The Monroe journal., 1921-05-27


sLockin >. and had lust hashei him in
the Fac. with the story of Mrs. Slasila's
ShUm Widowhood-
Hy and by We got around Ia my
burned hand. and Fred told me Grim
u.rr had al least succesile,i in clearing
up whatever mystery there was about
.hai. The wall switch for the electric
lsht in the lower hall II the head
quarters Was right beside the outer
dear ilmh-as knew. Il had bnrTsd
"ut IN some way. and that WAS why
there was no light on when went
downstairs And in hnrnin- oui IL
latl slort-rlrcuiied itself with the
hraS> lock OF the door: fred ,llsln'i
Snow iu>, how. but Grimmer had ex-
ilaiN..d IL ! asked him Il ';rimmrr
had explained hoM 10 volt lisii cnr-
trnt cnuld rnok me IKE i ir.rd potato
and hr said h. hadn't.
The afternoon NJ tie oi'i,s, WAS a
>urt ~ cuiand-come again repeat Of
The morning. with lots Of people mill
ln- around and things gong cracked
and 'ru>>-wayS. ~ they were hund
tn with the boss gene and = n,'w bass
coming. Nobody had any heart for
anything. and along late in the after
nocn when word came ~ a freight
wp'ck at Cross C-tek Gulch. Nh. Van
Britt threw up both hands aud Wiped
and Swore like a pirate. II just showed
what raw ,.lge the Headquarters
nerves were taking on.
Though ii wasn't his business, Mr..
Van Britt went out with the wreck
ing train. and Fred May and had II
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
biz disappointed when he found
only us two. Fred turned him over
to,me. and he came on In to the priv
ate office when | asked Alh to. and
smoked one Of the boss good cigars
out of box that 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
thar made you feel as II he We're
thinking along about q mile ahead OF
you when you were striking the best
thlnk-galt you ever knew OF.
"No word yet from Mr.. Norcross. !
supposed" he said.
told HIN there wasn't.
Its very singular to me. and to
all OF MS. AS II is to you, threw In.
The editor smoked on for full
minute without saying anything more,
and he seemed 10 be staring absently
at steamship picture on the wall.
When he got good and ready, he be
! gan again.
"You don't need any common plain
clothes man on this job, Jimmie you
need the best there Is: real. dyed.
| n.the.wool Sherlock Holmes. II there
ever were such miracle"
"You think II Is a case for de
terilve?"
Il do" he replied. looking straight
| nj me with his mild blue eyes. III
were one Of Mr.. N0rcross' close
friends | should get the best help that
could be found and not lose slng.s
minute about II"
Since there was nobody around
who was any closer to the boss than
was, Jumped into the hole pretty
quick.
can you tell us anything that Will
helm Mr.. Cantrell?" | asked.
Not specifically; ! wish | could
But | can say this: know Mr.. Rufus
Hatch and his associates up one side
and down the other They are hand
In glove with the political pirates who
control This state. From the littl'
that has leaked out, and the great dea
that has been published in the Hatch
controlled newspapers all over ths
state during the past few weeks. II l.
apparent that Mr.. Norcross remova
was thing greatly TO be desired. no
only by the Red Tower people, bu
also by the political bosses. Tha
ought TO be- enough 10 make aii o
you suspicious-very suspicious. Jim
nile"
The tall editor got up and made
ready 10 go. III were In your place
or rather ln Mr.. Van Britts. I'd ge
an expert on this job-and shouldn'
let much grass grow under my fee
while | was about II. Call me up
the Mountalneer office II can help
And with that he went sway.
II was just little while after thi
that put on my hat and strolle'
across the yard tracks to kirgan'
office ln the shops, Kirgan was al
old friend. as you might say be hat
been on the Oregon building Job witt
us and knew the boss through ant
through. ! dldu't have anything spe
cial 10 say. but | kind OF wanted q
talk IN somebody who knew. No