All that day the giant presses roared, turning out thousands upon
thousands of the newspapers with the story stripping the mask off Gibson
and revealing the nefarious plot between him and "Gink" Cummings. All
day long delivery trucks piled high with bundles of the papers
distributed them to newsboys in the downtown district and throughout the
city. Never in the history of Los Angeles had there ever been such a
tremendous single-day issue of a newspaper.
Under the glaring headlines was Benton's flashlight photograph of Gibson
and Cummings emerging from the rear door of the Spring street saloon
where their conversation had been overheard by the reporters. The
picture was clear enough to enable anyone who knew either of them to
recognize them both. On one side of the cut was Brennan's signed and
copyrighted story of the complete exposure of the alliance between the
police commissioner and the underworld boss, a clear, concise, dramatic
narrative of every event leading up to the denoument. On the other side
was Ben Smith's stenographic transcript of the conversation between the
conspirators, with all its tell-tale and condemning elements.
Beneath the cut were reproductions of affidavits by John, Brennan,
Smith, the mayor, "Big Jim" Hatch and Evelyn Hatch, swearing to the
facts contained in Brennan's comprehensive story that jumped from the
first page and filled the second. On pages three and four were
photographs of Gibson and the mayor; Brennan and Gallant, his face in
bandages; Murphy on his cot at the hospital; Murphy's room; the mayor's
automobile with its shattered windshield; "Gink" Cummings; "Slim" Gray,
Joe and Louie and reproductions of their black-jack and brass knuckles.
There were separate stories dealing in detail with John's experience in
Gibson's raid on the Spring street bookmakers; the regulation of the
crime wave by Cummings to enable Gibson to add to his false reputation
as the feared enemy of crooks; "Big Jim" Hatch's story of how he had
been arrested by Gibson because he would not split money he stole in
bunko swindles with Cummings; the "beating up" of Murphy and the attack
on John; Evelyn Hatch's corroboration of her husband's claims and the
pistol shots fired by either Gibson or Cummings, or both, the night they
were trapped in the saloon. A strongly-worded editorial branded Gibson
as the worst traitor the city had ever known and demanded his immediate
retirement as a police commissioner and candidate for mayor. Police
detectives it was announced, were searching for Cummings, who would be
arrested as soon as he was located, and held for murder if Murphy died.
Mr. Phillips, the publisher, called John, Brennan and P. Q. to his
private office and after he had commended them for their work they
rejoiced together, not only because their paper had frustrated the
scheming "Gink" and exposed Gibson, his tool, but because they had
"beat" all other papers in the city with the story, acknowledged to be
the greatest "scoop" ever scored in Los Angeles.
A master musician lives for the applause of his audiences; a great
discoverer or inventor has his public acclaim; a statesman or public
benefactor is rewarded by the voice of the people; but the gratification
of a newspaper man in having accomplished a notable achievement for his
paper is his only recompense and it is sufficient.
No medals are pinned on his chest, no roar of applause comes up to him
from the multitudes, but he is satisfied. His glory is his own and he is
content.
Two hours after the first edition was on the streets, the publisher
received a hastily appointed committee representing the Church
Federation, the women's clubs and other organizations that had supported
and indorsed Gibson as a candidate for mayor. The evidence, no more
than what had been published, was certified to this committee. The
Church Federation was the first to act. Unable to locate Gibson to
question him personally concerning the exposure and accepting the
evidence against him as final, the federation authorized the publication
of its withdrawal of indorsement of him as a candidate for mayor and an
expression of appreciation of the newspaper's work in bringing the truth
to light. Similar action by the other organizations that had been
deceived by Gibson followed quickly and before night his political
strength had melted away to nothing. Forgotten even was his sensational
capture of "Red Mike," now serving a life sentence at San Quentin for
his attempt to wreck and rob the Southern Pacific "Lark" train.
Every newspaper reporter in Los Angeles was engaged in the search for
Gibson that followed the publication of the exposure of his plot with
Cummings. The other papers, anxious to retaliate by obtaining the first
statement from Gibson for the blow given them when they were "scooped"
combined their forces in a frantic effort to find him before John and
Brennan could do so.
The missing man's office and apartment were closed. His secretary,
located after a search of several hours, could give no information
concerning his disappearance. The railroad, steamship and automobile bus
stations had sold no ticket to anyone answering his description. He
seemed to have vanished completely. A theory was advanced that he had
fled with "Gink" Cummings and this was gradually accepted generally as
the hours passed and no trace of him could be found.
Brennan waited until they were alone before he suggested to John that
Consuello might be able to furnish a clew to Gibson's whereabouts.
Thoughts of her had been flashing in and out of John's mind during the
excitement of the morning. He realized that if anyone knew where Gibson
was it would be Consuello, and again he had the disheartening
apprehension that, faithful to her love, she might be in flight with the
man she was to have married.
"I don't like to speak of it--she's probably very much upset by what has
happened today--but there's only one person who may know where Gibson
is," said Brennan, "and that's Miss Carrillo."
"I'd rather do almost anything than face her, today," said John.
"You mean with your face bandaged up the way it is?" Brennan asked, a
twinkle in his eyes.
"I don't know what she will think of me," John said, ignoring the jest.
"She has believed in Gibson and she may think that what I have helped to
do is a violation of the friendship between us and that I am an
ungrateful and deceitful wretch."
"Don't you want to see her and explain things to her?"
"No, not until she sends for me."
"Suppose she never sends for you--what then?"
"Then I'll know that she never wants to see me and--and--that will be
the end of it, I suppose."
They were silent for a moment and then, while John was pondering over
the thoughts that were in his mind when he had said, "The end of it, I
suppose," Brennan without another word, quoted a quatrain from the verse
that he had recited while they were waiting to overhear the conversation
between Gibson and Cummings:
"So long as Pleasure calls us up,
And duty drives us down,
If you love me as I love you,
What pair so happy as we two?"
John glanced up quickly and saw that Brennan was pretending he just
happened to think of the verse and had quoted it with no particular
intention or reference to the thoughts of either of them.
"'And duty drives us down,'" he repeated, smiling.
A little later all thoughts of Gibson and the suggestion that Consuello
be consulted in the search for him fled from their heads when they were
called by telephone and told that Murphy was sinking rapidly and was not
expected to live many more hours. Together they hurried to the Clara
Barton hospital.
"I wish he could know that the brutes who beat him have been arrested,"
said Brennan as they turned west into Fifth street from Broadway. "I
tried to talk to them, to find out from them what poor Tim said and did
before they knocked him out, but they wouldn't answer. They know what
they're up against if he dies and their lawyer has told them to keep
their mouths shut. I had the satisfaction of telling them, though, that
I'd be on hand to write the story when they are hanged and that I was
looking forward to the assignment. 'Slim' almost broke down when I said
it."
The mayor, two doctors and a nurse were in the room when they entered.
Murphy lay inert on the bed. He had never regained consciousness, the
doctors said, and he was in such a weakened condition that only a
miracle beyond the skill of surgery and medicine could save him. The
mayor looked at them in silence as they approached the bed beside which
he was seated in a chair. They saw that there were tears in his eyes,
tears that he was not ashamed of others seeing.
For a quarter of an hour they stood at the bedside while one of the
doctors frequently felt Murphy's wrist to catch the fluttering pulse.
Then a sound came from the bandaged head and the doctor leaned over,
putting his ear close to the hidden face. They heard the sound again and
realized it was a whisper.
"He's saying something about the Gallant kid," said the doctor looking
up.
John moved to the head of the bed and, leaning over it, said:
"Yes, Murphy; I'm here."
The whisper rose a little becoming audible throughout the room.
"I'm croaking--I guess--ain't I?" it asked.
"You're all right--Tim," John managed to say.
"I didn't squeal--kid--they got me--I didn't tell 'em it was you and
Brennan."
"We know you didn't, Murphy."
"I wanna tell ya something--before I go--see?" The whisper became
fainter. "I wasn't workin' for ya--for da jack--ya gave me--see? I did
it 'cause--my old man--my old man----" The whisper stopped.
"Yes, Tim."
"'Cause--my old man--my--old--man--was--was--'Red Mike,'--see?"
A quick intake of breath by Brennan was the only sound that broke the
tense silence.
"So--I--wasn't--no--dirty--stool--pigeon----" The whisper stopped again.
Murphy drew his last breath and with it he said his last word:
"See?"
* * *
The news of Murphy's death was printed in the late editions. His voice
shaking with suppressed emotion, Brennan dictated the brief announcement
of the passing of the twisted-nose youth by telephone to the office.
"Tim Murphy, who was brutally beaten by 'Gink' Cummings' thugs
yesterday, died at the Clara Barton hospital as a result of his injuries
late today," Brennan said over the phone. At the other end of the wire a
reporter was taking the dictation on a typewriter. "Before he died
Murphy regained consciousness long enough to disclose that he was the
son of 'Red Mike,' now serving a life sentence for having attempted to
wreck the Southern Pacific 'Lark.' It was because he believed his father
had been the victim of former Police Commissioner Gibsons' lust for
glory, he said, that he aided in disclosing Gibson's plot with Cummings
to seize control of the city government. His death means that 'Slim'
Gray, Cummings' right-hand man, and his two strong-arm men now under
arrest, will be charged with murder and that a murder complaint will be
issued against Cummings."
They were silent as they wove their way through the hurrying streams of
men and women in Fifth street homeward bound after the work of the day
in downtown stores and offices. On the corners newsboys were still
selling editions of their paper with the exposure of the Gibson-Cummings
plot as fast as they could hand them out. They saw several men stop
where they had bought the paper and stand, jostled by the crowd, reading
the story absorbedly, apparently amazed by what was on the printed page
beneath their eyes.
From the corner of Fifth and Broadway, where he left Brennan waiting for
a street car, John went to the receiving hospital to have the wounds on
his face and his maimed hand dressed again before he started home. The
gauze bandages on his forehead and cheek were replaced with strips of
medicated plaster which were less conspicuous, but it would be more than
two weeks, the hospital surgeon told him, before the splints could be
removed from his hand.
His mother was at the door to meet him when he arrived home. Her face
paled as she saw the plaster hiding the cuts on his cheek and forehead
and the bandage on his hand. He took her in his arms quickly.
"I'm all right, mother, dearest," he said. "Don't worry, I'm all right."
"My boy, my boy! Why didn't you let me know you were hurt?"
"There, there, mother," he said, softly patting her with his uninjured
hand. "It's nothing to worry about. I've only a couple of scratches on
my face and my hand is hurt a little."
He led her into the living room and, seating her in a rocking chair, he
dropped to his knees at her feet, as he had in the grief and despair
that stunned him when his father died. With caresses and soft words of
assurance he soothed her until her dismay left her. At dinner, which had
been waiting for him, he told her everything that had occurred since he
left her twenty-four hours past. At the end of his story he explained to
her what it would all mean to him.
"The 'chief,' that is Mr. Phillips, our publisher, has promised me a
contract at double what I'm getting now," he told her. "And, besides, he
says Brennan and I are entitled to a bonus for what we've done. It
means, mother, dearest, that I've made good; that I've arrived as a
newspaper man."
"You know how proud I am of you, John," Mrs. Gallant said. "I never
imagined that newspaper work was so strenuous. I thought a reporter's
work was writing news instead of making it."
"Newspapers, I have learned, mother, are vigilant guards of the
interests of the people," he said. "It is a newspaper's duty to inform
the public of what occurs and to prevent as well as condemn wrong. Mr.
Phillips told us that the unmasking of Gibson was newspaper enterprise
by which the city as well as the paper benefited. Thousands of things
not as conspicuous as this are done every year by a newspaper and its
reporters and editors.
"Without publicity wrong would go undetected and unpunished. Think of
what would have happened if Gibson had been elected mayor of Los
Angeles. For at least four years 'Gink' Cummings would have ruled the
city and you can imagine what that would have meant."
They were about to leave the supper table when Mrs. Sprockett, weeping
hysterically, appeared in a state of excitement that alarmed them.
Wringing her hands, sobbing distractedly, she flung herself into a chair
and moaned in such a way that Mrs. Gallant hurried to her side
anxiously.
"My Alma! My Alma! My girl!" Mrs. Sprockett wept.
"What is it? Tell us. Can we help?" asked Mrs. Gallant while John had a
momentary apprehension that Mrs. Sprockett's condition might be the
result of a discovery that her daughter had visited the corner motion
picture theater surreptitiously.
"She's gone," Mrs. Sprockett gasped.
"Gone?" Mrs. Gallant exclaimed.
"Gone," Mrs. Sprockett repeated, and then, with a sob of despair, she
added, "Kidnaped!"
"You mean she has disappeared?" asked John, feeling that her fear that
Alma had been abducted might be far-fetched.
"She has been gone since morning," continued Mrs. Sprockett, a little
calmed by the sound of a masculine voice. "Ever since morning. Someone
has stolen her. Oh, my little girl; someone has stolen her. What shall I
do? What shall I do?"
"Try to calm yourself," urged Mrs. Gallant. "She will probably return
before long."
"She left no note? Gave no warning?" John asked. "She may have run away
of her own accord, you know," he added.
Mrs. Sprockett stopped her sobbing and sat upright in her chair.
Indignation blazed in her eyes.
"How dare you, sir? How dare you?" she demanded, furiously. "How dare
you stand there and tell me that my Alma left me of her own free will?
My Alma leave her mother who loves her so? My Alma run away like some
common scamp? I didn't come here to be insulted like that, sir!"
A look from his mother caused John to repress an inclination to ask her
to tell him really why she came to them.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to insinuate----"
"You did! You did! You stood up there and told me that my little girl
who loves her mother ran away from home," Mrs. Sprockett cried,
irrationally. "That's what you did! You stood up there----"
"I'm sorry," interrupted John, moving from the room to avoid the
outburst.
He stepped out on the porch and found Mrs. Sprockett's husband, coatless
and collarless as usual, with the same weary look about his eyes and the
same hopeless droop of his narrow, rounded shoulders, mounting the
steps. Across the street, in the Sprockett home, the baby wailed and
fretted.
"Beg pardon," began Mrs. Sprockett's husband. "I just thought----"
"Yes, she's inside," said John, anticipating the inevitable question.
Instead of moving on into the house Mrs. Sprockett's husband stood where
he had stopped.
"Our Alma----" he began.
"If you want my advice," said John, interrupting again, "I would wait
until morning if I were you and then ask the police to help you find
her."
No storm of protest came from Mrs. Sprockett's husband. The instinctive
fraternalism of man between man caused him to signal, with a nod of his
head, for John to come closer to him. With frequent apprehensive glances
toward the door, he whispered:
"Alma's not a bad girl, but she's been held down too much. She's only
sixteen and she likes pretty things and picture shows and other things a
girl of her age likes naturally. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if she's
just picked up and left to go to work some place and have a little more
freedom. She's not a bad girl, she's--she's--just a girl, that's all,
and she wants to do what other girls do. But, of course, I want her
back."
John's sympathy swept away the anger that had surged through him when
Mrs. Sprockett became irate.
"I think you're right," he said, remembering how Alma had begged him to
refrain from telling anyone that he had seen her leaving the picture
show.
"Don't say a word about what I've said to you, will you?" asked Mrs.
Sprockett's husband, involuntarily shrinking away from the steps.
"Never fear," John assured him, "and if I can help, let me know."
"Thanks, I will, but Maud--well--you know how it is--you
know--sometimes," said Mrs. Sprockett's husband.
"I know," said John, and Sprockett hurried back across the street. A few
minutes later the baby's wailing stopped. Mrs. Sprockett's husband
appeared on the porch of the Sprockett house with a bundle of blankets
in his arms and pacing back and forth, whistled a familiar tune as a
lullaby. John listened and distinguished the notes of the father's
whistling and smiled to himself as he recognized it as an off-key
variation of "The Merry Widow Waltz."
Mrs. Sprockett, still sobbing, and Mrs. Gallant, with her arm around
her, emerged from the house.
"I'm going to keep Mrs. Sprockett company until she can rest," Mrs.
Gallant explained.
John watched them cross the street and saw the door close behind them.
Soon the whistling ceased and Sprockett and the baby went inside.
For half an hour John lolled on the porch, pondering over Alma's
disappearance, the abjectedness of Mrs. Sprockett's husband and the
spectacle of Mrs. Sprockett's wilfulness. Had Mr. and Mrs. Sprockett
ever, ever been deeply in love, exulting in the happiness before them in
married life? How miserable it was that Sprockett had to whisper to him
"not to tell," exactly as Alma had?
He found his thoughts distressful and was about to rise, planning an
hour with his books before going to sleep, when an automobile--he knew
by the outline it was a taxicab--stopped before the house. The driver
opened the door and a figure stepped out, hurrying up toward him.
As he came to his feet he saw that it was a girl who was approaching
him.
"Mr. Gallant?" a familiar voice asked.
"Yes."
The figure came closer to him and he saw that it was Consuello's friend
and companion, Betty.