Detective and mystery stories; Women journalists -- Fiction
“Perfectly. I will leave for you at the office here the analysis made by
Herr Feltz, and if I can assist you further, it must be on the distinct
understanding that you are not to interfere again with whatever I may
do. Your conduct in going to Herr Feltz to-night after you had left me,
and commanding him not to give me any information, I should hesitate
to characterize by its right name. When I have anything further to
communicate, I will send for you.”
“Thank you; I shall hold myself always at your command.” This telephonic
interview being happily concluded, Jennie hurried to the Princess,
stopping on her way to give the paper containing the analysis to the
official in charge, and telling him to hand it to the Director when he
returned to his desk. This done, she passed out into the night, with the
comfortable consciousness that the worries of a busy day had not been
without their compensation.
CHAPTER XVI. JENNIE VISITS A MODERN WIZARD IN HIS MAGIC ATTIC.
When Jennie entered the carriage in which her friend was waiting, the
other cried, “Well, have you seen him?” apparently meaning the Director
of Police.
“No, I did not see him, but I talked with him over the telephone. I wish
you could have heard our conversation; it was the funniest interview I
ever took part in. Two or three times I had to shut off the instrument,
fearing the Director would hear me laugh. I am afraid that before this
business is ended you will be very sorry I am a guest at your house. I
know I shall end by getting myself into an Austrian prison. Just think
of it! Here have I been ‘holding up’ the Chief of Police in this
Imperial city as if I were a wild western brigand. I have been
terrorizing the man, brow-beating him, threatening him, and he the
person who has the liberty of all Vienna in his hands; who can have me
dragged off to a dungeon-cell any time he likes to give the order.”
“Not from the Palace Steinheimer,” said the Princess, with decision.
“Well, he might hesitate about that; yet, nevertheless, it is too funny
to think that a mere newspaper woman, coming into a city which contains
only one or two of her friends, should dare to talk to the Chief of
Police as I have done to-night, and force him actually to beg that I
shall remain in the city and continue to assist him.”
“Tell me what you said,” asked the Princess eagerly; and Jennie related
all that had passed between them over the telephone.
“And do you mean to say calmly that you are going to give that man the
right to use the astounding information you have acquired, and allow him
to accept complacently all the _kudos_ that such a discovery entitles
you to?”
“Why, certainly,” replied Jennie. “What good is the _kudos_ to me? All
the credit I desire I get in the office of the _Daily Bugle_ in London.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account