The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-03-24


VALENTINE sHUFFLED THE PAGES BACK.
1907" Doyle came to HIM. Valentine
shuff1ed the pages back. well, that's
pretty close-thats in March, 1906.
made a speech that night. What was
that date again."
"Well. by began Doyle. complete
~ nonplused.
"That was a pretty good speech"
commented Valentine. pointing to an
other clipping-'second one l ever
made. The first. what was that date
February what?"
Ninth" Doyle rose impatiently.
This is too good" put in Valentine
Here, look here" He indicated the
picture on the wall. who is that as
big as life there? It's been staring US
both in the face ever since you've been
here"
Doyle went to the photograph. THAT
was on Feb. Q. l906-why, yes. the
photographer even dated it."
us this you?" Doyle pointed to one
Of the figures in the group.
''WelI. look at it. If this Valentine
was in prison that must be me. You
said yourself that Sing Sing doesn't
allow boarders to so visiting"
Doyle stepped back in front of Val
entine's desk.
You can alibi yourself into hell
Valentine. but you can't get away
from that scar on your left wrist"
Doyle had reserved this telling shot
for critical moment.
wrist" the other returned jubilantly.
Lets see" the detective snapped
unbelievingly
But that proves nothing" Valen-
tine drew back as he spoke. He ap-
peared unwilling to permit Doyle to
make an examination of his wrist.
'Let me see. tell you. It's got to
be shown sooner or later. Delay won't
get you anything" Doyle was forcing
the fighting now. He was certain that
be had Valentine cornered.
The assistant cashier thrust his
hands behind his back.
Don't you realize" he said trium-
phantly. that that is very old fash
Toned method of Identification? Don't
you know that since the introduction
of horsehair in sewing wounds
there is never a SCARF" He smiled ir-
ritatingly at Doyle.
AS reply the detective bent swift
" across the desk, seized Valentines
arm and drew his left hand toward him.
could an old scar be opened and
sewed with horsehair and disappear"
he asked dazedly as he saw the wrist
was unmarked by any indication of a
scar.
II don't know; l presume So" in
differently.
Doyle was silent. This last denoue-
ment disconnected him more than had
anything else. An idea came to him.
He lunged forward. clutching Valen-
tines right hand in his own. and jerk
ed it across the desk. "Was 1t the left
wrist that was scarred"' he cried.
He pushed back the cuff. but the
surface of the right wrist was as
smooth and as unbroken as the other.
Anything else l can do for your
asked the assistant cashier calmly as
Doyle let go his hand.
by -. that's funny: murmured
Doyle He looked across the room to
the picture on the wall. He drew
magnifying glass from his coat pocket
and stepped before the handsomely
framed photograph once more. He
passed the lens up and down and
across. over the face Of the photo
graph, then wheeled about and faced
Jimmy Valentine.
"Mr. Randall" he said apologetical-
", "you must excuse my mistakenly
most unfortunate mistake-and / trust
that you will overlook my ungentle-
manly manners. l now realize that l
have been making insinuations against
an entirely innocent man. You Of
course realize the difficulties of my
professionalism in dealing with the
brightest criminal brains In the world
we cannot avoid making errors at
times. but"-his face glOwed pride