The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1920-10-28
CHAPTER XII.

liable. I am wasting lot OF 1t. I'll
tell you now I've got enough informa
ton to know this is the sort of case
we like a tough case. / haven't been
fooled a bit. You may not be interest
ed. Maybe no one here is interested,
but I'm interested. Do you get that,
Mr. Doctor, Mr.. Representative, Mr..
Fiance? I'm interested. This case is
going to be gone into. There's a crime
concealed somewhere which will do
our agency good to discover. We
sha'n't do it for money. We shall
do it for publicity. The advertising
will be worth thousands of dollars to
US. Do you understand 'me?"
81 know you can make life very mis-
cradle for US for a couple of days.
You will have to use your own judg-
ment."
81 can pack that lawn out there with
reporters and photographers from the
city. They'll see and talk to Mr.. Sid
ney. Take my word for that. They'll
see and talk to Mrs. Sidney and to
Miss Sidney. 1 can bring that down
to you by midnight"
1.-THE house has some projections"
said. you might suggest that to
the newspaper people for their own
good"
1.-The shyster and that common thief
Ann Forth got in, didn't they?
81 don't know Ann Forth"
mo, but you know Agnes Mitchell.
Well, you know Ann Forth, man. Say,
you simpleton, you don't know what
you're up against. This story just as
it stands-copy of sheet from manu-
Misunderstanding off with
Jed-theft of manuscript-death of
shyster-Ann Forth back in house
hidden crime-millionaire refuse
beautiful daughter-haunted house
it's copy for every paper in the coun-
try"
knew it and was appalled, by the
certain prospects.
sit would be a very cruel and use
less thing to do" said, "but as
told you, you must use your own judg-
ment. We are not interested in this
child's nursery story you are follow
ing, and 1 do not intend to have peo-
pie who are not we'll disturbed by the
questioning Of detective"
I knew how to deal safely with
Morgan, but the method was out of
the question. I should indeed have
been a simpleton if had not known.
All I had to ask was How much?"
We were wholly resolved against
paying blackmail, knowing that it was
only a gradual descent to ruin. It
was better to go in one direct plunge
if it were fated.
Morgan looked at me steadily for a
few moments as If giving me a chance
to listen to the voice of reason. His
method had been perfect. He was be-
yond a legal suspicion, and I knew
he was dangerous.
''Well, young man." he said at last,
1--WE are both wasting time-at least
I am. But it's only fair to you to
tell You that this is not the end of
the case. It's the kind of a case we
like, something tough and difficult.
We may not make any money out of
it, but when we are ready, we at least
shall be paid in publicity. You
needn't be afraid of the reporters and
photographers just now. It's too good
a case to waste that way. There's al
ways that, no matter what we turn up.
'"This case is just good enough
to spend some money on. It's just
good enough to send a couple of men
down to Montevideo. I'll tell you
in advance that is what we're going
to do.
''We'l go into the life of Mr.. Sidney
with q fiDe-toOth comb, and Wen do
it we'll. We are accustomed to doing
such things we'll. And Wen do this
well. Wen get something here or in
South America. Well follow that
something until we know why jed
copied two chapters of The Moon
stone and hid them in a box built in
;>ae springs of his bed.
"Then Wen come back here and ask
for little more cooperation in serv-
ing the purposes Of the law, and if we
don't get some help, the reporters and
photographers will be swarming on
the lawn. That's ALL Mr.. Doctor"
I knew at first glance that Morgan's
face was malevolent. Now I saw it
extraordinarily so.
"Tn have Jed show you the door,"
said
"And tell him we do not know
whether we take Dra~ada to South
America or not. 1t will make him
happy"
Jed was scrupulously the servant as
we dismissed Mr.. Morgan.
That was the fashion in which in