Edgar Wallace

“ It was a few minutes before the call came through, and when Alan took the receiver and heard the oleaginous voice of the man at the other end, he realized that courage had returned, and wondered how big a price the man had paid for that jauntiness of speech.
"Yes, it's Wembury talking. I've had a cable from the Australian police saying that the Ringer is not in England. That may be true, and yet there is the chance that he has sent one of his crowd to deputize for him, sothe precautions will continue. I want you to phone me every hour." ”

“ The up-to-date burglar, who required a lorry to carry his kit, worked north of the river.
"American competition is killing everything," said the sergeant sadly, and doubtless there was something to be said for his point of view.
Wembury would have gone out had it not been for the lawyer's expressed intention of coming to the station house. He did not want to be around when the inevitable happened and Johnny Lenley was brought in—unless he had taken the hint. ”

“ He replaced the receiver, returning to his position before the fire, and Sergeant Carter leant back in his high stool and grew speculative.
"I can't understand old Meister," he said. "You wouldn't think that a fellow as wide as he is would have a lag's sister in his office. She's straight enough, of course."
"I'm glad you put in that qualification," said Alan stiffly, "or I might have been annoyed with you." ”

“ The last half-hour before she had left Meister had been an agony to the girl—thirty searing minutes. She had been in her little room when Cora Milton had called; the worst part of the interview was after The Ringer's girl had left the house.
She came back to find her brother in the kitchen, brewing the coffee. It was his one contribution to the domestic day. Johnny made coffee well—made it in large quantities, so that it only needed heating when it was required at any hour of the day or night. ”

“ Paper sorting at twopence a hundredweight. Compulsory service twice a day; they give you a ticket 'please admit bearer,' and if you don't attend you're kicked out! When I get a job, it will be one that a waster can't do, Wembury. I don't want helping, I want leaving alone."
There was a silence, broken by the scratching of the sergeant's pen.
"Where are you going to-night?" asked Alan. At all costs this man must be warned. ”

“ He looked up at the clock mechanically to time the call in his book. "What's that?" He covered the receiver with his hand. "The night watchman at Cleavers reports there's a man on the roof in Camden Crescent." ”