New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
prehend the object of nv call. Lam

prehend the object of my call. lam
not a reporter"
"What!" said hampton, pausing
in the act of taking cigarette.
"Then what the devil are you?'
my name is Paul Harley, and
am criminal investigator.
He spoke the words deliberately.
his eyes fixed upon the others face;
but, although hampton was palpa-
bly, startled, there was no trace of
fear in his straightforward glance.
He took a cigarette from the case.
Thanks, Mr.. Harley" he said. sT
cannot imagine what business has
brought you here"
II have come to ask you two cues
tions," Harley answered. "No. 1:
Who paid you to smash Major Rag
staff's white hat? No. 2: How much
did he pay you?"
To these questions I listened in
amazement, and my amazement was
evidently shared by hampton. He
had been in the act Of lighting his
cigarette, but he allowed the match
to burn down nearly to his fingers
and then dropped it, with muttered
exclamation, in the the fire. ~ don't
know how you found out" he said,
"but you evidently know the truth.
Provided you assure me that you
are not out to make a silly-season
newspaper story, III tell you all 1
know"
Harley laid his card on the table.
"Unless the ends Of justice demand
it," he said, 81 give you my word
that anything you care to say will
go no further. You may speak free
ly before my friend Mr.. Knox. Sim
ply tell me in as few words as pos
sible what led you to court arrest in
that manner"
s.RIGHT,' replied hampton, 'I
will" He half closed his eyes
refectively. 81 was having tea in
the Lyons Cafe, to which I always
go, last Monday afternoon about 4
o'clock, when man sat down facing
me and got into conversation.
"Describe him."
"fle was man rather above me-
dunn height. | should say about my
own build; dark, going gray. He
had neat mustache and a short
beard, and the look of man who
had Travelled a lot. His skin was
very tanned, almost as deeply as
yours, Mr.. Harley. Not at all the
sort of chap that goes in there as
rule. After a while he made an
extraordinary proposal. At first
thought he was joking, then when
grasped the idea that he was serious
L concluded he was mad. He asked
me how much year I earned, and
told him Peters & Peters paid me
3l5O year. He said, 'I'll give you
a years salary to knock mans hat
off,"
AS hampton spoke the words he
glanced at us with twinkling ewes.
but although for my own part was
merely amused, Harley's expression /,
had grown very stern. "Of course
l laughed,' continued hampton, "but |
when the man drew out a fat wallet |
and counted ten five-pound notes on
the table l began to think seriously
about his proposal. Even supposing
he was cracked, it was absolutely
money for nothing.
"'Of course he said, you'll lose
your job, and you may be arrested, |
but you'll say that you had been out |
with few friends and were little
excited, also that you never could
stand white hats. Stick to that story
and the balance of 210O will reach |
you on the following morning.
81 asked him for further particu-
lars, and l asked him why he had
picked me for the. job. He replied
that he had been looking for some
time for the right mana man who |
was strong enough physically to ac
complish the thing, and some one"-
Bampton's eyes twinkled again
with bit of dash in him, but at
the same time a man who could be
relied upon to stick to his guns and
not to give the game away.
"You asked me to be brief and TIL
try to be. The man in the white hat
was described to me and the exact
time and place of the meeting. |
Just had to grab his white hat, smash
1t and face the music. I agreed. |
don't deny that | had couple Of
stiff drinks before I set out, but the
memory of that $50 locked up here
IN my room, and the further hundred
promised, bucked me up. It was inn