The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-10-18
CHAPTER XVII.
SETTING TRAPS FOR NORTON
.uE BLACK Hundred possessed

bers, always in preparation.
Hence. when the one in use
was burned down they transferred
their conference to the second council
chamber appointed identically the same
as the first AS inferred, the organl-
cation owned considerable wealth, and
they leased the buildings in which they
had their council chambers, leased
them for a number of years, and re-
furnished them secretly with trap floors,
doors. and panels, and all that appara-
tus so necessary to men who are some
times compelled to make a quick geta-
way.
When the Atlantic City attempt was
turned into a fiasco by Norton's time
l., arrival, Braine determined once
more to rid himself Of this meddling
reporter. He knew too much. in the
first place, and in the second place
Rraine wanted to learn whether the
reporter bore charmed life or was
lust ordinarily lucky. He would at
tempt nothing delicate, requiring nm
esse, He would simply waylay Norton
and make a commonplace end Of him.
He would disappear, this reporter that
would be all; and when they found him
able.
So Braine called a conference, ana
he and his feIlow-rogues went over
number of eXpedienceS, and hnally
agreed that the best thing to do Would
be to send a man to the newspaper,
ostensibiy as reporter LOOKING I0I
q situation. With this excuse ne Woulo
he able 10 hang around the city room
Tor three or four days. The IDEA oack
of this was to waylay Norton on ms
WAY 10 some assignment which LOOK
him to the suburbs.
All this was arranged down 10 lhe
smallest detail; and a man whom they
were quite certain Norton had not YET
seen was selected to play the part.
He had been a reporter once, more
his being able to handle his end OF the
game happen he was given SITUATION:
Il want Norton, l want him oadiy,
declared Braine, and woe to you II
you let booze play in between you ana
The object OF this move.
The man selected 10 act the reporter
HING his head Whisky had been the
origin Of his fall from honest HVlns'
and he was not so calloused as not 10
feel the sting OF remorse at liiiie =.
often he longed TO leave New fork, 10
start anew elsewhere; but this man
Braine was Ike a terrier outside rat
cage filled with rodents None ever
really escaped. -, ,+
Norton brought to 49. It's little OH
tho heat. and We can handle him as we
please. When We get rid of TINS news
paper ferret, there1l be another 10
Intimate. But he's a fox ana ioh
must be set 10 trail him
And who is that?
ZONES. Jones. Jones'" Numbered
Brsine. He's the live wire. But me
reporter first. Jones depends LOT on
MIN. Take away this prop and Jones
will not be so sure of himself. There's
man outside all this circle, and all
these weeks of warfare have not served
10 bring him into the circle.
"Hargreave is dead SAID Nrooh
stolidly. ,-. po,,o
Two men went away in that balloon,
and I'll wager my head that one man
came back. / am beginning to put
thought OF before. Who knows? Ihat
balloon NAV have been carried OUT 10
sea purposely. The captain on that
tramp steamer may have neo IIoiii
beginning to end. ! tell you, HarGreaNe
is alive, and wherever he is he has ms
hsnd on all the wires. He has agents
100. Of whom we know nothln' ABOUT.
Hang the million, / want TO put my
hands on Hargrcave just TO prove una
J am the better man. He comm yer
with Jones' perhaps, through the re-
porter: he has had me followed: IT was
he who changed the boxes, bored the
hole in the ceiling of the other quarters.
end learned heaven knows what.
IF that's the case" said Nroon, why
hasn't he had us apprehended?
Braine laughed heartily. Haven't you
been able TO see by this time what his
game is? Revenge He does not want
the police to NEEDLE only IT. the smaller
affairs. He wants to do away with us
one by one: he wants to put terror into
The hearts Of all OF US. Keep this point
IN your mind when you act He'll never
surnmon the police unless we make a
broad daylight attempt to get possession
Of his daughter And even then he
would make 1t out a plain case Of kid
naming Elimination, that's the word.
All right. Wen play al that game
ourselves. No. / shall be Mr. Norton.
and il you fail I'll break you,'' Braine
i.dded TO the eX-reporter
TN get him. said the man, suilenly.
Later, when he applied for a situation
on the Blade. IL happened that there
were two strikes on hand, and two or
three extra men were needed on the
citv staff. The man from the Black
Hundred was given a temporary job and
went by the name of GREGG. AS his
first copy showed experience. he was
promised a permanent place as soon as
there was A vacancy. Gregg smiled in
ardly. 1t would be a fine thing to
do away with Norton and step into his
Teportorial shoes.
E0r three days he worked faithfully.