The Bat | Page 6

uncertainly.
"How about you, Bill - are you the Bat?"
The editor smiled. "See," he said, "it's got you already. No, I can prove
an alibi. The Bat's been laying off the city recently - taking a fling at
some of the swell suburbs. Besides I haven't the brains - I'm free to
admit it." He struggled into his coat. "Well, let's talk about something

else. I'm sick of the Bat and his murders."
His companion rose as well, but it was evident that the editor's theory
had taken firm hold on his mind. As they went out the door together he
recurred to the subject.
"Honestly, though, Bill - were you serious, really serious - when you
said you didn't know of a single detective with brains enough to trap
this devil?"
The editor paused in the doorway. "Serious enough," he said. "And yet
there's one man - I don't know him myself but from what I've heard of
him, he might be able - but what's the use of speculating?"
"I'd like to know all the same," insisted the other, and laughed
nervously. "We're moving out to the country next week ourselves -
right in the Bat's new territory."
"We-el," said the editor, "you won't let it go any further? Of course it's
just an idea of mine, but if the Bat ever came prowling around our place,
the detective I'd try to get in touch with would be - " He put his lips
close to his companion's ear and whispered a name.
The man whose name he whispered, oddly enough, was at that moment
standing before his official superior in a quiet room not very far away.
Tall, reticently good-looking and well, if inconspicuously, clothed and
groomed, he by no means seemed the typical detective that the editor
had spoken of so scornfully. He looked something like a college athlete
who had kept up his training, something like a pillar of one of the more
sedate financial houses. He could assume and discard a dozen manners
in as many minutes, but, to the casual observer, the one thing certain
about him would probably seem his utter lack of connection with the
seamier side of existence. The key to his real secret of life, however,
lay in his eyes. When in repose, as now, they were veiled and without
unusual quality - but they were the eyes of a man who can wait and a
man who can strike.
He stood perfectly easy before his chief for several moments before the

latter looked up from his papers.
"Well, Anderson," he said at last, looking up, "I got your report on the
Wilhenry burglary this morning. I'll tell you this about it - if you do a
neater and quicker job in the next ten years, you can take this desk
away from me. I'll give it to you. As it is, your name's gone up for
promotion today; you deserved it long ago."
"Thank you, sir," replied the tall man quietly, "but I had luck with that
case."
"Of course you had luck," said the chief. "Sit down, won't you, and
have a cigar - if you can stand my brand. Of course you had luck,
Anderson, but that isn't the point. It takes a man with brains to use a
piece of luck as you used it. I've waited a long time here for a man with
your sort of brains and, by Judas, for a while I thought they were all as
dead as Pinkerton. But now I know there's one of them alive at any rate
- and it's a hell of a relief."
"Thank you, sir," said the tall man, smiling and sitting down. He took a
cigar and lit it. "That makes it easier, sir - your telling me that. Because
- I've come to ask a favor."
"All right," responded the chief promptly. "Whatever it is, it's granted."
Anderson smiled again. "You'd better hear what it is first, sir. I don't
want to put anything over on you."
"Try it!" said the chief. "What is it - vacation? Take as long as you like
- within reason - you've earned it - I'll put it through today."
Anderson shook his head, "No sir - I don't want a vacation."
"Well," said the chief impatiently. "Promotion? I've told you about that.
Expense money for anything - fill out a voucher and I'll O.K. it - be
best man at your wedding - by Judas, I'll even do that!"
Anderson laughed. "No, sir - I'm not getting married and - I'm pleased

about the promotion, of course - but it's not that. I want to be assigned
to a certain case - that's all."
The chief's look grew searching. "H'm," he said. "Well, as I say,