The Tomahawk., 1925-02-05
OUT
OF THE
UNKNOWN
BY H. p. HOLT
&c ~ Short Story Pub. Coz

- city editor, past cigar
i i into the telephone.
Gould you tell me
what sized hat Mr.. Abe Glover wears?"
asked a voice.
you're up the wrong street. This
Is a newspaper Office" replied the city
editor, hanging up the receiver.
Again the telephone rang.
Hello" said the city editor.
Gould you tell me what sized hat
Mr.. Abe Glover wears?' asked the
voice.
Say, are you a gramophone rec
ord2" snapped the city editor. How
did you get back on this liner We've
got a switch girl to protect US from
freaks. Hello, switch"
1.-THE young lady put me through to
you at my request" said the voice. II
should be glad If you could answer my
question"
what do you take us for? A pub
lie inquiry bureau, or home for the
mentally affiictedT
"You make inquiries at your place,
don't your" the voice asked.
"Well, we have been known to-"
Denton agreed, but we're not doing
much in the hat-size line just now"
II thought one Of your men might
take the trouble to ask while he Is at
Mr.. GlOver's house today" said the
voice.
For the space of two seconds the
city editor remained dumb. He was
about to smash the receiver on again,
when some instinct made him ask a
further question.
(Which Mr.. Glover are you talking
about" he said.
"Why. Abe, Glover, Of course"
"Do you mean the millionaire"
"Sure. Your brains aren't very
bright this afternoon. I want to know
the size Of the hat worn by the Mr..
Abe Glover whose safe was cleaned
out Of jewels during the night"
1t usually takes two railroad COLL
sions and a royal assassination to
make city editor gasp, but Denton
made an exception In this case. The
information had come through upside
down, and If Glover's jewels had gone
fortune had changed hands.
"That sounds like big beat" he
said into the instrument, land l am
sure we are very much obliged to you.
Just hold the line second"
He clapped his hand over the trans
mitter and turned to the man at his
side.
1--WE got lost lunatic on this wire.
Either he's fit for the madhOuse or
there's a providence watching over
this Office today. Fetch Curtis, quick.
I expect 1 shall want both Of you to
tackle the story. Streak"
"Now," he added in a suave voice,
into the telephone, 'you were saying
the safe at Abe Glover's house had
been emptied. The policeman on our
beat doesn't seem to have got wind Of
1t yet"
HE wouldn't" said the voice. II
guess he'd rather take poison than let
1t get into the papers"
did you hear exactly what had been
stolen?"
Bonds and diamonds chiefly, I be-
lieve," said the voice. 1T was done
thoroughly. There must be close on a
hundred thousand dollars missing al
together"
The city editor turned to the two
star reporters at his side and jabbed
such facts as he had at them, adding
a few instructions in staccato fashion.
Don't forget to inquire about the
size Of Mr.. Glover's hat, will your
asked the voice, when the city editor
turned his attention to the telephone
again.
Sure" replied Denton. by the
way, I'd be glad to have your name
and anything else you know about this
affair.""
The line was as silent as the grave.
While the two sleuths were making
tracks for the palatial residence of
Mr.. Abe Glover with a scandalous dis
regard for the speed limit, Denton got
busy on the telephone again, and here
he received blow. Yes, Mr.. Glover
was in. 1t was Mr.. Glover speaking.
What? No, certainly not. His safe
was perfectly intact, right under his
very eyes.
On the face of things, the young
cyclone that had burst In the Office
was panning out to nothing, and the
city editor felt that he would like to
hit somebody, but that was not the
way he earned his living, so he sat
tight, waiting for some tangible sign
| from his two sleuths. Twenty minutes
passed and the city editor was begin
/ ming to wonder II news of any kind
were going to break loose that day,
when he heard Curtis cooling to him
| over the wire.
"It's a great yarn" said the reporter
"you can put the figure at hundred
thousand dollars easily, but don't die
OF shock when yOu hear what it cost
US to square the butler. Old Glover
has given a definite promise that he
- 1t