The Springfield herald., 1913-05-02


whether 1t was here or somewhere
else"
laughed at her vague remark; MISS
Clement has always been sort OF
study to me. There Is kittenisn
childishness, a twinkle and sparkle OF
the eyes, a series of mannerisms which
give her many times the appearance
more Of child than Of woman who
has tracked thieves and other evil
doors for years. She has way OF
presenting things in the most girlish
of ways; there is sometimes little
air Of responsibility that is fetching
to the degree that you forget entirely
that this woman ever could have nao
adventures, that she ever could nave
been in places where the slightest
false move would have meant death.
She perked her head coquettishly to
one side and looked at me out OF the
corner Of her eyes.
"well," she asked, whats 10 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. Just happened to
think about It when I came out Of
the booth and then, of course. start
cd wondering where 1t had happened.
After all, 1 believe 1t was here. And
by the way. 1t was telephone call
of some Importance. 1t solved a mys-
terry for me-"
We stopped conversation for q min
ute that we might give our orders and
then Miss Clement took a little note
book from her handbag.
Its marked down here as the Case
of the Crossed Wires,'" she said, "and
that's about what 1t was. don't care
what you say. luck certainly does play
into a detective's hand II that detec-
tive knows enough to take advantage
of the opportunity when 1t is present
ed. And to tell the truth. the drown
ing man who grasped at the tabled
straw was not any more desperate
than 1 was the night pair Of crossed
wires started me on the way to big
arrest. But that part comes later"
abe added. hlr
"Three weeks before, one of the big
mercantile companies Of the city had
discovered a $4,000 loss. The police
department believed that 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 man who was
hiding from you in city of two and
q half million people? For 81 days I
Id
place where the man might be. l had
shadowed his friends. l had watched
the house in which he lived, had
men stationed at every depot. had
followed out every bit Of a clue-and
all had resulted in failure. There was
not thing left to work on. There
was not possibility on which to rest
a hope that might find the man l
sought. And 1 knew that every day
brought my chances of making the
arrest to smaller and smaller proper
tions.
"And 30 it was one night that came
into the hotel here. 1 was tired; l
was discouraged. And 80 determined
to do that thing which / have done
many times before when / 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 1 left her In
the morning. When the world of
crime seems dark and forbidding, 1t 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 has been doing. all the
playing she has been indulging in.
And 80 walked to the operator and
asked for my number"
Then 1t was, as there came an In
terruption in the form OF waiter,
that saw the reason that Alice Gle
ment seems always young, always hap
nv. 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.
"I had hardly gotten my number
when there came great buzzing ana
cracking on the line. l jerked the
receiver away from my ear, neio IL
mt a moment until the noise would
cease and then called hello again.
The answering voice was that of a
man.
the question.
"1 started to tell him that he was
talking to the wrong person. Then
something, don't know why on earth
caused me to answer differently.
al wasn't sure of who this was.'
answered. The reply caused me to
take more interest in life. There was
something about the remark-well, DO
Won believe in intuition? do.
".Has anybody called up? Have
they got on to me yeti?
".Not yet answered. But good
ness only knows what is going to hap
nen. They're hot after you
az know it, came the answer. A
oueer thrill shot through me. That
voice of the man on the other end
~ the wire had been described to me.
knew 1T was only a chance in a mtl-
lion hut I determined to take 1t. LUCK
# seemed, was playing into my hands.
J;t11-