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white man's game； can't lift a finger to arrest the
man you're indebted to。 Oh； I have to study men
as well as Yale locks and window fastenings in my
business。 Now； keep quiet while I ring for the
waiter。 I've had a thirst for a year or two that wor…
ries me a little。 If I'm ever caught the lucky sleuth
will have to divide honors with old boy Booze。 But I
never drink during business hours。 After a job I
can crook elbows with my old friend Barney with a
clear conscience。 What are you taking？〃
The waiter came with the little decanters and the
siphon and left them alone again。
〃You've called the turn；〃 said Woods； as he rolled
the little gold pencil about with a thoughtful fore…
finger。 I've got to pass you up。 I can't lay a
hand on you。 If I'd a…paid that money back but
I didn't； and that settles it。 It's a bad break I'm
making； Johnny； but I can't dodge it。 You helped
me once； and it calls for the same。〃
〃I knew it；〃 said Kernan； raising his glass； with
a flushed smile of self…appreciation。 〃I can judge
men。 Here's to Barney； for 'he's a jolly good
fellow。' 〃
〃I don't believe；〃 went on Woods quietly； as if be
were thinking aloud； 〃that if accounts had been
square between you and me； all the money in all the
banks in New York could have bought you out of
my hands to…night。〃
〃I know it couldn't；〃 said Kernan。 〃That's why
I knew I was safe with you。〃
〃Most people；〃 continued the detective； 〃look side…
ways at my business。 They don't class it among the
fine arts and the professions。 But I've always taken
a kind of fool pride in it。 And here is where I go
'busted。' I guess I'm a man first and a detective
afterward。 I've got to let you go； and then I've got
to resign from the force。 I guess I can drive an ex…
press wagon。 Your thousand dollars is further off
than ever； Johnny。〃
〃Oh； you're welcome to it；〃 said Kernan； with a
lordly air。 〃I'd be willing to call the debt off； but
I know you wouldn't have it It was a lucky day
for me when you borrowed it。 And now； let's drop
the subject。 I'm off to the West on a morning train。
I know a place out there where I can negotiate the
Norcross sparks。 Drink up； Barney； and forget your
troubles。 We'll have a jolly time while the police
are knocking their heads together over the case。
I've got one of my Sahara thirsts on to…night。 But
I'm in the bands the unofficial bands of my old
friend Barney； and I won't even dream of a cop。〃
And then； as Kernan's ready finger kept the but…
ton and the waiter working； his weak point a tre…
mendous vanity and arrogant egotism； began to show
itself。 He recounted story after story of his suc…
cessful plunderings； ingenious plots and infamous
transgressions until Woods； with all his familiarity
with evil…doers； felt growing within him a cold ab…
horrence toward the utterly vicious man who had
once been his benefactor。
〃I'm disposed of； of course；〃 said Woods； at
length。 〃But I advise you to keep under cover for a
spell。 The newspapers may take up this Norcross
affair。 There has been an epidemic of burglaries and
manslaughter in town this summer。〃
The word sent Kernan into a high glow of sullen
and vindictive rage。
〃To hell with the newspapers；〃 he growled。
〃What do they spell but brag and blow and boodle in
box…car letters？ Suppose they do take up a case
what does it amount to？ The police are easy enough
to fool； but what do the newspapers do？ They send
a lot of pin…head reporters around to the scene； and
they make for the nearest saloon and have beer while
they take photos of the bartender's oldest daughter
in evening dress； to print as the fiancee of the young
man in the tenth story； who thought he heard a noise
below on the night of the murder。 That's about as
near as the newspapers ever come to running down
Mr。 Burglar。〃
〃Well； I don't know；〃 said Woods； reflecting。
〃Some of the papers have done good work in that
line。 There's the Morning Mars； for instance。 It
warmed up two or three trails； and got the man after
the police had let 'em get cold。〃
〃I'll show you；〃 said Tiernan； rising； and expand…
ing his chest。 〃I'll show you what I think of news…
papers in general； and your Morning Mars in par…
ticular。〃
Three feet from their table was the telephone
booth。 Kernan went inside and sat at the instrument；
leaving the door open。 He found a number in the
book； took down the receiver and made his demand
upon Central。 Woods sat still； looking at the sneer…
ing； cold； vigilant face waiting close to the trans…
mitter； and listened to the words that came from the
thin； truculent lips curved into a contemptuous smile。
〃That the Morning Mars？ 。 。 。 I want to
speak to the managing editor 。 。 。 Why； tell
him it's some one who wants to talk to him about the
Norcross murder。
〃You the editor？ 。 。 。 All right。 。 。 。 I
am the man who killed old Norcross 。 。 。 Wait！
Hold the wire； I'm not the usual crank 。 。 。 oh；
there isn't the slightest danger。 I've just been dis…
cussing it with a detective friend of mine。 I killed
the old man at 2：30 A。 M。 two weeks ago to…
morrow。 。 。 。 Have a drink with you？ Now；
hadn't you better leave that kind of talk to your
funny man？ Can't you tell whether a man's guying
you or whether you're being offered the biggest scoop
your dull dishrag of a paper ever had？ 。 。 。
Well； that's so； it's a bobtail scoop but you can
hardly expect me to 'phone in my name and address。
。 。 。 Why？ Oh； because I beard you make a
specialty of solving mysterious crimes that stump the
police。 。 。 。 No； that's not all。 I want to tell
you that your rotten； lying； penny sheet is of no more
use in tracking an intelligent murderer or highway…
man than a blind poodle would be。 。 。 。 What？
。 。 。 Oh； no； this isn't a rival newspaper office；
you're getting it straight。 I did the Norcross job；
and I've got the jewels in my suit case at 'the
name of the hotel could not be learned' you recog…
nize that phrase； don't you？ I thought so。 You've
used it often enough。 Kind of rattles you； doesn't
it； to have the mysterious villain call up your great；
big； all…powerful organ of right and justice and good
government and tell you what a helpless old gas…bag
you are？ 。 。 。 Cut that out； you're not that big
a fool no； you don't think I'm a fraud。 I can tell
it by your voice。 。 。 。 Now； listen； and I'll give
you a pointer that will prove it to you。 Of course
you've had this murder case worked over by your staff
of bright young blockheads。 Half of the second but…
ton on old Mrs。 Norcross's nightgown is broken off。
I saw it when I took the garnet ring off her finger。
I thought it was a ruby。 。 。 。 Stop that！ it
won't work。〃
Kernan turned to Woods with a diabolic smile。
〃I've got him going。 He