Evening star., 1917-09-23

the habit OF playing practical jokes,
Herkomer knew.
He studied the writing of the mes
sage. Scrawled perkily. the words
were: nevertheless they were patiently
written-even to one note a graphol-
ogist-by one to whom jerkiness and
scrawling were natural. There was no
evidence Of undue haste in the writing.
the pen had scratched. its points
spread by haste. II the signature was
genuine. the body of the note was
genuine. If Malcolm had noticed moth
sprawled half the width Of the sheet
OF paper. then there was nothing
wrong about the other words that ran
80 irregularly across 1t.
But why? Herkomer leaned back
in his chair, his hand playing with the
sugar tongs. His forehead wrinkled.
The envelope was creased and the note
within was creased--not with the
wrinkles that lying in the dust or
being carried around by Peter Perkins
might have put in them, but with the
wrinkles that weeks OF continual car
rying around In pocket put In any
paper. wrinkles that denote compare
tive age.
Herkomer pulled from his pocket the
last letter that his father had written
him before he died seven years ago.
Although of different texture, this pa
per held the same sort of wrinkles and
always carried it inside a leather bill
fold. His eyes softened as he glanced
at the lines penned by the old judge.
his father: then he put the letter away
and he frowned again.
An old note. carried around In old
Conybear's pocket until an emergency
-Herkomer sat up stiffiy. In due time
he could see Conybear and have an ex-
planation of the note. Meantime. WASH. t
it sufficient that he had the financier's
confidential secretary's word for it that
Conybear was all right?
The fnancier had had plenty of time
to return from New England. Why.
New England might have meant mere
ly across the Connecticut line. Cony-
bear could easily have got back today.
And If he were seen in bank, in COM
pany with Philip Waring-whom Her
komer knew by sight and name-why,
an. He must shake off this creepy
feeling. unbecoming a grown man and
the commissioner of New York's police.
He signed his check and rose from
his chair. AS he did SO boy came
to his table.
You're wanted on the telephone. Mr.
Herkomer," he said.
Herkomer walked to the booth just
outside the dining room door.
This you. Commissioner? This Is
Kelcey talkin' Say, you know that
note you got this afternoon"
certainly; &c What about it,"
lAoohS like there might DS come
thing in 1t. commissioner"
'Eh? What do you mear?'
III. Halfway Symors-you know,
president of Amalgamated General
has been down here lookin' for you.
He's in a terrible stew. The Burnhams
have been workin' for him since morn
ing and amt found ou, blasted thing,
So
What's happened?" roared Herko-
mer.
.C1urs. PrAnderpas, Iar,ed AND
Mikells-the four biggest guys in Anal
gamated except old Conybear-theyre
missin'. And Symons can't get hold of
Conybear-out Of town, they tell him at
his Portsmouth place And at his Office
they say the same thing. And Symons
is in a terrible state; he-
There were occasions when Sergt Kel-
cey let excitement master him. Her
komer could hardly blame him, for If
there was more than hysteria bothering
Symons, then the biggest job that Her
komer had ever tackled confronted the
commissioner now. But Kelcey must
not be permitted to wander
What's happened?" demanded the
commissioner again. Words of one