Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-01-10

VOlVcr Is fOunu near by WITH DlOOu on
it: Il button from his coat is in the
dead mans hand; when lie returns to
the house he is visibly disturbed; at
the moment of his arrest he was pre-
pairing to escape: he refuses to OK
plain where he was at the time the
crime was committed; he's involved in
steel speculation and presumably needs
ready money"
We'll"
We'll" said Godfrey earnestly, that
very perfection is its greatest weak
ness. It's too perfect. Any one of
those things might have happened;
perhaps any two of them; but that
they should all have happened out
RACES the law of probabilities. That
every link of the chain is complete
means that il has been artificially pro-
duccd, like stage storm, where the
lightning flashes at just the right in
slant. The fellow who arranged it
wanted to be too sure. He overleaped
himself
"That may all he true" I said slow
ly, after a moment. but it would be
worse than folly to use that argument
with jury TO say that a man isn't
guilty because the evidence against
him appears 10 be couclusive'-
We're not going to use it to n jury
We're using it between ourselves. in an
effort to find n working hypothesis.
And here's another argument which
would carry 10 weight with a jury, yet
which with me, personally, is conclu
sivc: l know Jack Drysdale. I've
known him for long time. and know
that it's utterly impossible that he
should have committed such crime.
He's not a very original fellow, not at
all genius. He's never done any
thing. perhaps, which either of us
would think really worth doing; but
he's kind and honest and gentle and
honorable. | repeat that crime like
this is as far beyond his horizon MS it Is
beyond yours, farther, I'm sure, than
it is beyond mine, and yet l don't be
lieve you'd think me guilty, no matter
what the evidence against me seemed
to be-
Il shouldn't" | said. but If Drys-
dale isn't guilty who isl"
IF Drysdale isn't, there's only one
other person who can be-thatS Ire
maine. As I'm sure Drysdale's not
guilty, I'm correspondingly sure that
Tremaiue is
But then" l objected you've just
said that there's no evidence against
him"
Il said apparently there wasn't
"And Delroy says he didn't leave the
house"
"Deroy must be miStaken--must he,
mind you. And while there isn't any
direct evidence, there's some pretty
good indirect. We know that Ire
maine is q criminal, and, therefore,
capable of this crime. We suspect that
he needs money, and the necklace
would place him out of need for a long
time to come. We know that he was
within reach Of the spot where the
murder was committed, if he co1ld get
away from pelroy for an hour or So.
In other words, we have Il motive and
the physical possibility Of guilt. l may
add that l think we shall find he had
some reason TO iniure DRY sdale-l'm
sure we shall, in fact"
But the button-the pistol-Drys.
dale's unexplained ABSENCE"
Those points can only be cleared up
by personal investigation of the prem.
ises. That's why were going to Edge
mere"
Godfrey" ] said. there seems to me
to be one great objection TO your theory
that Trcmainc killed Thompson. II
Miss Croydon saw him do il, would
she consent to associate with him
Wouldn't her very knowledge of his
crime give her a greater hold on him
than he has on her sister,
| IIe paused to turn this over.
yes" he admitted at last, ut would
| but woman might not think Of that"
"a desperate woman would think OF
everything" said, land if your theory
be very desperate
He nodded without answering. and
sat staring before him, his brows
knitted in perpeXity.
There was one conclusive objection |
might have urged, had | known of it
but ! was not yet possessed Of the
story OF the house party. If Tremaine
was the husband Of Mrs. Deroy, how
could he propose marriage to her sis
| ter? That was n rock, as yet unseen
by us, which loomed ahead-which we
could not avoid-upon which our theory
must inevitably be dashed TO pieces.
The train flashed past two or three
big hotels, then the brakes We're APP
piled.
Here's Babylon" said Godfrey, rouS-
ing himself from the profound reverie
into which my question had thrown
him. Wen look In upon the prisoner
first and cheer him up bit"
The Jail was only II short distance
from the station, and a five minutes
walk brought as to it.
"Were here in behalf OF Mr.. Drys
dale" Godfrey explained to the jailer
This Is Mr.. Lester of Graham & Royc,
of New York, who have been retained
to defend him. | suppose we may Sc,
hlmT'
"I'll take in your cards" he said
after looking us over. IF Mr.. Drys
dale wants TO see you, it's all right, bu
you'll be the first oncs'
He disappeared into an inner room