Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-31
who builds up the universe in Just the same


facts"
Exceedingly difficult sometimes" as
scented my companion, because the facts
OFTEN appear to be entirely contradictory.
Really, facts are never contradictory
Truth is always truth-the trouble Is we
can't always tell what is fact and what is
nctlon. The hardest part of detectives
work Is to sift the wheat from the chaff-
TO get at the meaty, essential facts.
We'll, as you know, started out with the
theory OF Tremaine's guilt More than that.
l was morally certain that he was guilty,
knowing what I knew Of the man. And
criminal as cereful as he is would run the
risk of going through that boathouse and
committing murder on the pier outside
with young Graham sleeping on cot few
Smell of it,
He uncorked it and held 1t under my nose
"Chloroform,'' l said.
Precisely" and he corked 1t carefully
and returned il TO his pocket. THE boys
story helped me to arrive at it. He had
been awakened by that violent thunderclap
but for the first moment he had found him
self unable to move-dizZy, as he explained
But how did you know where to look
for it?" 1 asked.
We'll I knew that no experienced crimi-
nal would keep about him any such import
ant evidence as a bottle that had contained
chloroform. The odor clings to 1t for a
long time. committed the mistake, at first,
of supposing that he had hidden 1t in the
boathouse. l should have known better.
Naturally he would throw 1t into the bay.
There was single chance against me. II
he had thrown it in uncorked 1t would
probably have sunk. That was point he
didn't think Of and by just that much he
fell below perfection. l think he probably
administered the chloroform by pouring 1t
upon one corner of the sheet and throwing
it over young Graham's face. No doubt
the odor would have been perceptible next
morning had any one thought to look for
1t. There was only one point in the whole
case" he added thoughtfully, that was
utterly at variance with my theory, and 1t
worried me badly for a time"
what was that?" I asked.
THAT was the story the jailer told US
that Miss Croydon believed DrySdale guilty
But you have seen how naturally that was
explained. 1 knew then, in that instant.
that l was on the right track-that nothing
could defeat me. But let -us go back to the
beginning and I'd like you to point out any
flaws you see in the story"
Every WELL" 1 said, and settled back in
the seat to listen.
'Tremaine had two very powerful mo-
tives for the commission of this crime"
began Godfrey. "He needed money and
could take no more from Miss Croydon,
since he was trying seriously to win her
affection; he was determined to get Drys-
dale out of the way under circumstances as
discreditable as possible, confident that, in
that case, he would himself win Miss Croy-
DON which," he added, in a thoughtful
aside, from what you've told me of him,
1 don't think at all impossible"
mot in the least" 1 agreed. II believe
Tremaine could win any woman he really
set his heart on"
"At any rate, he learns of Drysdale's
jealousy and of Miss Croydon's promise to
explain things. He sees that at any hazard
he must prevent that explanation. Monday
morning he comes to town with Delroy, and
d, I,tt Ill II,
the necklace the saltwater treatment.
You'll remember it was Tremaine who orig
inally proposed this, though he could
scarcely at that time have foreseen what
would come of it,
'*Mere chance 1 nodded.
well, Tremaine takes the early train
back to Edgemere and lays his plans. He
writes the note
But you really haven't any evidence that
he did, l objected.
For answer Godfrey took from his pocket
the blotter he had found in Tremaines
room.
Il told you that these letters aren't in
Tremane's hand" he said; but If you'll
compare them with the note you'll see how
nearly they resemble Miss Croydon's.
Again, they are only capital BIS, G's and
Is, which are the only capitals used in the
note. That's pretty good circumstantial
evidence. Tremaine, of course. burnt the
piece of paper he practiced on; but he
didn't think to burn this blotter. 1t
was only the freshest line at the bottom of
the paper that left these marks"
But did Tremaine have a sample of Miss
CroydonS Writing?"
There S no reason to think he didn't
have; but If he didn't, he could no doubt
have found plenty of samples among Drys-
dale's things. He's probably an adept at
forgery well at most other branches
of crime
IAN right; go ahead" 1 said
'Tremaine writes the note and leaves 1t
In Drysdale's ROOM" continued Godfrey
Then he opens the trunk and secures the
revolver. Perhaps he knew the revolver
was there and perhaps he didn't. If he
hadn't found it, he'd probably have taken
something else belonging to Drysdale for
weapon
Having secured the revolver he returns
to his room by way of the balcony What
passed in the early part of the evening you
already know. Drysdale goes to keep the
rendezvous at the pergola, starting early,
because the house, with Tremaine In it.
has become unbearable to him. He stops
for chat with Graham, which the latter's
son overhears, and then goes on to the per-
COLA, which is quite at the other end of the
grounds from the boathouse.
Meanwhile, Tremaine has spent the early
part or the evening talking with Delroy and
Miss Croydon. At last he goes to his room
on the pretense of writing letters, gets the
revolver, lets himself down by the vine and
starts for the pier. He enters the boat
house softly, feels his way to the cot, whose
position he has already seen, and carefully
administers the chloroform The dose was
no doubt nicely calculated and the bow
would probably have awakened naturally in
a few hours
That done, Tremaine walks boldly out
upon the pier. Old Graham sees him: per
haps challenges him; but. of course. al
lows him to approach as soon as he rec
ognizes him. They talk together for mo-
ment; then Tremafne, swift as lightning.
knocks the other down. Graham probably
fell without crying out. / fancy l can see
Tremafne pausing to make sure his victim
Is dead before he goes on to the end of the
pier to get the necklace
l shivered; l could see him, too. bending
over in the darkness, with a horrible calm
ness
That throwing of the pistol into the
boat" continued Godfrey. was one of
those flashes OF inspiration which come to
a man sometimes. 1t was superb! 1t proves
that our friend is really an artist. Not one
man in thousand would have thought of
1t. He must have laughed with sheer sat
isfaction when he heard it clatter safely
into the boat.
He paused for a moment to think of II.
to turn 1t over, to taste It,
WELL" he continued, at last che secures
the necklace. throws away the bottle and
probably goes down to the waters edge to
wash his hands,