Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-05

necessary frankness.
 "My dear Godfrey" I began, "I'vt
 watched you all day, smelling bottles
 faint ink marks on a blotter, puzzlins
 over broken cane and doing various
 other eccentric things from which yor
 seemed to draw conclusions utterly in
 visible to me. I've heard You assure
 both Drysdale and Miss Croydon that
 the former will be cleared of suspicion
 at tomorrow's inquest and that the real
 culprit will be pointed out. You'll
 pardon me if I confess to some curi
 Osity as to how all this is to be ac' compnshed."
 Did you see her face as she came through that door, Lester?" he asked
 staring absently at the seat in front
 of us. T tell you, it warmed the heart of even an old reprobate like me! And to think that we did it!" he added
 'To think that we did itp'
 "You did it." I corrected. T was in the chorus today-you had the cen ter or the Slage.
 "But you don't mind, Lester? l couldn't help it, you know"
 'Of course you couldn't-that's where you belong. But now that the cur itain's down and we're alone together with plenty of time to talk, I'd like to understand
 And you shall-down to the minutest detail. Let's see-this Is the smoker, isn't it? We'll, suppose we light up I can think more clearly when Pm smoking"
 All right; fire away" I said, as soon as the cigars were going.
 Well" began Godfrey, "as pointed out to you this morning, for good and sufficient reasons, I started out in this investigation with the assumption of Tremaine's guilt"
 "Of course," I observed, you know it is the duty of every jury to start out with exactly the contrary assump- tiOn."
 Certainly, I know that, but de, tective has to work with some definite end in view or he never gets anywhere. In other words, detective, after care fully studying the details of any crime. must form theory concerning it and must work along that theory. As soon as he discovers any fact that fails to fit with his theory he must modify it or form another, and he must keep on doing this until he finds the theory which agrees with all the facts-not all but one or two, but with every one. A good many detectives fall into the mistake of being satisfied with the theory which fits most of the facts-a serious error. for the right theory must. of course, inevitably fit them all. That's the scientific method and the only safe one. When detective hits upon theory which fits all the known facts he's got as much right to assume it's true as an astronomer has or physicist, who builds up the universe in just the same way"
 But that's difficult thing to do," I remarked, ''to find a theory that fits all the facts"
 Exceedingly difficult sometimes" assented my companion, because the facts often appear to be entirely con tradictory. Really, facts are never con tradictory-truth is always truth-the trouble is We can't always tell what is fact and what is fiction. The hardest part of a detectives work is to sift the wheat from the chaff-to get at the meaty. essential facts.
 "Well, as you know, I started out with the theory of Tremaine's guilt. More than that. was morally certain that he was guilty, knowing what l knew of the man. And first of all it was evident to me that no criminal as careful as he is would run the risk of going through that boathOuse and committing murder on the pier out | side with young Graham sleeping on a cot few feet away. I therefore de duced this bottle. Smell of it.
 He uncorked it and held it under my nose.
 "Chloroform." I said.
 Precisely" And he corked it care fully and returned it to his pocket. | ''The bR.s story helped ne to arrive | at it. He had been awakened by that | violent thunder clap. but for the first | moment he had found himself unable to moye-dizzy. as he explained il"
 But how did you know where to look for itT" I asked.
 Well. I knew that no experienced criminal wOul'l ieep about him any such important evidence as a bottle that had contained cffs3rOfOrm. The odor clings tO il for a bong time. committed the mistake at first of sup posing that he had hsiden it in the b0athOuse. I should have known bet ! ter. Naturally he would throw it into the hay. There was a single chance against me If he had thrown it in it would probably have sunk Tint was a point he didn't think of. and by just that much h. fell below perfection I think he probably ad- niristerei the chlOrOfOrm by pouring t upon Oze corner of the sheet and throwing it over young Graham's face No doubt the osiDr would have been perceptible mex: morning had any one bought tO lpok for it- There was only me point ia the whole case.- be atieI that was utterly at va iauce with my theu-y-aai it worried ne badly for a tirBe-
 What was thaty- I asked
 That was yse story the jaiIer told rs-sfsr NfSS g1-nrtfp-1 r.rFsev-asf T-rs |