The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1925-07-09
THE
BELATED
EXTRA
BY w. T. WATERS, JR.
@ by Short Story Pub. Coz

was n0rrlned 10 nnQ the Spotngnt OF
the country turned unblinkingly on
one Of its own suburbs.
The fourth and last murder had
been the most atrocious of all. A
steady young bookkeeper, head Of
happy little household, was on his way
home Saturday evening, with his arms
full Of weekend packages. Searchers
found him late that night. The bun
dies were scattered about just as they
had fallen. A cabbage lay unrolled
from the wrappings. Some oranges
had rolled out Of a paper sack and
lay scattered In the mud at the edge
Of the sidewalk.
The bookkeeper himself-well, there
were no evidences Of robbery. There
was the same lack Of apparent motive
that had characterized all the other
killings of the past three months. The
same devilish hand seemed to show
In all Of them.
The police were baffled. Such faint
clews as they managed to unearth led
them nowhere. The city was getting
nervous. Men asked each other tim
orously where this thing would stop.
Few were bold enough to walk the
streets Of Southend-or, for that mat
ter, any other part Of the city-after
nightfall.
Haden, star man Of the News, was
on the story for his paper. For days
he had not been seen about the Office.
Not line Of copy came from him. To
his mates he himself had become
mystery.
Early on this particular afternoon
he sat in whispering conference with
Farnum, managing editor Of the News,
and Burke, the city editor. in the for
mer's office.
"It's the biggest story Of my life,"
Haden was saying. 1--WE tied every
thread together, and there's no doubt
on earth that I've located the flend.
Whatever you think about my yarn
now, before the days over you'll have
to believe it. He's the man, and no
mistake. I've hardly lost sight of him
for three days. At three o'clock I
meet Roswell. He's the deputy, you
know. Then we 60 together and get
the warrant, and after that there's
nothing to do but serve It,"
Farnum laughed nervously. "Just
be careful, Haden."
Roswell doesn't know where he's
going, and has no way of knowing
till I tell him. Nobody knows but you
and me- I've promised Roswell all the
credit If he keeps his head shut.
Every hole Is plugged. There just
can't be leak outside the office. If
it's kept tight inside here We'll wake
them all up with the biggest story Of
the decade-facts, solution, all.
II think it won't get out from here"
Farnum opined, smiling with show
of satisfaction, and pointing to his
locked desk. "In here's the type
and the only proof that's been taken.
The foreman Of the composing room
himself set 1t last night, after every
body had gone. He wouldn't tell I'M
der torture. If you've got 1t sewed up
outside, Haden, it's in q bag here.
Well stand by till you phone to let
'er go. Then she goes"
Haden stood up, looking at his
watch.
"Fair enough, then. I'll have to get
along. We've got to be prompt to the
dot. He doesn't vary a second. Ros-
we'll and I will get out there and wait,
and then while the fit Is on him, while
he's in his own trap with all the grue-
some stuff around him, We'll get him."
Its a ticklish business, and you
don't want to get hurt" said Burke,
shifting in his chair.
."Oh, I'm not fooling myself about
that part Of It," Haden answered,
shaking his head and smiling. II
warned Roswell to come prepared for
trouble. And he knows I never Joke"
He opened the door and stepped
across the threshold, lowering his
voice, though there was no one in sight
in the corridor.
when you hear let 'er GO from M
you can just send that extra sizzling
out, for I won't say 1t unless every
thing is all right. SO long,"
With a nod and a smile he closed
the door and was gone.
The regular city edition Of the after
noon run was Off the presses and gone.
The big machines in the bowels Of the
building were laundering forth the
out-of-town edition. One Of them was
not working. however. It's crew had
been ordered to "stand BY" and they
waited without knowing or caring the
reason. The boss pressman himself
had slipped the casts on the cylinder,
and nobody else below knew they were
there waiting for the press of button
that would send them racing into the
extra which was to startle the country.
Burke, on the top floor, held his
whole force Of reporters together.
Something's up, I'm thinking, and
it's got the bosses scared, from the
looks Of things" said Hurdy, of the