Flash nearly lost his courage as he realized he had aroused the man from his bed. But he said tersely:
“This is Evans. I’m checking up on some pictures of the Sam Davis fire. I left them on the city desk late Saturday night.”
“Didn’t find them,” the editor answered.
“That’s funny. They were in an envelope.” Flash described the pictures, repeating what Sam Davis had told him.
“We could have used those shots,” Clingston said regretfully. “Too bad they were lost.”
“I don’t see how it could have happened.”
“The janitor may have brushed the envelope into the waste basket by mistake.”
“Shall I print them up again?”
“No use now,” Clingston returned. “The story is two days old.”
Flash hung up the receiver just as Fred Orris entered the office. He thoughtfully watched the head photographer as he hung his hat on a peg.