker with an intmation of
h