Leroy Scott

“ Undoubtedly, some plan was at this moment under way against Thorne, as the Commissioner had declared; for the fertile-brained Bradley was always dreaming large dreams and always scheming bold schemes. Clifford wondered just what the plan might be--deep and daring, of a certainty. His trained sense informed him infallibly that he was nearing the crisis of one of those great feuds within the police department, generally waged silently, and of which the public as a rule hears nothing. ”

“ Tarleton's look, his manner--yes, and the remembrance of his strange behavior the last few days--all told Clifford that Tarleton was in some degree a guilty man. And whether Bradley's charge was true or not, Clifford realized that nothing would have been easier than for Tarleton to have done exactly what Bradley had charged--for the professional New York gambler has an eager ingrained desire to pay for protection to any man who possesses any semblance of authority or "pull." ”

“ Naturally Thorne would do anything, not conflicting with the Department's responsible work, to oblige his old friend Tarleton--concerning whose idle habits and inherent weaknesses, Clifford knew Thorne to be as much concerned as was he himself. "Mind telling me what you're doing?"
"Through playing around a bit with some of the big social sports, I've had a tip that some swell gambling joints are soon to open up. My job is to hang on with this bunch of spenders on the chance that I'll get some definite dope." ”

“ The primary essential of Bradley's scheme, whatever the scheme might be, required that Thorne be discredited before the public. And Clifford realized that the cleverest method would be to base a plan upon the obvious, the commonplace. The public generally believed that police officials were grafters, and were easily stirred into volcanic indignation by graft scandals; therefore the simplest and surest principle on which to base a plan to do away with Thorne was to expose him as a grafter. ”

“ Clifford started at the name of the most famous of New York gamblers--the intimate of national politicians and of millionaire sportsmen--the art connoisseur whose collection of paintings would doubtless, some day, in some manner, find place in the Metropolitan Museum. If Morgan was doing anything, it would certainly be big!
"What about Morgan?" he asked. "He's negotiating with Mr. Bradley for protection to enable him to open up."
"How do you know this?"
"Mr. Morgan isn't the only one concerned. There is a syndicate forming. When several persons are concerned there is likely to be a leak." ”

“ Clifford's mind tried to leap ahead, seeking the drift of this affair. Bradley, gazing hard at Tarleton, spoke more slowly, driving every word home. "Needing money, your screwy swell friend here doped out this game: He 'd been seen a lot in public with you--restaurants, in your car, other places. He built on that, and got in touch with gamblers, told them he had a pull with you, that he was your private representative--that he'd fix things so a few of them could open up and not be bothered by you, if they'd come across with enough dough. ”

“ Instantly Morgan's car sprang away; Clifford turned on more power, and thrilled at the manner in which his car matched speed with speed. Thus they flashed through the night, mile after mile--until, without warning, Clifford's machine slowed down.
"What's the matter with the car?" cried Mary, in tones of dismay.
"The car's all right--it's a wonder. The trouble's with me--I only just now tumbled to their plan. They can ride Long Island for hours like that--talk things over--no one can get near them--and Morgan can drop Bradley wherever Bradley likes. We've learned all we're going to ”

“ Clifford had small professional interest in the pair he observed; he preferred not to catch Joe Russell, if he honestly could avoid it; and he cared comparatively little about making out a case against Morgan. In fact, he was interested at the present moment very little in gambling; its proper handling was a problem for a later time, when the police force should be organized upon a sounder basis. Just now gambling interested him only as a means to an end--getting the goods on Bradley. ”

“ But "--a little pause--" we all think ten thousand a month is too much to pay you for protection."
"Too much!" cried Bradley sharply. "You forget I've got to pass part of the dough on to some of my men."
"It's too much," Morgan repeated.
"What do you mean, damn you," snapped Bradley. "This town's better picking for you sure-thing guys than the Klondike in its wildest days. You know the place is belly-full of easy money--made over night on these here war profits--and most of it in the hands of money-drunk boobs who've won big once on a long shot, and are crazy to buck any kind of a game. ”

“ Clifford turned in the direction of Tarleton's gaze. There was Bradley, and not headed toward the waiting Philip Morgan, but bearing down upon them. And behind Bradley was a little group, all of whom Clifford knew: two star reporters from morning papers and a reporter from the City Press Association; three plain-clothesmen, and in their custody two gamblers--one that same Louis Gordon who, almost a year before, had played a part in Clifford's disgrace and discharge.
Bradley ignored Clifford. "Good-evening, Mr. Commissioner," he said with extreme respect. ”

“ I guess if United States senators, and Wall Street pirates, and these society chiefs, ain 't hurt by being seen with you, it ain't going to hurt me a lot to open a bottle of mineral water at the table you're sitting at. Everything's settled; we've got nothing to talk about that it won't be safe for six million New Yorkers to listen in on. ”

“ Morgan quiet, Bradley belligerent; and in the end the figure settled on was fifteen thousand.
"What's more," continued Bradley, "you're going to pay that dough to me personally. Get that? In a big deal like this I'm not going to run the risk of any crooked collector crossing me or holding out part of the coin. And another thing, Morgan, this is the last time I'm going to sneak off and meet you in private. it's too dangerous. When I meet you again, I'll meet you in public." ”

“ And they're the safest men in New York for a deal of this kind."
"Let Russell stay out then and be damned to him," growled Bradley.
"You've got everything worked out so we'll be protected? Thorne won't bother us--or that Clifford? "
"Thorne!" Bradley's voice was a snort of disgust. "Thorne don't know whether it's yesterday or day after to-morrow! And Clifford--you leave Clifford to me!" An instant's silence to let that assurance sink in, then: "Oh, you'll get all the protection you pay for--only you remember what I said. you've all got to run quiet, classy joints ”

“ They found two pistols on him."
"What did he mean," demanded Clifford, exasperated at the man he had tried to help, "by carrying guns just after he had beaten a murder charge?"
"Jim wasn't carrying any guns. The pistols were planted on him by Bradley's men when they arrested him."
"You mean Slant-Face was framed?"
"Was anybody ever framed better? Jim barely got out of those two big shooting scrapes--right afterward he's found with two pistols on him-- two policemen to swear against him--what chance does he have? Jim says the least he'll get will be the limit." ”

“ Also Clifford engaged private detective agencies to keep him informed of Bradley's and Morgan's every move.
But it was not from his own tireless watching and thought, nor from any of these other sources, that Clifford got his next assistance. Again aid came from Mary Regan.
At ten o'clock on the fifth night, while Clifford sat in his little apartment waiting an expected call from Tarleton, his telephone rang. Mary Regan was on the wire. Rapidly she told him to get into old clothes and a rain-coat, and in ten minutes be waiting at an appointed corner. ”

“ Tarleton bowed to Mary, then turned to Clifford. "Commissioner Thorne 'phoned me he was going to meet you here."
"He'll be showing up almost any time."
"I've got to hurry along, but I want to leave a message for the Commissioner." He handed Clifford a sealed envelope. "See that he gets that, though it's nothing very important. So-long, Bob."
"Wait." Clifford slipped the envelope into his pocket and led Tarleton aside. "Old man," he said gravely, "I hope you've broken with Clarice Langhorne as you promised?" ”

“ The only business left between us is collecting the dough."
"Yes, but how are you going to do that in public?"
"You'll be readied up with the first month's fifteen thousand by to-morrow night?"
"Yes."
"Be on the Olympic Roof at twelve o'clock. I join you. You offer me a cigar. I take it and stick it in my pocket and say I'll first finish the one I've just,lit. Now get this. The cigar which I'll have stuck in my clothes will be one of these toy-joke affairs--you've seen 'em--a paper shell, hollow, with a tobacco leaf wrapper. Inside that cigar you give me will be fifteen thousand bucks. ”