mg' to see him, and told the messenger I might possibly go
to the hall of justice that afternoon.
I was sitting in my recliningchair, my feet cocked on the
desk, leisurely smoking a cigar when who should drop into
my office but old Bailey. He was all smiles and shook hands
in a most affable manner. After a few complimentary re
marks as to the good newsy sheet we were running, the old
hypocrite took a handful of cigars from his hat and laid
them on the desk.
“Let’s see” he began, “You wanted so and so done the
other day, didn’t you?” I replied that “I should be obliged
if he complied with my requests.”
To make a long story short he did so immediately, and
we parted good friends.
During these few weeks I had made rapid inroads in the
secret history and underhand work of City Hall, through
the friendship of the Lieutenant of police.
This -man was a tall, finely built Irishman, who rather
sought my acquaintance from the start, and-gave me lots of
news, outside of his superior’s corruption. That I conld
trust him, I had not the least doubt; for never once did he
put me on a false scent, and I was quite secure from the
troublesome libel suit if I got my information through him.
He had an ax to grind however, like all the friends of a
newspaper man, but I didn’t mind turning the stone for him
as long as I was getting such valuable information. I knew
I might be called away on a week’s notice, and therefore
lost no time to perfect my schemes.
The wily old Mayor must have got some idea that I was
getting my points, if any, from the Lieutenant, for no one
could help but notice we were on very intimate terms.
So one day my,friend surprised me by saying he would
have to resign his Lieutenantcy and become a patrolman
again; he having been given to understand that such a step
would be very agreeable to Bailey, and others of the force.
My Friend the Policeman .