The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-02-12

returned the master calmly
IaXton resumed his inspection of the board drum
ming his fingers irritaby. The silence was unbroker
save Tor the soft tread of Ota, the japanese butler
who was renewing the generous wood arc upon thc
wide hearth Laxton finally sat back with a gesture
of despair that held, too, suggestion of apology
Il simply can't IT, Burch I surrender,
The master leaned forward and with long supple
fingers made the moves, unycIng the trap which
he had deliberately manoeuvred his king Then he
swept The pieces into their box cleared the table and
shifted TO his favorte armchair
DO you take that line oftcn?" asked Laxton seek.
Ing solace from defeat in the cigar caskct
1T Is sometimes useful" answered The master
There is accepted method In all tactics in chess or
war OF crime. which consists Of gaining an advantage
by placing yourself deliberately In danger 1t is good
of course, only il 1t succeeds and is based on the
assumption that You thoroughly understand your od.
versary's psychological processes"
'Then you figured wouldn't see III"
Il figured, If YOU like, that YOU couldn't soc n
said Burch from behind his first purTs of blue smoke
which, as you will observe, is very different mat.
ter"
"Oh,' said Laxton doubtfully. "But doesn't anv
manoeuyre in any game put you more or less In dan
ger?"
You have not reached my meaning The scheme
refer TO Is the direct counting danger the accepting
of risk that would not be apparent as legitimate
ho
game There is perfectly bald and simple example
of it In the Milton murder II you"-
"Cralg Miltoni' interrupted Laxtou in surprise
Yes Did you consider it!"
NO more than every else has for the last month
There's been little else talked about Do Won know
anything of iti"
Not by first hand knowledge" said Burch smiling
nave never turned my talents that direction But
caught one or two points, think that have been gen.
incln
Inc criminal, OF whom l could give a fairly good
description though can not identify him vvaS ,o,,
MS pn OF operation not against any opponent but
against that collective adversary which YOU and I
nave occasionally had a brush WITH the police Like
every Intelligent person, he mapped his course with
reference to that strangely dull but always feared per-
sonality which is sometimes capable of the mex.
pected.
Craig Milton, upon whom no one has Wasted any
useless sympathy lived for years in sort Of fendol
castle, surrounded by army retalncrs The mur-
oer was committed in broad daylight on the parlor
hoor' ana inc police found that the murderer hnd
escaped by the trcllis work through the back ward
As matter Of fact. Laxton the murderer never left
the house until after the visit of the that even
ing In other words, the police were practically in the
same room with the man for eight hours at least"
Laxton stared in bewIldcrment.
Inside the Clock
'onSIuef Ms problem. he had gained entrance
the house the night before, during reception After
he had killed Milton and very cevery faxed his ap.
Pearanccs of robbery the natural step instant
Hight Instead he remained Where? Inside the hall
clock, just outside the parlor door
mat was his deliberate and, for the moment un-
necessary risk. Now see what he had to gain. He
could hear all the preliminary questioning of the ser
wants, the talk among The policemen themselves and
the drift of suspicion That might bc-and in this case
vas -of trSt innro
Know before he had a chance TO make a mistake what
avenue the investigation TO take and whether or
not his blind of robbery was successful II was as
you Will remember"
But Burch," cried Laxton, "how the devl 90 you
know?"
well you would hardly expect me to bc taken in
by fake robbery, in the first place would you3 7
worked out the matter of his hiding in the clock
through the detailed dispute concernnt, fho limo be
body was discovered You viii recall strange discron
acics between the statements of servants and police
winch were passed over ms annoying but trInnc Now
the servants noted the time by the hall clock ONno
TO The fact that my unknown and clever friend was
hiding inside the case and swinging the pendulum with
MS hand the venerable timepece could be blamed
Ihc Inspector would be glad TO hear Of fills +" s,Id
Lnxton.
lhe inspector VIII have TO struggle along witbout
my humble aid," said Burch, with a twinkle "ordi.
nary should not have given the slightest attention ,
IT, Tor such cases are outside my profession The color
oi burglary SO carefully added caught my notice how
ever, as falling within my province and have since
come to the conclusion that the criminal was no COM
mon person, actuatcd by common motive How
ever the point OF present interest his courlng of the
additional risk to gain his advantage very readily
got what he wanted and he left the house that even
Ing, believe, while the Coroner was giving his inter.
view TO u score of reporters"
We'll, holding to that same point said Laxton .I
can't see much IN your manocuvres yet but gamble
little wilder gamble than the situation seems TO de.
mand."
Without the desire TO grow scnentlous I'll go will,
you and admit that everything Is gamble" returned
Burcb But the distinction between the wIse nnd thc
foolish remains In the who can get the best odds
ior The extent of risk he chooses run or if YOU like
can inject the largest proportion probability into his
calculations There Hes the opportunity the broad
gauge gambler to get away with the whole thing. as
sometimes happens"
Like yourself, said LaXton. suddenly convinced
Burch nodded 'I might