The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-07-02

1T looks like you were guilty from
reading the morning papers he an
swered with grin. But don't he
lieve all read. They've made out I
strong case against you, though"
Il didn't do I'll" l cried passion
ately.
III you didn't. who did,"
1T must have been Mr.. Wick"
There you 60. jumping at conclus-
ions. Why not Claire Bradfordr
"Why do you mention herr Do you
suspect herr"
III she didn't do It. why did she
come down here to see your
"How did you know she was here?"
II was watching You all the time
you were talking to her."
But how did you know who she
wasp
II saw the other one this morning.
They look alike"
"But how did you know which sister
It WASP"
you didn't seem to get along we'll
enough In your talk for 1t to be Bar
bara," he answered with another grin.
1t had not been my intention to re-
veal even to him Claire Bradford's
second visit to my apartment. but
saw how foolish It 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 1t apparently
led, OF Barbara's having made the
perilous journey over the window ledge
to inspect my find. of the screams we
had heard, followed by the shot, of
how Barbara had fled 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 1t, winding up
with my catching Claire Bradford leav-
Ing 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. "1ve heard of them doing
things like that"
He spoke with such an air Of inno-
cence that I had to smile. / doubt v
there were many tricks of detectives
that German did not know all about.
"They had no opportunity whatever.
Neither of them had been near the
dresser before. and l was watching
them every moment"
"Well, who did hide the revolver
there, If they didn't?"
~ don't know"
Couldn't Wick have done III"
Il was with him every moment after
we discovered the body"
maybe it was Claire Bradford7"
shook my head.
~ thought at first 1t might have
been she. but I'm convinced since talk
Ing with her that 1t was not She's
either entirely innocent or else the
most wonderful actress in the world"
ventured German.
THAT leaves only Wick"
German shook his head positively.
"No, Wick didn't do 1t. He's a bad
one all right, and he has done time,
but he's only tool"
"Wick has done timel" / exclaimed.
"How did you find that outr What
have you learned about him?'
German grinned at my eager ques-
tioning.
II don't know much about him yet,
but I'm sure he's an ex-con. While
you were In court this morning." he
explained, II went up to the GraRd-
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 time
is always sure to give himself away"
"How?" / asked.
"Well," said German judicially,
"mens 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
looked at as many crooks as | have
knows them by instinct, and then
there's little ways you can tell. As
l 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. lie
talks, too, without moving his lips.
That's snre sign. They learn that
In prison 40 they can talk without
the guarne hnowing It,"
That's So" | cried. at struck me
that there was something funny about
the way Wick talked. but | couldn't
have told just what II was"
"Wick's crook. all right, "but
think he comes from somewhere up-
state or oiayhe out West, but he
hasn't Intelligence CROUCH to be any,
thing more than runner for the
gang