Reeling and spitting he stumbled toward the bed
and fell on it. His right hand pushed under the pillow and seized the
gun, but not by the handle. In the second that he was trying desperately
to wrap his hand around the butt of the weapon and get a finger on the
trigger he was lost.

With a warning shout Louie leaped on the bed and grasped his arm.

He felt himself pulled to his feet and hurled to the floor. He shut his
eyes. With a sweep of his arm the "basher" crashed a black-jack against
his skull. A head splitting flash of blinding light and then darkness
and insensibility. He did not feel the brutal blows that were rained on
him nor the kicks that fractured his arms, his ribs and tore deep cuts
on his face and body.

"That's enough, boys, beat it," commanded "Slim." As they ran out of the
room "Slim" caught sight of Murphy's coat. Quickly his hands went
through the pockets. From one he drew a soiled bit of paper.

On the paper was written, "Brennan and the Gallant kid" and the
telephone number of the newspaper on which they were employed.

"Slim" locked the door from the outside and tossed the key back into the
room over the transom, leaving Murphy for dead.

CHAPTER XXI

In that delightful state of drowsiness that follows after waking from a
sound sleep, John mentally reviewed the stirring adventure of the night
before. The warm, bright sunshine streaming in through the open windows
of his bedroom had wakened him slowly. He could hear his mother in the
kitchen, preparing breakfast.

Every detail of how the mayor, Murphy, Brennan and he had succeeded in
overhearing a conversation between Gibson and "Gink" Cummings was fresh
in his mind. His nerves tingled as he again felt the thrill of those
breathless minutes when Benton photographed Gibson and the "Gink" by
flashlight and Cummings rained shots after them as they escaped in the
mayor's automobile.

It was only a matter of a few hours now before the conspiracy between
the police commissioner and candidate for mayor and the notorious king
of the underworld to seize control of the city government would be
exposed, broadcast throughout Los Angeles as the most sensational news
story of the year. Before he returned home, after three o'clock in the
morning, John, with Brennan, had informed P. Q. of their success in
obtaining evidence to prove the Cummings-Gibson conspiracy. The city
editor told them he would communicate with the "chief" Sunday and
inst