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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。〃
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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
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The Voice of the City
it was a ruby。 。 。 。 Stop that！ it won't work。〃
Kernan turned to Woods with a diabolic smile。
〃I've got him going。 He believes me now。 He didn't quite cover the
transmitter with his hand when he told somebody to call up Central on
another 'phone and get our number。 I'll give him just one more dig； and
then we'll make a 'get…away。'
〃Hello！ 。 。 。 Yes。 I'm here yet。 You didn't think I'd run from such a
little subsidized； turn… coat rag of a newspaper； did you？ 。 。 。 Have me
inside of forty…eight hours？ Say； will you quit being funny？ Now； you let
grown men alone and at… tend to your business of hunting up divorce cases
and street…car accidents and printing the filth and scandal that you make
your living by。 Good…by； old boy sorry I haven't time to call on you。 I'd
feel perfectly safe in your sanctum asinorum。 Tra…la！〃
〃He's as mad as a cat that's lost a mouse；〃 said Kernan； hanging up the
receiver and coming out。
〃And now； Barney； my boy； we'll go to a show and enjoy ourselves
until a reasonable bedtime。 Four hours' sleep for me； and then the west…
bound。〃
The two dined in a Broadway restaurant。 Kernan was pleased with
himself。 He spent money like a prince of fiction。 And then a weird and
gorgeous musical comedy engaged their attention。 Afterward there was a
late supper in a grillroom； with champagne； and Kernan at the height of
his com… placency。
Half…past three in the morning found them in a corner of an all…night
cafe； Kernan still boasting in a vapid and rambling way； Woods thinking
moodily over the end that had come to his usefulness as an upholder of the
law。
But； as he pondered； his eye brightened with a speculative light。
〃I wonder if it's possible；〃 be said to himself； 〃I won…der if it's pos…si…
ble！
And then outside the cafe the comparative stillness of the early
morning was punctured by faint； uncer… tain cries that seemed mere
fireflies of sound； some growing louder； some fainter； waxing and waning
amid the rumble of milk wagons and infrequent cars。 Shrill cries they were
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The Voice of the City
when near well…known cries that conveyed many meanings to the ears
of those of the slumbering millions of the great city who waked to hear
them。 Cries that bore upon their significant； small volume the weight of a
world's woe and laugh… ter and delight and stress。 To some； cowering be…
neath the protection of a night's ephemeral cover； they brought news of the
hideous； bright day； to others； wrapped in happy sleep； they announced a
morning that would dawn blacker than sable night。 To many of the rich
they brought a besom to sweep away what had been theirs while the stars
shone； to the poor they brought another day。
All over the city the cries were starting up； keen and sonorous；
heralding the chances that the slip… ping of one cogwheel in the machinery
of time had made； apportioning to the sleepers while they lay at the mercy
of fate