The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-05-10
CHAPTER vi.
"A Policy Of silence.

CHAPTER vi.
a Policy of Silence.
Steel dropped into a chair and gazeo
at Inspector Marley with mild surprise
least alarmed. Not that he failed tt
recognize the gravity of the situation
only it appealed, in the first instance, te
the professional side of his character.
"Walen is quite sure?" he. asked. ENC
possible doubt about it?" g.
Not ir the least. You see, he recog'
nized his private mark at once, ano
Brighton is not so prosperous a place
that a man could sell a s7O cigar case
land forget all about it-that is, a second
case pean. It's most extraordinary
"Rather!-, What a magnificent story
Marley!"
very" resp0rfdea Marley, drily. at
would take, all your we'll known fngenu-
tty to get your hero out of this trouble
Steel nodded, gravelJ. This personal
twist b Brought him to the earth again.
He could clearly see the trap into which
he had placed himself. There before
him lay the ciger cas- which he had
positively identified as his own; inside
his initials bore testimony to the fact.
And yet the same case a been identt-
fed beyond question as one sold by a
highly respectable local tradesman to
h mysterious Individual now lying in
the Sussex county hospital.
MAY I smoke a cigarette?" David
asked.
You may smoke a score, If they will
be of IN assistance to you, sir" Mar
ley replied. II don't want to ask you
any questions. n I don't want you
well, to commit yourself. But, really,
sir. you must admit
The inspector paused, significantly.
David nodded again.
pray proceed" he said; "speak from
The brief o hay We before you"
"Well, you see, it's this way Marley
said, not without hesitation. you call
US up to your house, saying that a muir
der has been committed there; we find
q stranger. almost 1T his last gasp, in
your conservatory, with every sign Of a
struggle having taken Place. You tell
us that the injured man is a stranger to
you; you go on to say hat he must
have found his way into your house
during a Eocturra al ram5le Of yours.
Well, that sounds like common sense,
on the face Of 1t. The criminal has
studied your habits, and has taken adj
vantage Of them. Then I ask If you are
in the habit of taking these midnight
strolls. and. with some signs Of hesita-
ton. you say that you have never done
such a thing before. Charles Dickens
was very fond of that kind of thing. and
4 naturally imagined that yca had the
same fancy. But you had done
80 before. And, the only time. a man
Is nearly murdered in your house."
Perfectly correct" David murmured.
s'Gaboriau could not have put it better.
You might have been a pupil of my re
markable acquaints nee, Hatherly Bell"
4 am q, pupil of Mr.. Bells" Marley
sasaid, quietly. Sewn years ago he In
duced me to leave the Huddersf1eld po-
lice to go into his office, where I stayed
until. Mi. Bell gave up the business.
when I applied for and gained my pres
ent position. Curious you should men,
ton Mr.. Bells name seeing that he was
here 80 recently as this afternoon.
.'staying in Brighton" Steel asked,
eagerly. what is his address,"
mo. 219E Brunswick Square"
II took all the nerve that David pos
sessed to crush the cry that rose to his
ffps.. It was more than strange that
the man he most desired to see at this
iuncture should be staying in the very
house where the novelist had his great
! adventure. And in the mere fact might
be the key to the problem Of the cigar
4 ease. @.
"Ill certainly see. Bell" he multtered.
..Go on, Marley.
Yes sir. We now proceed to the ell
gar case that lies before you. 1t, wat
also lying on the floor Of the conserv-
atory on the night In question 1 sug-
gested that here we might have found q
clue. taking the p%lecaution, at The same
time to ask II the article In question
was your property. You looked at the
d az one does who examines an OBJ
1ect Tor the first time. and proceeded tc
declare that 1t was not yours. ! am
#$ quite %%prepared to admit that you In
stantly corrected yourself But ! ask
q Is III usual thing for q mar TO forget
athe ownershipS of al e70s cigar@case? 3"
"a nice point. and4I congratulate you
uponSit. I, David eaid. as ID
.slT.h we will take the matter little
gfarther. day or two agOsyoU were A
VI lie need { 4; something like R1.000'
8NenpS0irarily. at any rate you were
u practically Ut the end OF yyolrsresorrces.
gIf the money were not Forthcoming, -
feWs hours you weie a ;ruined man d
vulgar parish you wonlds ayeapee e
aoldgu p Mack had yotsSssidpn
fheiggariipssandthey werseHdeterrlmihnedaatss
Msunuake aMNthey could p1t55lOf you.S saThA
xpSrHS