Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-01-09
CHAPTER w.,
Trench Shows Feelinq.

|
but he didn't enter by the Imposing
front door,
There was another way, known we'll
enough to Trench and Just few of
the men who knew him, but who the
| general public never suspected knew
Trench at all.
| Through this back entrance the
politician made his way to small
room, unostentatiously furnished, and
sank down in a chair by the cheap
desk which carried nothing in the way
| Of ornamentaton upon its rusty top.
| There was ten.cent bottle Of link,
few pieces of plain paper. a large,
clean blotter that covered good part
of the desks top and generally con.
cealed the unvarnished surface.
"Dick MacLean," muttered Trench,
deep In his chair, his cigar turning
slowly from one corner of his mouth
to the other.
Trench knew MacLeGr, WE'LL he had
liked the young Harvard man who had
begun at the bottom of the newspaper
ladder and was climbing rapidly to
the top.
For perhaps half an hour Trench
never moved. The man appeared lost
in day-dreams, but in reality his brain
was working fast.
At last he aroused himself sudden
ly and walked across the room to the
telephone on side table.
He called three numbers and went
back to his desk.
There was no question about It;
Dick Mclean had been the man who
had called at the bank for the pack
age.
Another half hour Trench sat deep
in his chair, and then, as the spring
night came on, there was faint tap
at the door across the room, not the
door by which the politician had
gained his private room.
Trench raised his head. The knock
came, once, twice. with pause, and
then three sharp raps.
Come in," he growled.
The door opened slowly, admitted
a man, and closed again. Trench
hadn't moved, but his eyes were on
the face of the little wizened Irish
man who had proven himself a safe
guard against undesirable callers for
a good many years.
Its Mr.. Cruthers. sir. He's sure
you are here, after having been out ter
yer house and not finding yer there at
all, sir. He says he must see yer"
Trench simply nodded, and O'Brien
glided out of the room as quickly as
he had entered. A few moments later
the door opened again and Samuel
Cruthers, flushed and excited, came
bustling in. o
"At last!" he cried, drawing up
chair and dropping into it. "I've
looked everywhere for you, Trench.
They swore you weren't here. Why
the devil don't you leave word when
you come in?"
Trench hadn't made sign. He
Cruthers, who had known the man
only recently, save by reputation, w:s
obviously annoyed.
Why'd you walk out of my Office
like that? Man, this thing has got to
be looked INTO! The police have got
to land MacLean. / only held off
from going to them because you said
you'd be in town at once. Have you
set them hunting?"
Have you?" came the mumbled
question.
Cruthers mopped his damp fore.
head. "No, haven't, but l will. I've
got to, Trench. I've got to do some
thing! Heavens, man don't you see
what this means? Fifty thousand
dollars may not mean nuch to you
you who deal in big figures but it's
everything to my clients. My reputa.
tion is at stake here. l agreed with
the Midweather people to get you to
put that bill through. and when you
named what it would cost, we raised
the money. Now---now--" but the
lawyers rush of words ended hating.
ly as he got not even a sign from
Trencb's expression that the man
heard him.
Trench. what are you going to do :"
asked Cruthers after the two men
had looked each other in the eyes and
Cruthers's glance had fallen. fT
'"The police aren't wanted in this.
came from The politicians lips.
"What! DO you mean you aren't
going to move "a finger 10 catch Mac.
Lean"
Trench simply continued 10 study
Cruthers.
Suddenly the lawyer Ieaped TO his
feet in disgust. He was tail, ungu.
lar man. gray to white in hair, and OF
decidedly nervous temperament.
The non committal manner of Trench
worked upon his Uverwrought nerves.
He couldn't stand ii amy longer
ITO be Continued
It takes three generations to mr.