"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 008 - The Black Master" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

It was his offer of five thousand dollars that had brought Grimes to see him. Raynor knew it, for Grimes
was one of the Classic's star reporters, a man whose value increased with the importance of whatever
matter might be at stake.

"I think we'll have something for you, chief," said Grimes quietly. "I've been working with Tewkson. He's
been out all day, trying to locate a bird named Vervick.

"Tewkson has inside dope that Vervick knows something about bombs. He thinks the five thousand
dollars is going to work it! I've come in to keep contact with Tewkson."
Raynor nodded approvingly.

"This may fetch it, chief," said Grimes, picking up a late copy of the Classic. "I've got to hand it to you!
Five grand for information - and no questions asked! Complete confidence!

"That's the gag, all right! This stuff of rewards for arrest and conviction are all baloney. You've got the
right idea! Keep it between ourselves; don't squeal on the guy that spills the dope! Every rat in the
underworld will have his tongue hanging out when he sees that offer!"

"That's only part of it, Grimes," said Raynor tersely. "I have planned further than you think. There may be
several implicated in these explosions. Perhaps one of the guilty men may come to see us. Such things
have happened before!"

"That's right!" agreed Grimes admiringly. "And I'll tell you, chief, that Tewkson will pull it if this bloke he's
after really knows something about it!"

There was a knock at the door. A porter entered carrying a bundle of tied-up newspapers.

"Put them in the corner," said the managing editor. Whenever a big story broke, Harlan Raynor kept two
hundred copies of every edition. They were brought up to his office regularly.

He handed a newspaper to Grimes and phoned instructions that any call for the star reporter should be
relayed to the managing editor's office.

Ten minutes passed before the telephone rang. Raynor answered it, then turned over the instrument to
Grimes.

"Tewkson," he said.

Grimes spoke in short, disconnected sentences. Finally he said:

"All right, boy, I'll meet you at the corner. I'll handle him from there on. Let me talk to him a moment."

There was a pause; then Grimes continued:

"This is Mr. Grimes of the Classic. You have heard of me? Good! Yes, I'm with Mr. Raynor, the
managing editor.

"He means just what he said in the newspaper. His promise is good. You'll come with Tewkson? All
right!"