“Same sort of thing, with variations. I operated all night long, and all of my patients died on the table. Not very pleasant-but something else happened that wasn’t a dream. You know I still use an old — fashioned straight-razor; I was shaving away, paying no attention to it, when it jumped in my hand and cut a big gash in my throat. See? It’s not entirely healed yet.” He indicated a thin red line which ran diagonally down the right side of his neck.
“Why, Ben!” squealed Joan, “you might have been killed.”
“That’s what I thought,” he agreed dryly.
“You know, kids,” Phil said slowly, “these things aren’t accidental — ”
Open up in there!” The order was bawled from the other side of the door. As one mind, their senses of direct perception jumped through solid oak and examined the speaker. Plainclothes did not conceal the profession of the over-size individual waiting there even had they not been able to see the gold shield on his vest. A somewhat smaller, but equally officious, man waited with him.
Ben opened the door and inquired gently, “What do you want?”
The larger man attempted to come in. Coburn did not move.
“I asked you your business.”
“Smart guy, eh? I’m from police headquarters. You Huxley?”
No.
“Coburn?” Ben nodded.
“You’ll do. That Huxley behind you? Don’t either of you ever stay home? Been here all night?”
“No,” said Coburn frostily, “not that it is any of your business.”
“I’ll decide about that. I want to talk to you two. I’m from the bunco squad.
What’s this game you were giving the boys yesterday?”
“No game, as you call it. Come down to Pershing Square at noon today, and see for yourself.”
“You won’t be doing anything in Pershing Square today, Bud.”
“Why not?”
“Park Commission’s orders.”
“What authority?”
“Huh?”
“By what act, or ordinance, do they deny the right of private citizens to make peaceful use of a public place? Who is that with you?”
The smaller man identified himself. “Name’s Ferguson, D.A.’s office. I want your pal Huxley on a criminal libel complaint. I want you two’s witnesses.
Ben’s stare became colder, if possible. “Do either of you,” he inquired, in gently snubbing tones, “have a warrant?”
They looked at each other and failed to reply. Ben continued, “Then it is hardly profitable to continue this conversation, is it?” and closed the door in their faces..He turned around to his companions and grinned. “Well, they are closing in. Let’s see what the papers gave us.”
They found just one story. It said nothing about their proposed demonstration, but related that Doctor Brinckley had sworn a complaint charging Phil with criminal libel. “That’s the first time I ever heard of four metropolitan papers refusing a juicy news story,” was Ben’s comment, “what are you going to do about Brinckley’s charge?”
“Nothing,” Phil told him, “except possibly libel him again. If he goes through with it, it will be a beautiful opportunity to prove our claims in court. Which reminds me-we don’t want our plans interfered with today; those bird dogs may be back with warrants most any time. Where’ll we hide out?”
On Ben’s suggestion they spent the morning buried in the downtown public library. At five minutes to twelve, they flagged a taxi, and rode to Pershing Square.
They stepped out of the cab into the arms of six sturdy policemen.
— “Ben, Phil, how much longer do I have to put up with this?”
— “Steady, kid. Don’t get upset.”
— “I’m not, but why should we stay pinched when we can duck out anytime?”
— “That’s the point; we can escape anytime. We’ve never been arrested before; let’s see what it’s like”
They were gathered that night late around the fireplace in Joan’s house. Escape had presented no difficulties, but they had waited until an hour when the jail was quiet to prove that stone walls do not a prison make for a person adept in the powers of the mind.
Ben was speaking, “I’d say we had enough data to draw a curve now.’ “Which is?”
“You state it.”
“All right. We came down from Shasta thinking that all we had to overcome was stupidity, ignorance and a normal amount of human contrariness and cussedness.