Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-09-16
"The Finger
Prints of Crime"
By CLINTON H. STAGG
oy The Frank A. Munsey Co.

she did the other animals in the gar.
den, and maybe loved it, too, like she
did the little deer and the rabbits.
"But it turned against her, and all
/ down the ages we've hated it because
| it betrayed friend. It's terrible
| thing to turn on friend that's taken
you to his heart and betray him. I've
heard there's men do that - snakes
that walk instead of crawl-but it
don't seem possible, somehow"
l felt the girls shudder. so close
was she to me, and she turned away
quickly. l was glad, because didn't
want her to see the look that was on
my face just then. A snake! Then
I thanked God that I'd put the
thoughts that had obsessed me the
long night through where they be-
longed. l was man!
We had dinner in the Egyptian res
taurant; the happy old man with the
child mind, the girl and I. There may
have been other repasts where royal
ty elbowed royalty: where wit and
cleverness reigned: where gold-plate
touched costly napery; but never was
there one like that.
The restraint of new acquaintance
ship that had characterized the lunch
of the day before was gone; in its
place was a carefree, joyous camara-
derie
watched the hundred caressing
tendernesses that the girl showed her
father; watched the laughter play in
her eyes: listened to her voice with
ears that treasured every inf1exion
and tone.
was in love! In love! And I was
posing before my cracked mirror in
the few short hours l had.
Idon't know how the rest Of the day
went, and don't care. That new song
I'd just discovered was singing all
through me. Love! hopeless love.
The joy of it dulled everything else,
even the pain of realization.
What did I care? For the first short
hours had would be happy. Then
| I'd go away. And the man and girl
would remember me for what l had
been to them: and would remember
| it, too, in the years to come.
Subconsciously I recollected the
father telling me the multitude Of dc.
tails regarding the Little Hazel river,
the power-Dlant to supply power to
the city that had been built a few
miles from the old town where they
still lived, the attempts to form
company of their own, its failure and
the generous offer of the Swelton
I Company. But wasn't listening. I
didn't want to listen. I didn't care.
In the lobby of the hotel the next
morning was dreaming my roseate
dreams, seeing picture of what
could not be in the curling blue smoke
of my cigar when a page called me to
the telephone.
I looked at my watch. No, there
was still more than an hour before
i the time had set to meet them. Sup
| pose they could not come! took The
receiver anxiously, and over the wire
came the steel-cold voice l knew so
well-the voice of the master.
"'Lo. Jim; got job for you. Easy.
| Come up to the Office"
1t was Mike Garven, the man who
owned me body and soul the man
had forgotten in those last two happy
days.
"pm taking a vacation" snapped.
"I've got an important date right here
in New York, and I'm not going out
nP 20
"Come down here and tell me that"
There was no threct in the voice; no
change from the dead expressionless
tone that went to we'll with the blank
gray eyes.
But I understood the menace under
, It; understood it because I knew it.
'It ought to take you fifteen minutes
to get here, Jim, and it will, won't it?"
The receiver was hung on its hook.
In that closed teiephOne-booth I
cursed till I was almost breathless
cursed Mike Garven, mvself, every
thing that there was to curse. The
dream had been shattered.
must go away at the masters bid
ding The job might be In Europe,
Texas, Frisco, and I must go; leave
New York when my dream mad yet a
week to run. BY Heaven! wouldI',
go!
The rat,faced youth who guarded
Mikes outer Office smirked at me as
passed him, and wanted to kill him
as always did, His face made me
mad every time saw it. for 1t was
sneering and nasty, and every line OF
1t showed the filth of the thoughts be
hind 1t.
"Mr. Garven's waitin', he grInned
I showed him against the docr-jamt
SO hard his empty head cracked as
entered the mahogany-finIsheI, quiet
ly luxurious Office of Mike Garyen. Ht
raised his blank eyes as entered art
tossed me cigar from drawer as
he wheeled to face me.
l showed It to the floor and grount
1t into the Wilton with my heel. Twice