The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-10-14

took up half the front page with his
photograph and the copy of the diary
The Union. his friend. Joe Lightner's
paper. was as friendly as possible,
but 1t had to print the news.
well" said Clarewood, II invited
the storm and here IT is. Now to
business"
He called in Symons. his assistant,
who rushed In quivering with indig-
nation. Clarewood Immediately asked
him If any arrests had been made.
None of the big ones, like Broder
and Wardell Some how they got
wind of 1t and skipped. We got Rayle
and Winder and Flann."
'of course, said Clarewood. in this
kind of fishing the little ones get
caught and the big ones get away
At any rate we've driven Broder and
Wardell out of Elliston. Their power
is broken"
He knew symons wished to talk
about the newspaper story and ex-
press sympathy, hut there was no
time for that now He wanted to
rush things through He spent the
next hour going over routine mat
tiers with Symons.
All the morning the newspaper re-
porters had been trying to see Clare
wood and after returning from lunch
he let them all in. Wise-eyed and
lnquisitive they were like an inves-
tigation committee at the scene Of q
railroad WEech. lHey ihSu CiolSNVOu
personally. even those whose em-
ployers had compelled them to write
articles against him. Not one had
the tenerity to ask him II the story
were true, but it was plain that they
expected hot denial
Hello, fellows" he said brightly
as they filed in, tense and sharp
to go around. Why. hello. Joe, l
didn't know you'd turned reporter
too"
az haven't" laughed Joe Lightner.
~ just drifted in with the wave"
well. fellows" said Clarewood, you
tried to scrub my skin off this morn
ing, Ell? Good stuff too, some of It
sfof course. Mr.. Ciarewood," said
an older reporter, I'VE thought you
might want to say something about
this story"
Yes. naturally. Well. just say for
me that I'm no Atlanta"
The reporters looked puzzled
What, you don't follow me? Why"
said Clarewood with a meaning grin,
from the general reputation of re-
porters thought they were all stu
Of mythology. You've forgotten the
Greek fable. Atalanta, the girl won
der, was racing with Hippomenes.
whose life depended on his victory.
ana whenever Sne was ABOUT to pass
him he threw a golden apple in front
of her. She stopped to pick up the
apple and so lost the race.
Now, my purpose is to clean up the
city of Elliston and no newspaper
story is going to drive me off the
trail"
"You have no comment to make ON
the peculiar nature Of the story?"
asked the reporter.
I'll attend to all that when the
important job is done"
Unfortunately, sir, many people
viii regard the story as the more
important"
/. More Important than cleaning up
the city making II good place for
your wives and daughters and children
to live in?"
The reporters did not answer. They
filed out slowly, leaving only Joe
Lightner behind.
well, John" he beamed, clasping
Clarewood's hand firmly. The worst
is over. You came through like a
man. i know how desperate Broder
and Wardell were and l expected
something like this. / felt 1t had to
come sooner or LATER and / figured
that If you had the tiniest hit of yell
low in you you'd show it."
why do you say 1t had to come
sooner or later. Joe?"
"Why, John old boy" said Light
ner, laying hand on CIarewood's
shoulder, eve known for years that
you are a Negro"
Ito be continued next weekly.