that little city, he could communicate his
suspicions or his facts to the police.

"The chief agrees to my plan," nodded Hemingway, leaving the 'phone.
"Me for 'The Blade' office."

"See here," begged Dick, earnestly, "if there's to be a good newspaper
story in this, please let me turn it over to Len Spencer. He's
one of our best newspaper men. He'll write a corking good story
about this business---and, besides, I'm under some personal obligations
to him."

"So I've heard," replied the plain clothes man, with a twinkle
in his eyes. Hemingway heard a good deal in his saunterings about
Gridley. He had picked up the yarn about Dick & Co., Len Spencer
and the "dead ones."

"So that 'The Blade' gets it, I don't care who writes the story,"
replied the policeman, good-humoredly.

Dick swiftly called up "The Morning Blade' office. Spencer was
there, and came to the telephone.

"How's news tonight?" asked Prescott, after naming himself.

"Duller than a lecture," rejoined Len.

"Would you like a hot one for the first page?" pursued Dick.

"Would I? Would a cat lap milk, or a dog run when he had a can
tied to his tail? But don't string me, Dick. There's an absolute
zero on news tonight."

"Then you stay right where you are for two or three minutes,"
Dick begged his reporter friend. "Officer Hemingway and some
others are coming down to see you. You'll want to save three
or four columns, I guess."

"Oh, now, see here, Dick-----" came Reporter Spencer's voice,
in expostulation.

"Straight goods," Dick assured him. "When I say that I mean it.
And, this time, I not only mean it, but _know_ it. Wait! We'll
be right down to your office."

Nor did it take Len Spencer long to realize that he had in hand
the big news sensation of the hour for the people of Gridley.

Everyone in Gridley either wondered or shivered the next morning
at breakfast table.

Four pounds of nitroglycerine are enough to work fearful havoc
and mischief.

CHAPTER XVIII

FRED SLIDES INTO THE FREEZE

Monday's "Blade" contained additional light on the nitroglycerine
affair---or what passed as "light."

Len Spencer and the local police had discovered that at least
three of the wealthiest men in town had received, during the last
few weeks, threatening letters from cranks.

These cranks had all demanded money, under pain of severe harm
if they failed to turn over the money.

It now developed that the police chief and Offi