The Arvada enterprise., 1913-05-01
Tho Inspector ExpIalns
CHAPTER XIV.

LOT me, ana yet l must have slept. My
bewildered senses, dazed by sudden
recall to activity, took subconscious
cognizance of regular, persistent
pounding and eventually succeeded In
stirring me to attention. l suddenly
sat up and looked about me. found
myself in the deserted cottage, the
drug slave still motionless on his couch
and the logs still smoldering in the
fireplace.
That thumping-I quickly saw where
1t came from. Davis was standing over
the sleeping form Of Dodds, the con-
stable, engaged in the work OF awak-
ening him by the park policeman's
method-kicking him on the soles of
his shoes.
The process was successful. The
constable snorted, drew up his legs.
rubbed his eyes and sprang to his feet.
ut will be daylight In half an hour"
l heard Davis tell him. 81 want you
to go and get the blackboard and drive
around to where Rouser's body lies.
Bring me any papers you find in his
pockets. Leave his money and his
watch and keys. SO as not to arouse
any suspicion Of robbery. AS soon as
you have done that l want you to
drive back and pick up the body be-
fore anyone else finds 1t. Drive with
it to Millervale and leave 1t there.
Don't talk too much. Tell everybody
that you found the body at the foot
of the precipice and impress on them
that 1t must have been an~accident in
the dark. AS soon as you can convent
emily get away, come back here. Make
sure, though, that nobody follows you"
AS soon as the constable had gone,
Davis lit a cigarette, turned up his
coat collar and took seat on
rough bench Just outside the door.
Come on out here, Harding, and
watch the sun RISE" he called to me.
rose hastily from where | had
been sitting gazing stupidity about me
and joined him on the bench.
There was something you wanted
to ask me. wasn't there?" he said
pleasantly.
There were SO many things I want
ed to ask him hardly knew where to
begin, but the first thing blurted out
was:
'ls Hugh Crandall guilty."
He is guilty only Of being In love
with Katharine Parrish against her IA
Tiers Wishes" he replied.
But surely" | said .doggedly, "he
has some connection with the crime
of the yellow letters. He knew
Young. He knew where to find him.
There are many things about his ac-
tons that to my mind call for expla-
nation"
did you notice his eyes?" asked
Davis. 1t was still too dark for me to
see the inspectors face, but felt
sure that he was laughing at me. He
made me feel that way all too often.
81 didn't" | answered rather cross
ly, but what's that got to do with
it?"
I'm afraid, Kent, as | have said be-
fore, you will never make a good de-
tective. You are entirely too unob-
servant of important details Do you
recall my asking early in our nvesti-
CATION whether or not Crandall had
blue eyes?"
Yes" ! grudgingly admitted, 81 re-
call it."
AS soon as ! discovered that Gran.
dali had blue eyes that eliminated him
as the probable criminal"
IL don't see your logic"
I've told you before" said Davis
after pause long enough to permit
him to light another cigarette, that
there are classes of crime and types
of criminals, each strongly marked
after It's own sort. | saw right at the
start that this crime was of the hid
den sort, of the kind that includes con.
spiracy, blackmail secret plotting
the kind that requires a skilful sneak,
You never in your life found a blue.
eyed sneak There are lots OF blue
eyed desperadoes and burglars. Most
Of the notorious bad men of the west
were blue-eyed, but you don't find n
man with blue eyes shooting or stab.
bling n man in the back or kidnapping
a child or writing blackmalling let.
ters."
While | WAS not at all convinced
ny MS argument, lelt lnat II would
be useless for me to dispute It, for
would be invading comparatively un-
known territory, whereas he undoubt-
edly had dozens of cases at his finger
tips ready to illustrate his theory. I
decided to change the subject
81 recall. too" / said, that you
asked II Crandall was left.handed. So
far as saw, he Is not. What Of that?
Is that another proof OF Crandalls In.
noconce?"
NO" said Davis, that didn't prove
Crandalls Innocence. It proved Rou.
sers guilt. In fact. It was the left.
handed clue that put mo on the right
track and eventually led me to this
very cottage"
For Heavens sake" said impa.
tiently. don't talk in riddles. Go on
and explain It,"
You're not to blame" he continued