The Argosy, January 1906 — page 110: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

292 for somewhere. Don’t you worry, Mr. Adrian.” “Don’t worry!” growled the silk merchant. ‘“ That’s fine advice, sir. Wouldn’t you worry if your daughter was married to a murderer?” “Well, she'll get her separation when once we catch him,” said the de- tective grimly. “For he’ll go to the chair as sure as fate. I’ve never had a stronger case in all my experience in the detective bureau.” “ Good!” said Adrian. deserves it.” “Good,” echoed Perriam quietly. “What next?” asked Rosa’s father of the reporter, when they had left police headquarters. “1 ean’t think of anything else. You go home to sleep, Mr. Adrian. J must go to the office to write my story.” “ What story?” asked the old man, in sudden alarm. “The story of the murder. They’ll be tearing their hair out down there, wondering what has become of me.” “ See here,” said Mr. Adrian anxious- ly; “you are not going to print any- thing about my daughter, are you?” “I’m afraid I must, Mr. Adrian. Re- member, I told you that I came to see you strictly on business. JI must tell the story of the elopement, you know. It’s teo important a part of the story not to print.” “And yet you claim to love my daughter!” exclaimed Adrian angrily. “TI do. But duty is duty. Besides, Mr. Adrian, just consider for a moment. Now that we have tipped off police head- quarters, all the other papers will have it. What difference will it make if the Star prints it also.” “ And you pretend, to love my daugh- ter, sir!” repeated Adrian, with even more anger in his tone. ~ ©The story shall in no way reflect on your daughter—I’ll promise you that. The fact that she has run off with Ladd must come out. It’s impossible to sup- press it. Vl simply publish the truth. That can do her no harm.” “o you think I want the world to know that I allowed my girl to become betrothed to a murderer?” growled Adrian. “The world must know, sooner or “The villain THE ARGOSY. later, that your daughter is married to a murderer,” said Perriam bitterly. “Good God! That’s true!” ex- claimed Rosa’s father, with anguish in his voice. “ Well, if you must print the story, Perriam, all I ask is that you deal as gently with her as possible.” “Vl promise you that, sir,” answered Perriam readily, whereupon the two men shook hands and parted. When Perriam entered the editorial rooms of the Star, the night city editor greeted him angrily. “Where in blazes have you been, Perriam?” he growled. “I understand the office hasn’t heard from you since you went out early this afternoon on that murder story. We haven’t got a line on that story except the A. P. (Associated Press) flimsy. What’s the matter with you?” “Nothing. I’ve been working on the story. J haven’t wasted a minute since I left the office.” “Then you should have reported progress over the telephone,” said the night city editor testily. ‘ How do you expect us to guess where you're at? Get busy now and rush out that story. We are waiting for it.” Perriam sat down at a typewriter. He worked industriously for three-quarters of an hour, then gathered the type- written sheets together and took them over to the city editor’s desk. “ Here’s the story,” he said. “I’ve played up the elopement end pretty strong, as you'll see. The rest of the bunch don’t know anything about it, so it will be a beat. That’s the part of the story that has kept me out working so late. JI thought it was worth while spending the time on.” The night city editor glanced over the typewritten sheets. “ Worth while! ” he exclaimed. “Ishould say so! This is good work, Perriam. Are you sure the other fellows didn’t get any wind of this?” “Tm pretty sure. Ive been with Adrian, the father, all night. I don’t think the police will give it out. It will be to their interest, of course, to keep the thing dark until Ladd is caught. Oh, I guess it’s a beat, all right.” And as he walked over to his own EComicboo (@) (e(0) m