The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-06-25
CHAPTER x--contInued.

reading the morning papers" he an
swered with grin. "Bnt | don't be-
lleve all read. They've made out a
strong case against you, though
Il didn't do ri" cried passion
ately.
III you didn't, who did?"
1T must have been Mr. Wick"
There You 80. jumping at conclus-
ions. Why not Claire Bradfordf"
why do you mention herr DO you
suspect herrr
IL she didn't do II. why did she
come down here TO see your
How did you know she was here?"
y was watching you nll the time
YOU were talking to her.
bat how did you know who she
wasfr
Il saw the other one this morning.
They look alike"
But how did you know which sister
Ii wasf"
"You didn't seem to get along well
enough In your talk for 1t to be Bar
bara. he answered with another grin
Il had not been my intention TO re-
veal even 70 him Claire Bradford's
second visit to my apartment, but /
saw bow foolish 1t would be OF me TO
attempt to deceive or to withhold any
Information from such shrewd OBJ
server.
Without reserve and with the ut
most detail proceeded to relate ev-
erything that he'd happened since |
had seen him the afternoon before.
told Of my discovery of the secret
panel In my room and Of the blind
Passageway into which IL apparently
led, of Barhara's having made the
reriions journey over the window ledge
to Inspect my find, of the screams we
had heard, followed by the shot, OF
how Barbara had lied back by the way
she came. and ! had run downstairs
and with Wick had discovered the
body. told him every detail so far
as | could remember II, winding up
with my catching Claire Bradford leav-
ng my apartment, Just before my ar
rest and the finding Of the revolver.
.You don't think the detectives
themselves planted the gun on your"
he asked, "I'ye heard Of them doing
things like that"
Tie spoke with such an air Of limo.
eence that had to smile, doubt a
there were many tricks OF detectives
that German did not know ali about.
They had no opportunity whatever.
Neither OF them had been near the
dresser before. and I was watching
them every moment"
well. who did hide the revolver
there, II they dldn'tp'
II don't know"
aCouldn't Wick have done III"
Il was with him every moment after
we discovered the body"
Maybe Il was Claire BradfordT'
| shook my head.
Il thought at first II might have
been she, bur I'm convinced since talk.
Ing with her that II was not. She's
either entirely innocent or else the
most wonderful actress In the world"
Il think we can leave her out of IT,"
ventured German.
That leaves only Wick"
Gornan shook his head positively.
No, Wick didn't do IL. He's bad
one all right. and he has done time,
but he's only d tool"
Wick has done time I" exclaimed.
How did you find that outf What
have you learned about hlm?"
"A
tionlng.
Il don't know much about him yet,
hut I'm sure he's an ex-con. While
you were In court this morning. he
explained, II went up to the Grand.
deck TO take look at things for my.
self. Wick showed me through the
Lutan apartment, thinking | was from,
the coroner's Office. ] spotted him at
once. A crook that has done dine
is always sure to give himself away"
AHowT asked.
well" said German Judlcially,
mems businesses leave their marks
on them. A clergyman don't have TO
be wearing high vest for you to spot
him, and nobody ever took a dancing
teacher for pugilist A man that has
booked at as many crooks as | have
knows them by instinct, and then
there's little ways you can tell. As
was going up to the apartment with
Wick he Just naturally fell into step
with me, showing he had been used TO
marching with other prisoners. He
talks, too. without moving his lIps.
That's a sure sign. They learn that
In prison 90 they can talk without
the GUARDS knowing IT,"
That's So" / cried. 1T struck me
that there was something funny about
the way Wick talked. but | couldn't
have told just what Il was"
eWick's a crook, all right, sbut I
mink ne comes from somewhere up.
state or maybe out West, but he
hasn't intelligence CROUCH to be any.
thing more tilan d runner for tho