The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-07-15
THE MISPLACED PIGMENT
AN ADVENTURE OF PETER CREWE -"THz MAN
WITH THE CAMERA EYES"
By H ROLD RTER


knees.
We've got to find the man who
killed Lord Pemberton," he said. "It
amt that I'd go a step further for a
lord than for plain man. But the
press has taken up the matter on
both sides OF the water, and our re-
pute's at stake"
"And your men are bafiied?" In
quired.
They can't get hold OF the least
clue" answered the Chief of Police
Il was thinking. II you could get your
friend Crewe to help us---"
why don't you ask him?" inter
posed.
20. come on. Mr.. Langton." an
swered the police chief with easy IA
miliarity. He'd Ieer us out OF the
place. You know, he'd do anything
for you, but he's had II In for us ever
since we took the credit for finding
that pretended suicide that came over
here to swindle the life insurance peo-
pie. Now II you'd induce him to as
sist us----"
The murder OF Lord Pemberton had
Dttn n CTlfue Vi TtIllufhdDie DIuldilAys
Pemberton, who was the worthless son
of an ancient English family. having
dlsgraced himself and his title In Eng
land, had been expatriated In return
for an annual stipend. which he has
spent regularly, as soon as It arrived.
In low haunts of New York's gambling
quarter. He had In particular honored
Delanceys gaming house with his
presence and had lost his income reg
ularly there as soon as II arrived. A
week or so previously, having re-
manned after the departure of the rest
of the patrons. he had been brutally
murdered by an employee. for the sake
OF few hundred dollars which still
remained to him, and his dismembered
body had been found the following
day In cellar, quite by chance. at the
time OF police raid on the establish
ment.
What was most singular In this care
was the fact that the murderer,
though known by sight, had succeeded
In completely eluding the detectives.
His name was Jackson-but that was
probably an alias. The attention OF
all the frequenters of the establish
ment had been especially attracted to
him by reason OF his unusual pallor,
his curly fiaxen hair which covered
his head like a mop. and his remark
able CLASSY, bloodshot eyes. After the
commission OF the murder he had
walked out OF the building and had
been swallowed up amid the populn-
tion OF the great city.
"You think he's still In New York;"
I asked the Chief of Police.
Sure he is. New York's life and
meat to them gamesters. Why, any
place outside would be hell TO him,
not TO mention that they'd spot him
sure"
Have you anticipated disguise?
He would naturally dye his hair, for
example"
That hairs a wig" answered the
police chief promptly. Else he'd have
dyed 1t long ago. We amt calculat
ing on the faxen curls, but we did
hope to lay hands on him through
some OF his associates. However, he's
vanished like pun of smoke"
The story interested me. In my ca
pacity as n police lawyer | had been
instrumental In solving many mysteri-
Gus crimes, often through the aid of
Crewe, who possessed the peculiar op-
tical power of never forgetting any
man or thing that had once impressed
itself upon his retina. Accordingly
broached the subject to Crewe and he
consented to meet the police chief.
''In trouble again, Mr.. BrenncrF
Crewe asked jocularly. And you want
me to get you out?"
81 guess you've sized up the situa-
tion pretty well. Mr. Crewe." Brenner
replied. Where is the man? Who's
hiding him and why don't they give
him up for the reward?"
Before answering YOU" said Crewe,
Il should like to examine the premises
Of the gambling house. | suppose they
are Just as they were after the muir
der?"
"Nothing's been touched" said Bren-
ner, except that we had the body
removed for burial We don't have TO
produce that In court, you know"
quite 50, SAID Crewe. Suppose
we go at once. then"
We set of In the direction of the
West Forties and soon arrived at De.
hncey's, which was very modest'ap'
pearing brownstone building Bren-
ner unlocked the front door with key
which he took from his pocket and we
went up to the gaming room on the
second floor. The tables, with their
roulette wheels. faro layouts and bac
carat packs. still remained as they had
been at the time of the raid, while
the floor was strewn with chips. Ex
cept for an accumulation of dust ev
erything was as II had been.
AT the back OF the room was a small
lavatory, containing the usual sink
with It's hot and cold faucets, pile
- hui N