The Washington times., 1911-03-26


He locked the front doors, forgetting the
lower bolts in his hurry. Then he ar
ranged Normans body so that there
could be no explanation of his death
save suicidei Still nobody turned up
and PeIi finished his job, turned out the
lights and got out Of the way!'
Barrows paused and looked at them
with calm and possibly justified con-
sciousness of his own general superior
:.If this is true" Gray began.
Barker's sharp voice came in:
THE man Pell, here, has signihed his
willingness 10 make fun conIession'
Mr. Gray" he said. He seems reason
ably familiar with criminal procedure,
and l suppose that he realizes that TINS
must be proven to give him even a
chance for his neck
about that lust now" Barrows smiled.
"However, thai IS the edifying tale l
heard out there behind my tree.
Whether 1t was bravado or fascina-
ton or sheer lack of brains cannot
say. but the fellow came PACK mere
three days ago, and he has been COM
municating with Pell under our very
noses. The scheme poor old PelI
worked up was to concoct a conles-
sion that he had seen Destop himself
kill Gerald Forbes-take 1t to you and
start a wild excitement-and then
escape himself as soon as he could
do so without creating much sus-
picion. He had no earthly intention
Of ever testifying against Deston, you
well. PelI started OFF for the inn,
and when he was out of sight and
this chap had taken to walking up
and down swearing like a trooper be-
cause his father hadn't brought money
enough, / stepped out and-well, we
had little difference Of opinion as to
which direction he was going to take"
He looked thoughtfully from the
prisoner to his slit sleeve.
And why 1 have any arm, not to
sailors knife he introduced as an
added argument, ! can't say. He put
my wrist out OF business during the
debate. too. However" Barrows
had convinced him that 1 was right.
to the extent Of getting the hand
cuffs on him, knife and all, when our
chief here heard the rumpus and turn
ed up with a couple of men. And
that's all there Is to that story!
He waved a hand toward the sullen
. man.
The goods mentioned" he con-
cluded rather airily.
And II had had opportunity for a
few moments more thought, l could
have told you that that confession
was spurious-that PelI was making
1t for purely personal motives-that
some one intimately connected with
him" Burton began earnestly.
Well, you didn't have time to think,
BurtonH Gray had suficientiy bad
taste to be distinctly acid. while ]
was trying to prove the circumstantial
case thought had and you were dab
| bling with psychology and noses and 80
on, Barrows-"
." the younger man commenced To
agree heartily.
Stumbled over the real thing sound
asleep in the bushes!' Gray continued
with rather bad grace.
The chief of police had arisen.
We'll, I'm going to take the fellow
down now. Mr.. Barrows- You don't
need to come unless you want to-"
| 'Pll be down little later"
The chief took new and careful gril
| on his pistol.
Get up. you!" he commanded.
Heavily, the prisoner obeyed. One
/ last. distinctly evil glance he shot al
Barrows; then, head up, ugly and de.
| liant, he strobe out of the room witt
the head OF the constabulary close be.
hind.
A sigh went UP from the four men re.
naming in the library-a sigh that was
| cut short suddenly as they listened
| something seemed to be taking place ir
the corridor. The steps stopped-were
resumed again-and Pell himself STUN.
bled blindly into the room.
For a second or two, he stared wild.
~. Then his voice came in a low wai
of agony. -
oh. my God! They've got the boy
| They've got the lad,''
He dropped weakly into chair and
looked around once more: Pelrs heac
went into his hands then and he sobbec
| violently.
Barker came to his side and laid q
hand on his shoulder.
| I'VE unledstand, Pell. but-bosh. Yol
have absolutely nothing to grieve about
This is the best thing that ever hap
pened to him and to you. Why die
you even go the length of lying abou
| it? The boys bad lot"
Slowly, Pell's head came up and HI
eyes for many seconds.
"Mr.-Mr: Barker" he said then
brokenly, you never loved a woman
more'n you loved your life, did you
You never seen her die and leave you {
little fellow that was her livin' image
you never seen a little fellow like tina
grow up without a mother, did you
Mr.. Barker?'
His dumb, agonized eyes were de
manding an answer.
| "Well-why-no, Of course mott" tht
lawyer stammered.
Then you don't understand nothinI
about 1t, Mr.. Barker-you don't know
nothing about it at all, sir!" Pell sob
bed. You
They stared at the quivering. huddIet
figure for a full minute. Mr.. Gray theI
pulled out his handk erchief and blew
his nose violently. And at the sam
time Barker made a noisy effort at clear
ing his throat, and:
"Hell"' he cried gustily. "I-I-I'll de
fend the damned scoundrel myself, Pell
They won't electrocute him-I'n guar
antee that! They'll probably give him
life term, but maybe even that"
Yes. and now you'd better get out o
here Pelll" Burton said earnestly. ''Yo-
YOU'RE a disturbing-disturb elemen
lust now, and there are a lot Of thing
we want to discuss"
Yes, go to your own quarters an
have it out alone, old man." Gray sal
kindly "we-we'n forget all about tha
valuable information Of yours"
Silently they watched the bent ma
shuttle out Then:
where is Deston all this time?" Gra
asked briskly.
"Upstairs and asleep, thank tn
Lordr' Barber cried fervently. He wa
awake all night, you know. II thin
I'll go tell him now, If that fellows o
the way to jail.
The three investigators bowed thei
assent, and Mr. Barker hurried away.
And two OF the investigators locke
hard at the third.
''I suppose you're going to collect on
hundred thousand dollars, Barrows!
said Gray.
Il suppose I am" said that perso
Possibly Mr.. Gray contemplated a tar
comment. At any rate. he never mad
well, by thunder! We both congratu
late you, old man. he cried, holding
out his hand.
THE END.