Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-05-09

false move would have meant death.
She perked her head ecoquettishly to
one side and looked at me out of the
corner of her eyes
well" she asked, whats so funny
about that?'
"Just, the way you put the remark"
I answered. What were you Won
dering about?"
"a certain telephone call of about
two years ago. I just happened to
think about it when I came out of
the booth and then, of course. ! start
ed wondering where it had happened.
After all, I believe it was here. And
by the way, it was a telephone call
Of some Importance. 1t solved a mys-
terry for me-"
We stopped conversation for a min
ute that we might give u orders and
then Miss Clement took a little note
book from her handbag.
"It's marked down here as the Case
of the Crossed Wires,'" she said, land
that's about what it was. I don't care
what you say, luck certainly does play
into a detectives hand if that detec-
1--we hIlS"o SiioISh ~ tohS oNN oildSS
Of the opportunity when it is present
ed. And to tell the truth, the drown
ing mar who grasped at the tabled
straw was not my more desperate
than l was the night a pair of crossed
wires started me on the way to a big
arrest. But that part comes later"
she added.
Three weeks before, one of the big
mercantile companies Of the city had
discovered a $780, 900 loss. The police
department believed hat James Whit
ney, by which name we shall know the
embezzler, was still in the city. 1t was
my duty to find him.
Did you ever seek a man who was
hiding from you in a city Of two and
a half million people? For 81 days
sought, l had invaded every possible
place where the man might be. l had
Swallowed his friends. l had watched
the house in which he lived, l had
men stationed at every depot. I had
followed out every bit of a clue-and
all had resulted in failure. There was
not a thing left to work on. There
vas not a possibility on which to rest
a hope that l might find the man I
sought. And I knew that every day
brought my chances of making the
arrest to smaller and smaller proper
tions.
"And SO it was one night that l came
into the hotel here. l was tired; l
was discouraged. And SO l determined
to do that thing which I have don
many times before when I have been
blue and worn out and tired-tele-
phone home to my little kiddie, and
have her tell me, over the phone, all
the things that have been happening
in her young life since l left her in
the morning. When the world Of
crime seems dark and f%orbidding, it is
good to hear the voice of a little child
in your ears, detailing to You all the
adventures of her dollies, all the
things she mas been doing, all the
playing she has been INDUCING in.
And SO l walked to the operator and
asked for my number"
Then it was, as there came an in
t%erruption in the form Of a waiter,
that I saw the reason that Alice Gle
ment seems always young, always hap
py, in spite of the morbid, gruesome
half of the world in which she makes
her living. She has her foil in her lit
tie girl and the reaction takes away
the stain of the world of darkness.
Miss Clement glanced around the
room and continued.
II had hardly gotten my number
when there came a great buzzing and
cracking on the line. l ierked the
receiver away from my ear, held it
out a moment until the noise would
cease, and then called hello again.
The answering voice was that of a
man.
"'Well, what became of your came
the question.
talking to the wrong person. Then
something, l don't know why on earth,
caused me to answer differently.
"I wasn't sure of who this was,' 1
answered. The reply caused me to
take more interest in life. There was
something about the remark-weIl, do
you believe in intuition? do.
HAS anybody called up? Have
they got on to me yet?
"rNot yet / answered. But good
ness only knows what is going to hap
pen. They're hot after you
"I know it. came the answer A
queer thrill shot through me. That
voice Of the mar on the other end
of the wire had been described to me.
knew it was only a chance in a midi
lion, but 1 determined to stake it. Luck
1t seemed, was playing into my hands.
"tBut, jim