The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-09-19
CHAPTER H-Continued

AA-SOuLAhuCu
;
Hoyt had brought down thick
shouldered person with an unlighted
cigar clamped in his jaws who ad-
vanced and tapped Higgins on the
shoulder so that the superintendent
jumped.
''Higgins?" his accoster asked.
"C'm on. Captain wants you"
My employer cast a look of ap-
peal over his shoulder as he was
marched away. 1t puzzled me. I
could not imagine him a murderer,
yet he had asked me for an alibi.
An elderly young man in a Ches-
terfield overcoat, with cane hooked
over his arm and glasses tethered
to a black cord, approached the po-
iceman at the door, stood for some
minutes, not in argument but con-
versation with the sentinel, and then
pushed past him, undeterred.
Something in his cocksure swag-
ger irked me and woke foggy recol-
lection. As he spoke, l recognized
him. He had strolled through the
anteroom of the Spheres offices that
noon while I had waited for the
scornful Office boy to tell me once
again that Lomax, the city editor,
could not see me.
Evening"" said the intruder
briskly. ''Pm from the Sphere.
Duke. Larry Duke"
It was childish to vent my griev-
ance against Lomax upon his report
er, but my nerves were tangled and
I had had no lunch, thanks to my
fruitless journey to the Spheres Of
fee.
'Yes?" I said.
Duke leaned against the switch
board and Lit a cigarette. That
made me angrier. I needed one so.
Had little killing upstairs, eh?"
he asked. Know anything about
it?''
Plenty" I told him. 81 found
the body"
That shook him up. He jerked so
that his eyeglasses fell off. He
hauled copy paper from his pocket.
Amt" he grinned, "ain't this
somepin? First, let's get your name
right"
I gave it to him. He printed it
carefully at the top of the page.
Now" he gloated, 'tel me all
about it. How did you know there'd
been a killing? When did it happen?"
Easy" I said. "I'm not work
ing for the Sphere"
He put on his glasses again and
stared at me.
81 don't get you," he said at last.
"Sure you DON'T" told him and
! loved it. I was landing punch at
last after being hammered all over
the ring. "You don't get me-or a
word out of me-"
He looked at me harder.
''Now watt" he wheedled. Don't
be that way. If you can give this to
me exclusive, there'n be a piece of
change in it for you"
81 can," I said, "but won't, and
I'll tell you why"
It felt so good to get little of
my own back that wanted more.
And besides I never saw a man
with a black tie-rope to his glasses
whom / liked. In my mind l COM
bined Duke and his boss, Lomax,
retaining tn worst features of both.
Believe it or not" told the re-
porter, 81 used to be q newspaper
man myself. I came to this town
with a letter to Lomax from Doc
Gilchrist. When Lomax didn't have
two nickels to rub together, Doc
gave him a job and taught him all
he knows. / sent in the letter. Lo-
max was busy; come back in
week. In a week he was still busy.
And the week after and the week
after that"
Boy" said Duke, there are a
lot better newspaper men than you'll
ever be looking for work in this
town and not finding any,"
Maybe" I granted. eff you knew
the story I could write at present,
you'd change your mind. Not get
ting a job isn't what gripes. Your
boss is too important even to give
old Doc Gilchrist's friend hand
shake and wish him luck. Doc read
me his letter to Lomax. Which is
one of the reasons why I say hell
with him and with you."
The thick man stood beside me;
he had chewed an inch off his cigar
since I had seen him last.
''Hi, Larry" he said to Duke and
turning to me:
''f you've finished the lecture,
mug, the Captain wants you up
stairs. As a matter of fact, he
wants you anyway. On your feet"
Hey listen, Jake" the reporter
begged, "give me steer, will you?
What's going on? Is it big?"
Colossal" the other replied,
pushing me toward the elevator.
''Shannon'n see you boys later. I
can't stop now"
He glared at me all the way up
stairs. I glared back. I felt better
somehow. They had cops like him
in my own town and besides, for
the first time since I reached New
York, I felt I was important to
somebody.