The sun., 1908-12-13
THE AVERAGE MANS q
t----' -.'''-" WAY IN CRIME
Cfonkite Helps a Client to Test
Theory and Thereby Catches
E a Murderer.

= Abe Cronkite came into the Judges 8
nrlvate ofiice. somewhat ostentatiously
making way for deorepit. purblnd old
tfnan. all bundled up like an immigrating
psdlsr.
= sThe clerks were going to drive away
as a beggar this person inqui-ing for you.
Z sfs, = he said, sbut OF course / saw, that he
q gentleman in disguise
sIne stranger with n hasty ejaculation
tlnwound muffler. tore on fur cap and
Rfesn goggles and cast gray whiskers
10 the floor. The clean cut, smooth
shaveu face OF young man appeared,
its refinement contrasting oddly with
notiRh Stops and enormous brogans.
4 -Perhaps you will be 30 good as to say
j how you knew" he demanded crispy
I natural fire for the moment returning and
Z displacing worry.
'Fingernails," explsined the detective:
Judge Maroelus rose from his desk
! and paced the floor agitatedly
i II don't see why you came here, MIR.
! Graydon, he said, coldly, From my
3 experience with you should say l was
the last person in the world whose advice
you would heed"
I s-You are the only person in the-world
Jhdee. to whom / will tell the truth. !"
3 Interrupted the young man passionately.
when have done SO il you see fit you
may surrender me to the authorities.
Z win not resist. This man of yours
probably has the manacles handy
The Judge. in doubt, again paced the
/ floor nervously.
Z Very we'll Frank" at length he decided.
tsYour fathers friend must hear what
you have. to cay il you insist. Come
apart with me into this alcove Rut
mind. warn you not to incriminate
yourself As you know, can be long
suffering toward youthful follies, but
murder--and such lovely character
gas Louise Labar! Oh, the foul shame
and wickedness of it'
As the young man and the old lawyer
stood remote in whispered consultation
Cfonkite took yesterdays paper from his
pocket and read again the account on the
+ first page. II told how Percival Labar.
i the eminent capitalist, had found the body
Of his wife shot through the heart in the
grounds Of his pslatial home. II gave in
successive detail the links Of circumstance
! that combined to fasten the guilt of her
death on Frank Graydon. whom as Louise
: AIayail. the prettiest girl In town, she had
Tilted only the year before in order to
marry Labar. f--a q.
e0utside Labar's statements which
might be contradicted, and Graydon's
tfdotprints, which might be explained.
poe ,ss Gr%s n.d d orene tse The' thssSsy ss Of
redeemed pledge. the missing revolver.
! Nay more. the vindication Of the accused
sdepends solely on them; for i am satisfied
from his words to the Judge that he will
snefther contradict Labar nor explain his
own presence"
The Judge came back In softened mood.
atanding fussily over Graydon until he
had reassumed his disguise.
Nov, Abe, he began briskly, 4to busi-
.uees. Where can you hide this chronic
|gcapegrace OF mine until you have made
manifest his Innocence. in which now
Thoroughly believer
II think my own lodgings would be the
best place. SIR answered Cronkite.
Especially as am expecting MIR, Labar
at any moment to get you TO set me on
the task Of finding Mr. Graydon."
The Judge stared for moment.
Il by JoveF he cried, Il believe what you
aJk 4 true. Labar has a high idea OF
your skill ever since you ran down those
bond forgers for him. Graydop has |
clesrly outyitted the police. and Labar |
must realizeit. He win spend any money, |
80 to Any extreme; but what shall say to
q Say. sir, that will find Mr.. Graydon, |
aud SO ! will on the day when Labar is |
arrested for the murder OF his wife"
All, you know?"' murmured Frank |
GEaydon. a sob in his throat,
IL is what Mr. Graydon says, Abe
added the Judge. SI3ut remember he |
at hhat th<a kaNa tkalS
diiuRde Of him; you understand?"
not only. understand your instruo-
HONS, sir. but his reasons"
And again a sob broke in Frank Gray
done throat.
& u would deem such o course unpro-
ss7siunai.s reflected the Judge, awere
! not sure that Graydon's life is at stake.
Mere he apprehended and tried now
and maintained the dogged silence which
he vows he would conviction would be
Inevitable. After all. Labar will be get
ting no more than he deserves. He who
plots must expect tcounterplots."
4 At this iincture. following a rap. the
door opened and a tall. slight man OF
elegant dress and bearing with singu-
larry cold and impassive countenance
entered the office. q i
sAh,A Labar." said the Judge. come
right in. ] rather anticipated you would
wsut our aid in this terrible affair; the
police never seem able TO cope with a
case above the violation of a city ordi-
nance, do they? My man will be back
directly. as soon as he has disposed Of
this stupid Slav, who happens to be an
Important witness in partition suit"
And Graydon lurehed out of the room,
thrlsting his hands deep into his pockets
st q warning glance from the detective
b his side. |,
- III.
This. then, was the evidence on which
the generally accepted theory OF the
P9lios that Frank Grsydon was the mur-
defer was based: Percival Labar swore
that on the evening in question his wife
had stepped out into the grounds for a
breath Of fresh air, leaving him TO enjoy
his after dinner coffee and cigar. Alarmed ,
~ the descent of darkness without her {
Iyt,iFn. he went in search OF her. ,
sAs he approached the summerhouse i
he heard womans voice entreating, ,
mans voice threatening, scream and
slipt all In rapid succession. He rushed ,
Forward, to find his wife lying on the floor :
81 fthe summerhouse shot through the !
eft breast As he raised hnr in HE arms !
she murmured -Oh. Frank, how could
you?" and died.
y As oot as he ooull get help I.aba-
y iHttybtW iha acu..sufn a., /