American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-04-15
CHAPTER XVII.
Settling Traps for Norton.

separate council chambers, always In
preparation. Hence, when the one in
use WAS burned down they transferred
their conferences TO the second couH.
oil chamber appointed identically the
same as the first. As inferred. the or
ganixation owned considerable wealth,
and they leased the buildings In which
they had their council chambers.
leased them for a number OF years.
and refurnished them secretly with
trap floors. doors and panels and all
that apparatus so necessary to men
who are sometimes compelled to make
. quick getaway.
When the Atlantic City attempt was
turned into q fiasco by Norton's timely
arrival Braine determined once more
70 rid himself OF this %meddling re-
poetsr. He knew too much. in the
Grut place. and In the second place
DFains wanted to learn whether the
reporter bore . charmed life or wss
1ust ordinarily lucky. He would ~
tempt nothing delicate. requiring
nnesse. He would simply wayiay Nor.
IN and make q commonplace end
At him. He would disappear, this 10
porter, that would be all; and when
they found him he might or might
not be recognizable.
Do Braine called a conference and
- and his fellow rogues went over q
number of ex~pediente and finally
agreed that the best thing to do would
b TO send a mar TO the newspaper.
ostensibly az a reporter looking for
. situation. With this excuse he would
b able TO hang around the city room
for three or our days. The idea back
OF this was TO waylay Norton on his
way to some assignment which ooh
him to the suburbs.
All this a arranged down 10 the
smallest detail; and a man whom they
vere quite certain Norton had not
yet seen was selected TO play the
part He had been a reporter once.
more's the pity; 30 there was no doubt
Of his being able TO handle his end
a the game.
= want Norton. ! ~snt him badly"
declared Braine. "and woe TO you II
you let booze play In between you and
the object OF this move"
The man selected to act the re.
porter hung his head. Whisky had
been the origin OF his fall from hon.
est living, and he was not so cal
loused Al not 10 feel the sting OF
rsmorse at times.
More" went on Bralne, II want
Norton brought to ~. It's n little OF
b beat. and we can handle Norton
~ we please. When we get rid OF
this newspaper ferret there1l be an.
other TO eliminate. Bat he's a FOX.
and a fox must be set to trail him"
~And who In that7"
Zones. Jones. Jonesl" Numbered
asslns. Hes the live wire. But he
reporter first. Jones depends u lot
on him. Take away this prop and
Jones will not be so sure OF himself.
There's a man outside all this circle.
and all these weeks OF warfare have
not served to bring him into the
circle"
"Hargreaye is dead" said vroon
stolidly.
"As dead as I am" snarled BraIne.
Two men went away In that balloon:
and I'll wager my head that one man
came back. | am beginning TO put
q few things together that | have
not thought OF before. Who knowsi
That balloon may have been carried
cut 10 sea purposely. The captain on
that tramp steamer may have lied
from beginning to end. | tell you,
Hargreave Ia alive. and wherever he
In he has his hand on all the wires.
He has agents. too, whom we know
nothing about. Hang the millionl ]
want to put my hands on Hargreave
just to prove that | am the better
q He communicates with Jones, per
haps through the reporter; he has had
me followed: II vas he who changed
the boxes. bored the hole In the cell
Ing of the othe. quarters and learned
heaven knows what"
IF that's the case" said vroon,
why hasn't he had us apprehended. :"
Braine laughed heartily. Haven't
you been able to see by this time what
his game is7 Revenge. He does not
want the police to meddis only IN the
smaller Affairs. He wants to put ter.
ror into the hearts OF all OF US. Keep
this point In your mind when you act.
He'll new summon the police unless
We make q broad daylight attempt to
get possession OF his daughter. And
even then he would make II out a
plain case OF kidnapping. Elimination.
that's the word. All right. Wen
play at that game ourselves. No. I
shall be Mr.. Norton. And n you fail
I'll break you." Brsins added to the
ex-reporter.
I'll get him. said the man sulienly.
Later. when he applied for a situa,
ton on the Blade. Il happened that
there were two strikes on nand, ana
two or three extra men were needed
on the city stan. The man from the
BACK Hundred was given a temporary
@oo and went BY the name OF Gregg.
FOL three days he worked faithfully.