, 1910-06-23

No"hc ouiu ne COuiuH l give II 10
me-"
Then you killed him."
Il did not kill him." replied Howard
positively.
Thus the searching examination
went on. mercilessly, tirelessly. The
same questions, the same the
same accusations, the same denials
hour after hour. The captain was
silence in the room. 1t was SO quiet
hat once could have heard a pin drop.
Had q disinterested spectator been
there to witness it, he would have
been at once impressed by the dra-
matte tableau presented-the dead
man on the floor. his white shirt front
%spattered with blood, the cringing,
frightened boy crouching in the chair,
the towering figure of the police zap.
tain sitting sternly cycling his hapless
prisoner, and at the far end of the
Detective Sergeant Maloney
busy sending hurried messages
through the telephone.
What did o do 1t for?" Numbered
the captain suddenly.
Towards tongue Glove to his palate.
He could scarcely a%-ticulate. He a
innocent, of course. but there was
something In this mans manner which
made him fear that he might, after all,
have had something to do with the
tragedy. Yet he was positive that he
was asleep on the bed all the time.
Ii question is, would anybody believe
him? He shook his head pathetically.
81 didn't do 1t. Really, / didn't"
Shut your mouth! You're lying,
and you know you're lying. Wait till
the coroner comes. Well fx you"
Again there was silence. and now be.
gan a long. tedious wait, both men re-
tanning the same positions, the cap.
tain watching his prisoner as a cat
watches a mouse.
Towards mental anguish was al.
most uncomfortable. He thought of his
poor wife who must be waiting up for
him all this time, wondering what had
become of him. She would imagine
the worst, and there was. no telling
wha she might do. If only he could
get word to her. Perhaps she would
be able to explain things. Then he
thought of his father. They had quar-
relied, it was true, but after all 1t was
his W flesh and blood. At such a
critical situation as this, one forgets.
His father could hardly refuse to come
to his assistance. He must get a
lawyer. too, to protect his interests.
This police captain had no right to de-
tain him like this. He must get word
to Annie without delay. Summoning
up all his courage, he said boldly:
You are OBTAINING me here without
warrant in law. I know my rights. |
am the son of n of the most in.
f%luential men in the city"
Whats your name?" growled the
captain.
Howard Jeffries."
"Son of Howard Jeffries, the bank.
err"
Howard nodded.
Yes"
The captain turned to his sergeant
"Maloney, this Teller says he's the
son of Howard J~effries, the banker"
Maloney leaned over and whispered
something in the captains ear. The
captain smiled grimly.
so you're a bad character, Ell? Fa-
Their turned you out of doors, Ell ?
Where's that girl you ran away With"
Sharply he added: You see know
your record"
I've done nothing I'm ashamed Of
replied Howard calmly. 81 married
the girl. She's waiting my return now.
Won you please let me send her a
messenger"
The captain eyed Howard sus-
p%iciously for a moment, then he turned
TO his sergeant:
"Maloney, telephone this mans wife.
What's the NUMBER"
"Eighty-six Morningside."
Maloney again got busy with the
telephone and the wearying wait be-
gan once more. The clock soon struck
two. For a whole hour he had been
subjected to this gruelling process,
and still the lynx-eyed captain sat
there watching his quarry.
# Capt. Clinton had begun to have
any doubts when Howard told him
who his father was, Maloney's infor.
nation Immediately put him at his
ease. 1t was all clear TO him now.
The youth had never been any good.
His own father had kicked him out.
He was in desperate financial straits.
He had come to this mans rooms to
make a demand for money. Under
wood had refused and there was a
quarrel, and he shot him. There was
probably a dispute over the
All, yes, he remembered now. This
girl he married was formerly a sweet
heart OF Underwood's. Jealousy was
behind 1t as well. Besides, wasn't he
caught r%ed-handed, with blood on his
hands, trying to escape from the
apartment? oh, they had him dead
TO rights. all right. Any magistrate
would hold him on such evidence.
It's the Tombs for him, all right,
all right" muttered the captain to
himself; and maybe promotion for