The Rice belt journal., 1920-10-02
CHAPTER x-cOntinued.

ut looks like you were guilty from
reading the morning papers," he an
swered with a grin. But l don't be-
lleve all read. They've made out
strong case against you, though"
81 didn't do itm l cried passion
ately.
"lf you didn't. who did2"
1T must have been Mr.. Wick"
There you go, jumping at conclus-
ions. Why not Claire Bradford?"
"Why do you mention her? Do you
suspect herT
IF she didn't do it, why did she
come down here to see yOu?"
How did you know she was here?"
Il was watching you all the time
you were talking to her."
But how did you know who she
was?"
Il saw the other one this morning.
They look alike"
But how did you know which sister
it wasT
You didn't seem to get along well
enough in your talk for it 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 a shrewd OBJ
server.
Without reserve and with the ut
most detail proceeded to relate ev-
erything that had happened since l
had seen him the afternoon before.
l told of my discovery of the secret
panel in my room and of the blind
passageway into which it 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. I told him every detail so far
as ] could remember it, winding up
with my catching Claire Bradford leay-
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 yOu?"
he asked. 1--WE heard of them doing
things like that"
He spoke with such an air of inno-
cence that l had to smile. l doubt If
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"
swell, who did hide the revolver
there, If they dldntT
Il don't know"
Couldn't Wick have done 1T"
Il was with him every moment after
we discovered the body"
Maybe it was Claire Bradford|
shook my head.
81 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"
81 think we can leave her out of IT,"
ventured German.
"That leaves only Wick"
German shook his head positively.
mo, Wick didn't do it. He's a bad
one all right, and he has done time,
but he's only q tool"
wick has done time!" exclaimed.
How did you find that out? 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 Grand
deck to take look at things for my
self. Wick showed me through the
Lutan apartment, thinking l was from
the cOrOners Office. l spotted him at
once A crook that has done time
is always sure to give himself away"
'How?" l asked,
WELL" said German iudicially
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 pugilSt 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
] 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 sure sign. They learn that
in prison so 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 it was"
"Wick's crook, all right. but |
think he comes from somewhere nm.
state or maybe out West but he
hasn't intelligence enough to be any
thing more than a runner for the
gang"
We'll, what's your theory?" / asked
"If Wick didn't murder Miss Lutan
who dldg"
Il don't know yet. Wick aip,+ H.,