The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-05-19

nd he said he hadn't.
The afternoon at the office was a
0rt Of cut-and-cOme-again repeat of
he morning, with lots of people mill
ng around and things going crooked
md crOss-ways, as they were bound
% with the boss gone and a new boss
coming. Nobody had any heart for
and along late in the after
noon when word came Of a freight
wreck at Cross Creek Gulch, Mr. Van
Britt threw up both hands and TYPED
and swOre like a pirate. 1t just showed
what a raw edge the headquarters
nerves were taking on.
Though it wasn't his business, Mr..
Ven Britt went out with the wreck
ing train, and Fred May and I had 1t
all to ourselves for the remaining hour
or so up to closing time. Just before
five, Mr.. Cantrell, the editor of the
Mountaineer, dropped in. He looked
bit disappointed when he found
only us two. Fred turned him over
to me, and he came on in to the priv
ate office when l asked him to, and
smoked one of the boss good cigars
out Of a box that l found in the big
desk.
liked Cantrell. He was just the
sort of man you expect an editor to
be; tall and thin and kind of mild
eyed, with an absent way with him
that made you feel as If he were
thinking along about a mile ahead of
you when you were striking the best
think-gait you ever knew Of.
mo word yet from Mr.. Norcross, !
suppose? he said.
| told him there wasn't.
Its very singular to me, and &c
all of us, as it is to you," threw IN
The editor smoked on for fui
minute without saying anything more
and he seemed to be staring ABSENT!
at a steamship picture on the wall
When he got good and ready, he De
gan again.
"You don't need any common plain
clothes man on this job, Jimmie; yol
need the best there is: real, dyeo
: in-the-wool Sherlock Holmes, If ther
ever were such miracle"
"You think 1t is a case for Ut
tective?' ,
0 81 do" he replied, looking straigf
n at me with his mild blue eyes. y
n T were one of Mr.. Norcross' clos
d friends I should get the best help TIL
= could be found and not lose a sing
J. minute about it."
q Since there was nobody arouI
Il who was any closer to the boss tll'
v | was, I jumped into the hole pref
~ quick.
% "Can you tell us anything that W
r. help Mr.. Cantrell?" asked.
K, "Not specifically; wish | cou
g But I can say this: I know Mr.. Ruf
IL Hatch. and his associates up one 81
and down the other. They are hal
w in.gloye with the political pirates W
ey control this state. From the III
en- that has leaked out, and the great d
ne that has been published in the Hat
p controlled newspapers all over
nd state during the past few weeks, II
to apparent that Mr.. Norcross' reno
was a thing greatly to be DESIRED
ne only by the Red Tower people, r.,
ay, also by the political bosses. L
My ought to be enough to make all
nd YOU susplcious-very suspicious )
me ME-"
md The tall editor got up ana m
lily ready to go. IF I were In your pl
md or rather in Mr.. Van Britts' Ia
rift an expert on this job-and / Shout
18th LOT much grass grow under my
ter while 7 was about 1t. Call me W
ng; tho Mountaineer office If I can ne
his And with that he went away
tier It was just little while after
a that I put on my hat and sire
'oof across the yard tracks to hlrs
had office in the shops. Kirgan was
Jew Old friend, as you might say: he
been on the Oregon building JOB
png, ~ and knew the boss through
con, through. l didn't have anything
1t cIal to say, but kind Of wante
two to]k to somebody who knew
light loafed in on Kirgan. ,uo
felt 10 loved the boss like a bro
our Az soon as I came In, he fired MI
hing stenographer on some errand or re- Q
lot and made me sit down ana tel
on1 knew. When got throus
with was pulling at his long mustache
here wrinkling his nose as i've seen
And dog do when he was gettlhs fe''
mind bite something. 49,. H.,
that that ' "you haven't got all the arc
o,ter business cornered over yonder Il
# Of general office, Jimmie" he SAID
IN in ", fitting back in his swlns-cnal
elias elowering at me with those sul.fs {,
~ his. ION that same night that
, n.y. talkin' about, I stand to lose on
9r, ~, fectly good Atlantic-type LOGON
1.-TWO At ten o'clock she was set IN
shout SPUR below the coal chutes' Al
aot.,o O'clock, when the round-house '
Nd. man went down there to see
n,,ar fire was banked all right she
urned gone"