Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-23
iii.

Il
how to let we'll enough alone"
Ill.
There was a weary, almost haggard
look on the judges face as he listened
to what Cronkite on his return had to
tell him.
II suppose 1t must be so, Abe" he
said subduedly, "but still, you make
out Pitney skilled forger-a pretty
large assumption, without a particle of
proof"
There hasn't been time for that,
SIR" replied the detective. "It is fair
to charge a man with the necessary
consequences of his acts.
1.-THE true art of detection lies in facts
experimentally obtained and in deduc-
tions from these facts. 1t is not an ex-
treme supposition, either, in the case
Of an adroit, resourceful man such as
he plainly Is.
skill in initiating handwriting is not
so rare as most people think; many a
school boy can take off a signature at
a glance to perfection. The truth is
that the commercial interests Of the
world have waged such an unrelenting,
bitter war against this crime that 1t
has been pretty we'll put out Of busi-
ness. Fear is the great preventive, not
lack of ability or Of opportunity"
Perhaps so; but conceding his skill,
the intimate knowledge involved is be-
yond my comprehension. He not only
must have possessed himself Of the
various handwritings, no mean task in
view Of Mr.. David Barr's habitual eau
ton, but he must have gained an in
sight into that gentleman's idiosyncra-
sies-that Endorsement Of the sealed
envelope, for instance, not only seems
to be in his writing, but 1t sounds like
him. 1t is just what he would have
said to secure the undisputed genuine
ness of the will after his DEATH"
Your trained astuteness, sir, has
discovered a complication in the case
which 1 can neither deny nor belittle;
but don't let us go into that now. We
may never care to find 1t out, and
Pitney-he may be too chivalrous ever
to confess It,"
The fires Of contradiction, so banked
by revelation, again flashed fiercely
in the old lawyers eyes.
Don't carry your Internal deductions
too far Cronkite," he warned. "Go
ahead with your experiments on Pit
ney; at least he has fairly laid himself
open to them. But let them stop there.
l, 1 too, am chivalrous."
And he stumped out Of the room.
For a serious man Of settled habit
| Cronkite's immediate manoeuvres
seemed somewhat frivolous. Having
first folded and placed near at hand
the evening paper, he sat at his desk
and busted himself with taking off nu-
merous imprints Of the firms sigma
ture and address on clean sheet, by
means of a rubber stamp and an ink
ing pad.
| The stamp was old and dulled and
the pad was fresh, so that the impress
sions came forth heavy and wet. II
was while he was thus engaged that
the door opened and Mr.. Pitney enter
ed quickly, with an impatient glance
about
THE Judge? Judge Marcellus?" he
demanded. rs he not here?"
Just stepped out, will return pres
emily" replied Cronkite, rising fussily
Wont you take chair, sir, and here
is the evening paper"
When so deliberate a man acts hur-
riedly he is apt to act awkwardly. In
his zeal Cronkite caught up the sheet
still wet with his idle impressions to-
gether with the evening paper. In his
precipitation he thrust them both into
Mr.. Pitney's ungloved hand, not draw
ing back the sheet until it had been
clutched by it.
you clumsy hound" fairly scream
ed Mr.. Pitney. holding up his thumb
all stained from the blue ink! "how dc
you dare-what do you mean? Give
me that sheet this instant"
And he sprang forward. Cronkite
acted quite as quickly, but far less
awl,wardly in this crisis.
Hands up: stand as you are" he
commanded, levelling a revolver. I'll
you speak, If you move, I'll shoot you
down as ruthlessly as you murdered
poor old Mr.. Barr"
And then, his eyes cleaning menac-
ingly along the barrel, he darted for
ward, whipped a long buff envelope
all crumpled up. from Pitney's left hand
coat pocket. and darted back again to
stand on guard, holding his prisoner
the statue of fear through the convic-
tion of sudden death.
rs 1t true, Abe?" quavered the
ghost.
You may see for yourself, sir. You
have the sealed envelope brought from
Miss Emily.
you have studied the thumb mark
on one of the seals, where some one
inadvertently used his thumb to press
it together while still sofia slight
faint mark, which might have escaped
casual notice, but definite, unmistaka'
BILE, under the glass. You will fine
the facsimile Of it, sir, in that blue
smear on that sheet there.
Besides, here is the envelope
thought he must have with him to sub
stitute for the other. The same in.
dorsement-the same handwriting
Don't you dare, you villain! 1t is hare
for me not to shoot!"
Hard not to shoot?" repeated Mr.
Pitney, his brow adrip, his face livid
disdaining his fate because certain Of
it. "Oh, If l only had the chance tt
blow you both to hell. you pair Of by.
pocritical, sanctimonious sneaks-"
And he confronted them with muir
derous gaze, hopeless but defiant. A:
he snarled at his captors, curling his
lip, the long, sharp CANNES CLEANED
from under his dropping mustache, alb
normal in size and keenness-sign.