The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1895-08-07
CHAPTER XVIII
INSPECTOR BRIGGs' JOKE.

iNNlfi iOt bhiNNS dOhh.
Here's a pretty kettle of fish :" said
Inspector Briggs to Detective Goringe,
as the pair sat in room in the police
station at Clayfields.
1t was the evening of the l2th of Oc-
tober, and the coroner's inquiry had
been adjourned to the following Mon
day
"Vickery confesses to murder, "
growled the inspector; doctor swears
the woman died II natural death. Stein
worth, whom I had fixed upon, clears
himself completely, yet he falls down
in fit when he hears that the chloro-
form was administered little too late.
Lcclerc seems To be out Of it altogether,
and vet all through he has been as nerv-
Gus as Il cat. Come, now, Mr. Goringe,
it is only fair to ask you for your views
at this stage Whatever we do, we
mustn't get hold of the wrong sow by
the ear.
Il don't think it is so very difficult,
said the detective, 'tO reconcile Wick
ery's confession with the doctors state
ments us to the absolute cause of death.
But as | have frequently told you |
don't deal in opinions | still possess
nm open mind ON the case, 50 far Us it is
concerned with the lady's death. Don {
you see now how rash it would have
been TO fix upon any one SO early i'll the
day-before we had the medical eyi-
denceY"
Il admire your gift Of being able to
keep yourself aud your views 80 well IN
hand - said Inspector Briggs, with q
somewhat sour smile II have no doubt
/ see how you mean TO reconcile the
man Nickery's statement with the doc
tors as to the cause Of death. I'm fact,
old Pcrcival himself ventures on AN
opinion IN the matter Vickery could
have attempted TO cnloroform Mrs. ID.
az the time he stated, only he was in ig-
norance Of a rather important fact
namely, that he was operating ON dead
body.
Exactly.
But then we get back to those
locked doors, and that's what fixes me
and confuses the whole business, for
an wholly of your opinion -
',Please don't tie me down 20 opin-
ions, " interrupted Goringe.
We'll, of your conviction if you like
the word better, that no outside aid
was brought into requisition
Dear me, dear me 70 said the detect
i've, with a sigh. Is it not a dreadful
thing 10 contemplate how man s
words may get distorted? have never
declared possessed any such conviction
What did say was that the front par
lor window was not opened from the
outside
Il stand corrected, said Inspector
Briggs But must confess you don Z
help mo much, ="
II give you all the help | possibly
can. In the first place remember our
bargain. / was TO have the thief-you
the murderer. Now haven done my
very best to keep you from jumping to
conclusions: l consider | have done
really good and useful work in that di-
rection. have made you cautious and
prevented you from arresting an limo
cent man. At the same time-don't look
so glum, Inspector am ready now tC
/ listen to any new views Of yours. with
/ the new light that has been thrown
upon the whole case, and 20 discuss
them with you openly, "
Thanks. Wen, then, here are three
men In desperate need Of money
"No uncommon want, =" interrupted
the detective. but you will pardon me
for saying that you are not quite correct.
Steinworth probably wanted money,
/ Vickery, with some insane project IN
! his head, thought he did Leclerc doesn I
know what he wants. He belongs e
that order Of young man who, if you
fetched the moon for him at his owl
request. would tell you the planet wa
worn ont and Of no use, and that tbs
farthest. fixed star was really she thinl
which he thought would suit his require
matz But | interrupted you
"A useful interruption, perhaps, but
as usual, sort Of dampcr VOL
whatever you may think, or say, or ad
wise, will confess that have not beeI
able TO shift my first impression ont o
my head.
"Your first suspicion was Stein
worth.
Eyes. And his behavior in court to
day, Notwithstanding Vickerys candi,
confession and the doctors eyidenca
has confirmed me in my impression tha
he knows something.
Possibly lac may. But it is also pos
sible that he is subject 10 fainting fits
aud the tit he had in court this after
noon may have been absolutely uncOn
pected with anythinf that ever hap
penod az ! 8 Felsp,T DAD
"The damper again, "
"No--rhe brake, on the caution sig
pal, II you like, People of our clotl
must learn TO work on the block systeu
with continuous brake %
II think you puzzle me quite a
much as the case itself But let me ro
sume SteinW Orth was certainly loenz
into his room at o O'Clock in the morn
ing, and did not get in orout of his bed
room window Nickery was also locke
into his room at 9 O'Clock in the mora
ing. Yet his slatement-yhich was