Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-01-11
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER
From the very first the idea of i'm.
personating a paroled convict and en-
| gaging in a battle of wits with a my.
sterious criminal organization had ap-
pealed to me. Ten years IN the business
had not lessened my boyish love Of
adventure, or cooled the tingling thrills
that came from working my way ou'
Of a tight place. Stin / was far from
| the story book picture Of a successful
! detective. l could not read the history
! Of a man from his discarded cigarette
or deduce the motive for a crime from
the color of the victims necktie, but
when It came TO getting inside my op-
Donents guard and taking long chances
at close range, I was in my element and
1 usually won.
So it was with nerves a-tingle with
an eager anticipation, that l finally
tested the theory that had taken me by
the hobo route from the gates Of Mid
die West prison to the water front Of
Seattle. l had learned everything that
a stool pigeon, well in his confidence,
could discover about Sam Derby, the
defaulting teller Of the Enderly bank. I
had even studied the man l was to
double for at close range inside the
gloomy prison walls. Finally, I had
reached Seattle and had inserted a per
sonal" in the IntelHgencer.
Now as I walked down the dark, water
front street, / felt that my hrst test was
near-for I was being followed.
Under the next street light slim
young man in foppy cap accosted me.
Got match?" he asked.
The game was on at last took
from my pocket the tiny piece Of whit
tied wood that I had been carrying since
reached Seattle, and handed 1t over.
The young man gave It quick glance
and scratched it upon the sole Of his
shoe.
TITS no good" he grunted.
"Try the other end" l suggested.
He did not follow my suggestion. IN
stead he dropped the fake match into
his pocket produced a box Of safeties
and lighted hts cigarette. All the while
could see his sharp eyes boring into
me.
"You seem to be the man I'm after"
he said at last. GONE on"
We walked together to n corner drug
store where my companion entered a
booth and telephoned to some one. When
be came out he led the way into 4 very
dark side street and finally turned in
at an area gate. We stumbled up
gloomy stairway and passed into hall
lighted by a gas Jet. Ny guide raped
upon a door then turned the knob and
entered.
All at once I was at ease. The nerve
wrecking monotony az my voluntary i'm
prisonment and the misery of the cold
box car rides were forgotten In the thrill
Of nearness to my adventure.
When / could see IN the gloom OF the
barely furnished room. I was conscious
Of a big man sitting on the bed. He was
dressed IN overalls, but there was some
thing about the smoothness OF his fat
face the up-to-date cut Of HIS sandy
hair and the easy manner IN which he
rose at out entrance that told me plainly
that he was dressed for the occasion.
Here's your man. Merry" introduced
my guide.
The big man nodded 10 me and indi-
Gated rlckety chair, but he did not
offer his hand.
stick around outside. Bob he ordered
the younger man. "Now"-when we were
aloue-"telI me why you came to Sc
attle."
II came to collect a commission on
some business that did for the United
Syndicate a year ago"
The mans heavy eyes bored into ne,
How much is coming 10 your"
About twenty three thousand
whats your name?"
"Sam Derby was my latest one l
replied with a meaning grin
My Questioner seemed to rolax little
and ] was sure I had passed the crlti-
cnI poinnt / had feared that I would
have to face some one who had known
Derby in the past. but as far as I could
see neither of these two knew him by
sight. But II I thought my examina-
ton was ended I was mistaken. The
big man took folded sheet Of notepaper
from his pocket and smoothed it on his
knee.
MY names Merriman," he said look
ing up at me with q comradely frin.
my job now is to make sure that you
are Sam Derby. Where were you born :"
At once I knew that I was in for it,
and I was mighty glad I had spent long
hours studying Bill Graham's report
"Hoboken," I replied quickly.
What was your fathers name7"
"James J. Clancy" I thanked the
stars for Bill Graham's thoroughness in
all that he does.
where did you 60 from Hoboken7"
"My mother died when I was ten Then
we moved up into New York State
to a little town called Monroe. The old
man got a job on the railroad"
Followed dozen or more auctions,
then
what the circumstances Of your first
employment by the United syndicate2"
II was down and out in Reno. fell
low picked me up and We got pretty
thick. Finally he told me that he could
get mo a good job in a bank. He took
me to man named Foster, who said he
was the agent of a peculiar organiza-
ton called tho United Syndicate. After
several conferences Foster made me a
proposition"
Foster was to provide me with all