The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-07-13
CHAPTER v.
Two Discoveries.

Where are We going now?" I asked
sarcastically.
i was thoroughly indignant at the.
levity with which the inspector had
received my theory of Crandalls
guilt Firmly convinced OF my sound
logic. the thought OF Davis laughing
at me before Louise ranked. AS | be-
gan to expound, as forcefully as +
could, the reasons for my belief. he
cut me short.
Come along, Harding" he said In
authoritative tones, we've no time to
lose"
Almost before knew Il found N.Y.
self by his side In the taxicab he had
hailed. In my indignation had failed
TO hear the direction he gave the
chauffeur.
According to your theory, Mr.. De
tective Kent" he said with assumed
gravity, for he was still in a chatting
mood, where would be the best place
for US 10 go next?"
TO Hugh Crandall's apartments"
cried. determined 10 convince him OF
my view OF the case.
That is exactly where we are
bound" he replied TO my amazement.
But" stammered, Il thought from
your manner that you disagreed with
me as TO Crandall's guilt"
Il do. doubt every mans guilt
until II is definitely proved. admit
there Is plenty OF evidence OF Gram
dalrs connection with the case. | do
not admit that any OF the evidence vet
shows II to be guilty connection"
Again started to explain my rea-
sons for thinking Crandall guilty, but
again he refused TO listen.
My dear fellow" he said. On my
years OF investigating crimes I have
thoroughly learned one lesson. and
that IL the unwisdom OF jumping at
conclusions. There is only one rule
mat never fails. Collect all the evil
uence possible first and then see TO
whom IL points. Most detectives, both
professional and amateur, make the
fatal mistake of deciding on theory
and then setting out to prove IL. That
Is the reason so many innocent men
are convicted and so many guilty ones
escape. You can prove almost any.
hing about anybody II you work hard
enough. Starting out with the theory
hat no such man as Napoleon ever
wed, i could gather many convincing
proofs"
lie stopped the taxicab at the cor
Ter long enough 90 gather in an arm
vi or afternoon papers from a news
10Y. and began scanning their first
ages and throwing them aside. From
he disappointment in his face
judged he had not found what he was
boxing for.
What did you expect to fnd?"
sked wonderingly.
other suicides" he said terseiy.
eeping on with his hasty reading.
Though / have known Miller Davis
'r years | must confess that I con-
family find myself almost dazed by
30 seeming rapldity OF his mental
rocesses and their apparently erratic
purse. Here he was rejecting my
leory or Crandall's guilt. yet jumping
IDLY TO the conclusion that there
ouid be other suicides. possibly con-
ected with Katharine Farrish's act
nd Andrew Esler's death. II was en-
rely beyond my comprehension. and
le next tack OF his mind seemed even
zen more puzzling.
do you know anything about ?"
asked as calmly as n we were hav-
q an after-dinner chat at the club
"A little, not much"
IF any one asked you 10 define
chnique doubt II you could Co n.
do not believe there ia n painter or
art critic who could give a satisfao-
ry definition. Yet any one who
lows even a little about painting
lowe something OF technique. We
low that every painter has his own
chnique. Show me paintings by
anri, Lawson and Glackens and Won
not have TO label them for me IN
\ them apart. I recognize the work
each man by his technique. Even
Lawson painted n portrait and Henri
landscape. the individuality OF the
list would make his work recoeniz-
ie' though masked by a subject nm
uai Tor him. Crime IL like art N
Q respect at least-technique rv.
criminal brain has its own tech.
Iue' Any one who has investigated
\