The Washington times., 1916-08-06
First Of Series Of The Sunday Times Stories 1EATRcE "a
The Story of the
Missing Waterman

49, N my arrival at the office ono
morning one letter on my desk
appealed to me at once. 1t was
written neatly and with palms
taxing care-but there were marks OF
agitation in the underlined urgent" In
one corner and please read" In another.
It was q simple. human document:
Dear Miss Fairfax:
II am engaged to the Waterman Of the
bank. Yesterday / met him on the
street with another girl and he did not
speak TO me. What shall dot
''231 East 1Slst street"
gave II q moment or two Of thought
and then returned to the rest Of my mall
with the idea Of coming back to Mary
Ryan's letter later after had gotten
a little more perspective on her trouble.
was half way through my mail when
tho new reporter whose desk was next
to mine came in. Jimmy Barton brougnt
a certain freshness and enthusiasm 10
his work which communicated itself an
through the city room. The office Doye
greeted him and the most blase COPY
reader on the paper looked up 10 ILL., r
1immys wide, friendly; in,ec''' .a,d he
ANY. question that needs man mans
broad viewpoint? Can your uncle
James help you any?"
TSsn as aqsr'fS to 'ns
Cd thSt reform w noi;s. Hs sers.an nt
book was as white and pure az the
: :sm fhs sse rG Mr. Barnes picked his
phone and Jimmy's extension phone
sounded simultaneously.
Jimmy darted out with an air OF
ton came whirling into the office
again with the cyclonic effect ne
always produced when he Had a good
something doing In little old New
York now" he remarked: as he passed
my desk after reporting to the city
editor. Bank robbers got $4,000 In
the Bronx: And the w xatshnsa ia q 4
He sat down at his machine and
began hammering out a story.
Mr.. Barnes called to him: Get out
can't walt more than fifteen minutes"
g ., A Sudden Clue.
But my mind had focused suddenly
on one point. The robbery had been in
the Bronx and the Waterman was miss
Ing. East lS1st street was in the Bronx.
too. Could there be any connection be-
tween Mary Ryan and that robbery.
Jimmy Got out his copy with the spec
a good newspaperman must possess. he
handed It sheet by sheet to the waiting
copy boy and when he had finished jam
med on his hat In preparation Tor de-
parture.
rose and held out Mary Ryans let:
best e help Sei her sl BY enstins interest
He Glanced over the letter hastily. HE
. good newspaperman feels when he
thinks he is on the inside" Of a story.
You'd better g. along w,sn NJ s5oR Bar;
the letter to the young reporter who mad
Come on. Well And the GIRL" cried
Jimmy enthusiastically:
Jimmy Barton hurried me over to
Lets talk II over" he said, when
the Lenox avenue train embarked
us at last fairly on our adventure:
III yop s, si va.cs ,ns wee ossS, to
III my girl is the sweetheart Of the
missing matchman. I hope we can
0T !Hssu! .sm q h f;ns newspaper woman.
Miss Fairfax! believe you'd rather
help along a wedding than an extra"
"Of course. I would" I laughed.
the f. ans ana ef sSue
friends 70 me. | don't Pretend to Dc
a new.paper woman: I'm JUS a big
BY j % t'u i guess ssA about the only
way a fellow could get you to notice
him would be to have q few little
p h; ' WSsy
We have a quiet day.
sITryins to get into trouble"
mo; I'm always in trouble. / have
falling In love-"
A Serious Business.
And ask me to get you OUT
asked. Even q woman. most Of whose
life centers about other peoples stories.
may enjoy having a little fun Of her
own In teasing a dapper youth like
Jimmy Barton.
But at the end OF our ride all our
idle chatter was forgotten. for we came
face to face with real tragedy Mary
Ryan lived In one Of q long row Of ordi-
orSK *. to sSusss out II the
Of stairs ard came at last to a door
In the center of which was tackled a
card on which was written, MRS. h. J.
mGmen 1aeHp IN answer to
an Of about forty-five opened the door.
We found ourselves In a plainly fur
nished little place just a step or two
above actual poverty. Over at the win
daw stood a slender girl OF about TWEEN
ty.; Her heavins shoulders and the
crrmpled extra" at her feet, which had
reached the Bronx as rapidly as we had,
told her story.
There was undoubtedly a connection
between Mary Rysn's troubled question
Of the day before and the bank robbery
which flashed Its story In big headlines
across the front page of our paper;
smoothed It out. II took me Just Sec
ond to read It:
THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLAR
BANK ROBBERY IN BRONX. /.
WATCHMAN MISSING.
"Police Seeking for George Me-