The Washington herald., 1921-02-20
An Q. Henry Story
THE CLARION CALL.

subject. I'm off to the West on q
morning train. / know a place out
there where l can negotiate the
Norcross sparks. Drink up. Barney,
and forget your troubles: Wen
have a jolly time while the police
are knocking their heads together
over the, case. I've got one OF, my
Sahara thirsts on tonight. But I'm
in the hands-the unofficial hands
of my old friend Barney, and
won't even dream of a cop"
And then, as Kernans ready
finger kept the button and the
waiter working, his weak point-a
tremendous vanity and arrogant
egotism, began to show itself. He
recounted story after story of his
successful plunderings, ingenious
plots and infamous transgressions
until Woods, with all his familiar
ity with evil-doers, felt growing
within him a cold abhorrence to-
ward the utterly vicious man who
had once been his benefactor.
ann disposed Of. Of Aourse," said
Woods, at length. "But l advise
you to keep under cover for a spell.
The newspapers may take up this
Norcross affair. There has been an
epidemic of 1burglaries and man.
slaughter in town this summer"
The word sent Herman into a high
glow of sullen and vindictive rage.
ITO HI with the newspapers,
he growled. What do they spell
but brag and blow and Doodle in
box-car letters? Suppose they 90
takeup a case-what does II amount
to? The police are easy enough to
fool; but what do the newspapers
do? They send a lot of pin-head
reporters around to the scene; and
they make for the nearest saloon
and have beer while they take pho
tos of the bartender's oldest daugh-
ter in evening dress, to print as the
fiancee of the young man in the
tenth story, who thought he heard
noise below on the night of the
murder. That's about as near as
the newspapers ever come to run
ming down Mr.. Burglar"
well. l don't know" said Woods.
rejecting. Some Of the papers
have done good work in that line.
There's the Morning Mars, for' in
stance. 1t warmed up two or three
trails. and got the man after the
police had let 'em get cold"
I'll show you" said Herman. ris-
ing and expanding his chest. I'll
show you what think OF newspa-
pers in general. and your Morning
Mars in particular"
Three feet from their table was
the telephone booth. Herman went
inside and sat at the instrument.
leaving the door open. He found a
number in the book. took down the
receiver and made his demand upon
Central. Woods sat still. looking
at the sneering, cold. viGilant face
waiting close to the transmitter.
and listened to the words that came
from the thin, trpculent lips curved
into COntemptuOus smile.
That the Morning Mars.
want to speak to the managing
editor. Why, tell him it's someone
who wants to talk to him about
! the NorCross murder.
You the editor? All right
am the man who killed old Nor
cross Wait! Hold the wire! I'm
>not the usual crank e.. Oh. there
isn't the slightest danger, I've
just been discussing it with a de-
teCtive friend Of mine. / killed the
old man at 2:30 a. m. two weeks
ago tomorrow 81. Have a drink with
you? Now, hadn't you better leave
that kind of talk to your funny
man? Can't you tell whether a
mans guying you or whether you're
being offered the biggest scoop
your dull dishraE of a paper ever
had. -. Well. that's a go; it's a
bobtail scoop-but you can hardly
expect me to phone in my name
and address. =. Why! Oh, because
l heard you make a speciality OF
solving mysterious crimes that
stump the police. ... No. that's not
all. l want to tell you that your
rotten, lying, penny sheet is of no
no more use in tracking an intelli-
gent murderer or highwayman than
a blind poodle would be .... What?
..Oh, no, this isn't a rival news
paper office; you're getting 1t
straight 1 did the Norcross job,
and I've got the Jewels in my suit
case at-'the name of the hotel
could not be learned'-you recognize
that phrase, don't you? l thought
so. You've used it often enough.
Kind of rattles you, doesn't it. to
have the mysterious villain call up
your great, big, all-powerful organ
of right and justice and good gov
ernment and tell you what a help
less Olu Sdc-bdB YOU al lN y u =
that out you're not that big a fool
no, you don't think I'm a fraud.
] can tell it by your voice. Now.
listen, and I'll give you a pointer
that will prove it to you. or
course. you've had this murder case
worked over by your staff of bright
I Young blockheads. Half of the sec
ond button on old Mrs. Norcross'
niChtgown is broken off. l saw 1t
when l took the garnet ring Oft her
finger. l thought it was a ruby 49,.
Stop that! 1t won't work"
Herman turned to Woods with a
diabolic smile.
i've got him going. He believes
me now. He didn't quite cove" the
transmitter with his hand when he
told somebody to call up Central on
another phone and get our number.
I'll give him just one more dig, and
then well make a getaway.
Hello! Yes. I'm here
yet. You. didn't think I'd run from
such a little subsidized, turncOat
rag of a newspaper, did you? O..
Have me inside of forty-eight
hours? Say, will you quit being
funny Now, you let grown men
alone and attend to your business OF
hunting up divorce cases and street
car accidents and printing the filth
and scandal that you make your
living by. Good-by. old boy-sorry
I haven't time to call on you. I'd
feel perfectly safe in your sanctum
asinorum. Tra-lar"
He's as mad as a cat that's lost
a mouse" said Herman. hanging up
the receiver and coming out. And
row, Barney, my boy. We'll go to a
show and enjoy ourselves until a
reasonable bedtime. Four hours
sleep for me, and then the west