The Monmouth inquirer., 1918-03-21
THE ST. DUNSTAN.
MYSTERY
BY PERRY NEWRERRY.
Copyright,
The Frank A. Munsey Co.
CHAPTER II.
The Empty Shell.

murder combined with the racket OF
a number Of air-riveters which began
work on an adjacent building frame
at some unearthly hour of the morn
ing, speaking from newspaper man s
yiewpoint. They hammered battle
into nv dreams, and when Kodanis S
knock came at the door. it was can
non shot amidst the mach1ne-gun 1lre.
"It is YER good morning, sir" said
the little Jap, bowling tremendously
in the doorway. '"The breakfas' is
serve"
"Two jiffeysi" / said, jumping for
the bath. had intended to begin my
first days liberty from the newspaper
griEd with early rising, but the habit
proved stronger than will. 1t was half
Bast eleven when l sat down at table.
"Any mail?" / asked. picking UP the
Sentinel beside my plate.
Il present note of writing given by
boy in buttons" responded the Jap,
passing me an envelope. 1t was from
the SentinePs city editor. swore as
l tore it open and read:
Dear Gilly:
"Give us another week or ten days
on st. Dunstan murder. 1t looks like
a big story. Come out of your trance.
Edwards"
/ found the story on the front page
of the Sentinel, brief because of its
late discovery, but conspicuous with
blackface type, my own name a fea-
ture. After breakfast l left word by
telephone for Edwards that under no
conditions would / undertake the mys-
terry, and l was through with news
paper work forever, then put the mat
ter out of my mind and went about
my business of finding a meal-ticket
substitute for the office.
Although l had resigned suddenly,
my reason for it was ten years old. l
was forty, and thirty Is the old-age
limit for newsgetters. had improved
not a bit professionally in decade,
and / wasn't fool enough to think /
had The natural gain in faculty was
Offset by lack of interest, enthusiasm,
and energy. vital necessities in the
game, and the ardent desire of my ear
lier years to shoulder difficulties, had
been succeeded by a tendency to
shirk.
Boys whom had started in the race
were passing me. for my race had
been run. l was old Father Time,
gray-whiskered and baldheaded, in the
young mans game of gathering news,
and there was no other part of news
paper-making that interested me.
Although had no definite prospect
of employment, had an idea of what
/ wanted to do, an inheritance from
my first years as a reporter. The
waterfront detail, as they call the long
news-beat from Fishermans wharf
on North Beach to the Islais Creek in
I let, in San Francisco, had been one of
earliest assignments, and its romance,
its salt breeZes and tarred doors had
persisted.
1 presume / have Viking ancestor
somewhere in the roots of my family
tree, for I never recovered from my
desire for a sea-faring life. intended
to try for employment that would me-
cessitate occasional sea voyages;
something connected with shipping.
knew Thurston, of the Thurston
Line, running a fleet of coasters to
Mexican and South American ports,
having met him frequently in pro-
fessional way, and I made him my
first objective in the search for job.
They let me into his private Office
without difficulties, and he greeted me
cheerfully.
you're breaking into the news col
umns yourself, Gilmore" he cried, af
ter his Hello"
"That St. Dunstan affair? Yes;
found the body. came to ask you
about"
Excuse me. Have they identified
her YETI"
81 don't know. have quit the Sen
tinel and newspaper work. so am not
interested. l called, Mr.. Thurston-"
"Quit the Sentinel? And story like
this murder right under your very
nosei What you mean, Gilmore?"
was annoyed. l had not come
there to discuss the st. Dunstan case,
but as was in the way of asking fav-
ors, could not be peevish. l explain
ed my reasons for resigning, and gave
him details so far as / had them of
the mystery, answering his keen Ques-
tions. Then l stated the reason for
my visit.
"Mr. Thurston," began, Il am look
ing for position with some shipping
concern giving me opportunity for
travel"
"Any experience?"
'Pve journeyed as far as Los An
geles once" l smiled. Il have also
crossed the bay frequently on the fer
ries."
"Old Salti" chuckled Thurston.
"Deep-water sailor!"
Il have what Is valuable in any
business, the efficiency of newspaper
training where results are all that
counts, where close observation and
trained deduction are essentials; al
so know the names and tonnage OF
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