The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-24

Very good But let me give you
, Preacher Jlm's idea-the idea. let us say,
! of a practical crook opposed To the the
| ory of skillful detective. That should
| be interesting should II not? Well, then,
| suppose that any man-that Is. any man
! except the son--knew OF this will and
4 first stole the document and then muir
| dered old Mr.. Mora 10 make 1t operative.
| Now, after this affair blows over and
| young Mora IS In possession OF the prop
| erty, including nine millions bequeathed
| elsewhere could not the possessor of
| the VIII draw interest. as H were. upon
the capital by presenting this important
paper. say quarterly, In substantiation
OF his claim"
80 that is Preacher Jims theory IL
IL? Well. Il is precisely the sort OF thing
that a crazy man would work out, but
which no sane man would either for
mulate or carry into effect. But. consid-
ering II for moment as among the pos
sibllties, II IL easily demolished. No
theory is of value which is not substan-
tiated by collateral circumstances. Now.
there are no facts to Mt the supposition
OF murderer from without, while the
claim of evidence which enclrcles the son
Ia almost complete. But since you have
been discussing this case with Preacher
Jim, perhaps you spoke to HIN about the
plaid suit OF clothes. What are his views
In that direction"
There he agrees with you-that is to
say, he believes that the murderer wore
them going in, as we'll as coming out, and
that young Mora's suggestion that they
were taken from his room TO cover the
blood stained clothes of the intruder is
untenable."
Thus. you see, he advances contra
dictory theories which substantiate mine
as TO his insanity. At one moment he
thinks an outsider came In and killed the
o, at*~ill it lya.t
the son. and In the next breath he argues
that the murderer wore the plaid suit in
which case the SON must be the guilty
party. So. you see, Mr. Mitchell, ! fear
you wasted your evening-that Is, IL you
went aboard that boat with any idea OF
probing this mystery"
Which. OF course. I did not" inter-
rupted Mr.. Mitchell
Well anyway / have to report that
did not wnste my day. What would
you say, Mr.. Mitchell. were I TO tell you
that ! have found that plaid suit and
that IL is at present In my possession"
II should say that you are a very
clever man unless
Unless WHAT"
Unless some one found the things
and brought them t6 you. That was a
possibility prophecied by Pr acher Jim"
oh indeed, But he probably meant the
regular police. ] do not have important
clews and evidence thrust upon me In
that manner. No; j discovered these
things BY the system which you depre-
catchy spying"
This is becoming interesting. Give
me the details"
~ am to understand then. that you
will work with me or the case; You
asked for "a hours In which TO consider |
the matter but YOU have not given me |
your decision. You have spent the last |
half hour chatting me-"
"oh. ] meant mo ofrense, Surely you |
have taken none There's my hand. Yes. |
will study out this problem with you.
but stipulate for perfect liberty 10 pro-
ceed as | please
Very good. Their I will relate what |
has happened since we parted You
speak sneeringly of spies ane make a