Evening star., 1935-12-15
December IS, 1895

public. Don't let the cab driver know where
you're going Discharge him at the corner of
Sycamore and ElmhurSt You can make it in
fifteen minutes. Remember, insist on ap-
pointments being kept to the minute. |
meter my minutes"
klay started to speak, but the receiver
banged at the other end of the line He stared
for moment at the dead telephone, then
slammed up his receiver and grabbed fran
ticaly for his shoes. He had heard of Craw-
ford, the eccentric publisher who refused to be
influenced by either friend or foe, man whose
boast was that he himself was never late and
that he had never waited more than two min
utes for any man in his life.
kay plunged headlong down the stairs.
When he reached the door, he realized that
he had forgotten his raincoat There was a
cab-stand at the corner. however, and by
keeping close to the awnings and sprinting he
could make it.
He jumped into the cab. said, Corner
Sycamore Drive and Elmhurst Street - step
on it,"
Streets are pretty skiddy, buddy" the
cab driver pointed out. "If you want to get
there in one piece -"
II want to get there on time" Klay said.
Il might Just as well be in pieces as not to
get there by nine-thirty."
The driver slammed in the clutch. The
cab lurched forward and hurtled its way into
the driving rain, the tires sending out Kissing
streamers of water.
Klay kept his eyes on his wrist watch -
SIX minutes - seven minutes eight min
utes. He wiped the steam from the inside of
tIlr cab windows with his pocket handker-
chief, and pressed his face close to the glass in
order to see where he was. The cab turned into
Sycamore Drive on Maple Avenue - only
few blocks more to 60
klay, settling back in the cushions, looked
at his watch once more In exactly eleven
minutes from the time he had taken the cab,
the driver applied the brakes and skidded
diagonally into the curb
Here you are, boss" he said "Elmhurst
and Sycamore - and | hope it was fast
enough to suit you
Klay handed the man the amount of the
meter plus ffty-cent piece, said Thanks" ;"
and plunged out into the rain The driver
watched him as he sprinted down the street,
then slowly turned the car in wide circle at
the intersection.
Klay recognized the Crawford house with
out difficulty 1t was huge mansion which
sat back some twenty-five feet from the side
walk. A driveway leading toward garage
seemed to offer the best means of reaching
the back of the house. Still running lightly,
klay turned into the driveway. Two down.
stairs rooms in the front of the house we're
lighted. There were no lights in the back of
the house, but there was light on the
garage. 1t showed the back door to be stand
ing slightly open.
For the first time, a feeling of uneasiness
gripped the lawyer 1t was one thing to answer
a telephone summons from powerful man
who offered him an opportunity to crash the
headlines of the local newspaper in spec
taCular case, a man who was sufficiently
powerful to give him weapon with which he
could wage war against the machine which
controlled the city and which had railroaded
his brother to the penitentiary. 1t was quite
another thing to dash into a strange house
without so much as knock at the door.
Klay hesitated. then pounded with his
knuckles on the panels of the door.
There was no response from within. but the
door, swinging on its hinges, yielded to the
impact of Klay's knocks and swung wide
open Wind had come up with the rain, and
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