“That we work this bank case together.” Barker drops the lighted match and gazes at his new acquaintance in astonishment.
“Have another match,” remarks the other, passing it over.
The detective lights his cigar and puffs away on it for some moments in silence. “I am not in the habit of taking in partners,” he observes finally.
“I always take a deep interest in an affair like the Hathaway case,” resumes Ashley, without reference to the other’s remark. “In fact, my special line on the Hemisphere has been the running down of mysterious crimes. I have trailed quite a number of them, and you will pardon my egotism when I say I have been quite successful in my dual capacity of sleuth and newspaper man.” Barker looks a trifle bored.
“To be candid, however, this case is a bit too big for me to handle alone. It spreads out too much. It is too much of a job for one man to look after.”
“Indeed?” The irony in the detective’s voice is thinly veiled. He says:
“Then on the strength of your intimation that you are a devilish clever fellow—you will pardon my frankness this time—I am asked to take in an assistant who will gladly share with me the $5,000 reward in the event of the murderer being apprehended.”
“No; I sha’n’t bother about the reward. I am simply looking for glory.”
“You are young in the newspaper business?”
“About twelve years.”