Dick Kittrelle, at a little eating place in West Second street
frequented by lawyers, newspaper men, police officers, deputy sheriffs
and others who were thrown into contact daily in the making and
gathering of news. There Schenck would discourse on psychiatry and
psychology, his two hobbies, talking of "phobias" and "complexes" and
maintaining that everyone in the eyes of others has a touch of insanity.

"I believe, with Le Compte Davis, that the two things that a successful
lawyer must have are tact and an instinctive knowledge of psychology,"
Schenck would tell them.

They were interesting days for John. He heard the "inside" stories of
famous murder cases, municipal upheavals, political battles, celebrated
trials and notable "beats" scored by reporters in the history of
newspaper work in Los Angeles. He saw behind the scenes and what he
learned made a distinct impression on his receptive brain. He was
surprised to find that most of those he met, whom Brennan described as
the "head-line boys," shared Brennan's skeptical viewpoint, rejoicing as
he did when their doubts were overcome and their faith in their fellow
men re-established.

These men differed on the question of Gibson's sincerity in his "clean
up" crusade. Some of them believed him to be an altruist, while others,
without evidence to support their views, regarded him with suspicion.
The opinion of the skeptics was that Gibson was either a plain
"glory-seeker" or, despite his denials of the reports to that effect, a
potential candidate for mayor.

"He knows that no man can become mayor of Los Angeles unless he has the
support of respectable citizenry, represented by the churches and
business and civic welfare associations, as well as the women's clubs,"
one of them said. "After he is elected mayor he may break his pledges to
these organizations, but as soon as he does he's through."

Late one afternoon, two weeks after his last meeting with Consuello and
Gibson, Brennan and John were gossiping at the office, speculating on
Gibson's next move.

"He'll pull another stunt soon," Brennan declared. "When he does it's up
to us to dig in and find out what's behind it. If we can get a little
more evidence like that you stumbled on to when he raided the Spring
street bookmakers, we'll be on the trail of the biggest story that's
broken here in years."

"Isn't there a chance that he's straight?" asked John, still unable to
believe that the man Consuello had s