The Washington herald., 1919-01-12
CHAPTER ].
The Whispering Noiee.S

Smith Of the pure heart walks the
pavements with broken shoes-there
is a mansion so rich and so rare that
II stands alone.
Turret and tower. green-bronze
roof Cararra-marbled portico and
iron griIled gates brought from Hy-
dera0ad. have made this mansion the
show place and the Peri's paradise for
those who parade the avenue called
Fifth. in an unending sash of fashion.
Out from this palace at the close
OF a winters day, there flashed the
tiny pulsations Of voice-induced cur
rents OF electricity which reached the
telephone-central. were plugged upon
the proper underground paper-insu-
lated wires and entered, even as the
voice was speaking. the cloud-hung
once Of Detective Drew.
Triggy Drew, as he was called( was
dark, stout and Al years Of age to
month. He crooked his elbow. re-
moved his cigar and pressed the tele-
phone-receiver to his ear.
The voice that came over the whis-
pering wires was as clear as a bell
within a bell 1t said:
Montgomery Stockbridge wants
you"
Leave. His once.
Drew hung up the telephone
receiver. He replaced the cigar in his
mouth. He wheeled in his chair and
pressed a buzzer. To the operative
who entered he said:
Delaney, watch things while I'm
gone. I'm called uptown
The operative reached and handed
Drew his coat. He took the swivel
chair before the desk. as his chief
ciapped on a hat. turned his eyes to-
ward the ground-glass door. and
passed out with a brisk stride.
It's a big case" said Delaney lean
ing back ''Triggy is on somebody's
trail Maybe-maybe not!'
Drew nodded to the waiting opera
uVes in the outer room OF the suite.
He swung into the hallway with his
brown eyes glowing like a man who
walked out OF realism into romance.
The elevator plumbed eighteen
stories. The corridor was clear. A
taxi stood at the curb. Into this
Drew stepped. gave the adress and
was gently seated as the driver re-
leased his brake. set the meter. and
dropped through first, second and into
third speed.
Past Wall street the taxi flashed. 1t
rounded toward the Bowery. which
showed that the driver knew his map
II struck up through the car tracks.
across to Washington Park and there
took the long longitude of Fifth ave-
nue. as the shortest and quickest way
uptown
Drew had no eye for the passers-
by. He was repeating two words over
and over like a novice counting the
same beads. Montgomery Stockbridge
was a name to cOnjure with in the
Bagdad Of Seven Million. He had
made many enemies and much money.
His wealth ran well above seven
figures
stopped mt Church.
The taxi came to a gliding halt.
Drew stepped out in front Of a
church He tossed the driver two
one-dOllar bills and some silver. He
waited as the taxi merged in the
traffic He turned and glanced keen
" up and down the avenue. Then he
hurried north for one square, paused
before the mansion of turrets and
towers, and pressed a button which
was set in the doorway
The door Opend to a crack, then
wide. butler barred the way. To
him Drew said. Mr.. Stockbridge sent
for me"
The butler bowed with old world
rivility. He took the detectives hat /
and coat. He waited until Drew re-
moved his gloves. He bowed for
second time and led the way over
rugs whose pile was as thick as some
Persian temples. They came finally,
after an aisle of old masters, to the
inner circle of latter-day finance and
Tnoney-wiZardry-the celebrated libra
ry Of Montgomery StOckbridge
The munitiOn magnate sat there. He
turned as the butler announced the
detective. He shot a gray-thatched
Ta'r OF eyes uD and over a mahogany
table upon which a white envelope
lay. He smiled coldly His thumb
jeTked toward a leather chair into
which Drew sank and leaned his ell
bows upon the table.
Stockbridge coughed dryly. He
blinked and studied the detectives
face for a long minute. He glanced
from the envelope up at cone of
rose light which hung from a cluster
of electric globes. His expression.
seen in this light. was like an aged
lion brought to bay. His wrinkIed
skin was tawny. His hands coiled
and unCoiled like claws. They moved
prehensily. as though cobwebs were
in that perfumed air of wealth and
security They poised over the en-
velope as If to snatch the secret or
delusion hidden there.
Letter from "Cemetery.,
See that letter" declared the mu-
milton Magnate, closing his fist and
hanging the table. See it? Dye see
it?''
Drew widened his eyes at the out
burst He crossed his legs and
nodded.
It's blackmail." Stockbridge snarl-
ed. "Rank-scented blackmail OF the
cheapest order
"A threat OF some kind?"
Threat? Yes-a threat, in q wav.
It's clever. but it won't work with
me-"
Drew recrossed his legs. He touched
his short-cropped mustache with the |
fingers Of his right hand. He coughed !
as in suggestion. His brows lifted as
he studied the envelope from a dis
tance-
Stockbridge snatched it up suddenly.
He slapped It against the edge OF the |
polished table, He turned and found !
a cigar to his liking out of many in |
a humidor beneath a smaller table at |
the right OF his chair. He bit on this |
sigar, struck a match, and dragged |
in the smoke with deep inhalings be- |
t7re he turned and opened the en-
velope, exposing a letter which he |
raped with the knuckles of his left |
hand.