Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1916-11-13
THE PENCIL CLUE
An Adventure of
Grant, Police Reporter
BY Robert Weles Ritchie
BY Robert Welles Richie
Story by Redfield ingalls,

Grant nodded looking very grim. Now.
get me'-he was beginning when Gopa'
heavy voice arose in a call for Mira
stewart" G'be girl returned TO her en-
ployer's Office, and Grant plugged in at
tho switchboard himself and called UP
police headquarters.
lie wasin the midst of q low voiced, but
urgent, conversation with his friend Cado-
gan. chief Of detectives, when sounds from
tho next room advised him that the in
yestlgation WAS over. "Al right. chief.
TN rush the copy to YOU right 1wav," he
said aloud as the coroner and Gos3 came
in. 1T isn't much of a story. though.
Coodby." and he hung up. leaving the
police officer at tho other end OF the wire
considerably mystfed.
But C2dogan had learned to trust Tom
my Grants intuitions. so 1t was hardly
FIVE minutes later that a small red auto
sped into the street below, and the chief
OF detectives leaped out to greet Tommy.
What tho sam HIS all the rush. ne
demanded. 4 couldn't make out half
what you were driving at"
"It's murder" returned Grant sueainct-
". "Goss has killed his partner
That's pretty grave charge cado-
gan deuturred holding back. whats
your proof? I can't very we'll arrest D
man Just on your say-so."
Never mind that now" cried Grant,
catching his arm Hes liable to get sus-
picious and make a break for parts UNI
known any minute. Come on. or-thefe,
hear that"
A wOman's scream had rung out, shrill
and terrified. from a window above them.
Cadogan needed no further urging. IN
bound he was inside the Office building
and pounding upstairs with Grant at hi5
heels.
The door Of Goss & Whites office was
locked as they tried it. Inside there was
the sound OF struggle and man Voice
thick with fury Together the two put
their shoulders to the door and after
strainng a moment burst II in. Miss
Stewart was lying in a crumpled heap in
the middle of the floor with furniture
flung about In every direction, and the
senior partner was nowhere 10 be seer.
Grant rushed TO tho window. while '3do-
gan bent over the girl Below on the fire
escape Goss was rapidly descending-he
had nearly reached the street.
Promptly Grant swung out on the fran
iron ladder and started downward as fast
az he could go. As ne reached tine sec
ond story landing he heard a chuggiug
beneath and glanced down to see Goss
in the little red car. He was going to es-
cape after all.
No, he wasn't. Grant vowed to himself
gritting his teeth. He was still dozen
! feet from the pavement when the auto
shot almost underneath him. punging
across the sidewalk In order to mako the
corner more quickly.
Without hesitation Grant poised and
/ leaped and landed fairly on the shoulders
of the esca ping Goss The car careened
! wildly across the street and rammed a
telegraph pole with a crash of broken
windshield But Goss was a prisoner.
Grant secured him with double bowknot
twist Of jiuiitsu origin and marched him
triumphantly back to the Office. whore
| Miss Stewart, the marks of fingers on her
| throat was already recovering under
| Cadogan's ministrations. She shrank back
as her hang dog employer was thrust into
| the room.
II told him I'd given you Mr.. Whites
pencil" she gasped hoarsely to Grant,
and he tried to kill me!'
e
"This was the last thing Caleb White
wrote" explained Tommy, In a fever 10
| get at his typewriter and pulled a sheet
| Of paper from his pocket. "See how faint
! the pencil lines are in the first words of
the memorandum and how dark they get?
Whites pen had been spoiled and his
pencils were missing He borrowed this
one from Goss, as Goss knew he would.
It's ST. about the hardest made. White
| had to wet II In his mouth. and
| "Poisonedm exclaimed Mansfield. the
| city editor.
| Grant nodded. probably cyanide. What
made mo suspicious was the fact that
| Goss phoned the coroner without thinking
OF a doctor. Besides, people with chronic
heart trouble can't get insured for $4,000.
Gaa9u Ana ba nluuged into his story.