The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-05-18
CHAPTER XII
In Which the Robbery Is Solved.

morning in either fishing or playing
| golf Barley had left in such hurry
that he had given me no instructions
| as to what was to do in his alb
sence. But when came down to
breakfast, by my plate was telegram
from him, reminding me to see the
boy in the garage and learn from him
what he knew of the robbery. had
entirely forgotten the chauffeur's dy-
| ing statement.
After late breakfast. took the
| car and drove once more to the Slyke
house.
| Leaving the car in the driveway in
| front of the house, went around to
the rear. The house appeared de-
serted, although it was the day of
| Sykes funeral.
The garage was some yards from
| the house, half hidden among the
trees. 1t was two stories high. built
of stone. the upper story being used
as living quarters for the men en-
ployed in it. The door stood open
and 1 entered. Coming from the
bright sunlight into the darkened
room, it was several moments before
| could see clearly enough to make
out that 1t was occupied by large
| touring car, two small runabouts and
large truck. There was no one In
sight, and after waiting a moment, |
called loudly. The boy l wished to
see slouched out from back room.
He was about eighteen, with heavy
| figure, red face and unbrushed hair.
His suit was dirty with Oil from the
cars If he wondered what wanted
he gave no sign of it. His eyes met
mine clearly and honestly, as if he
had no secrets to hide.
At first he. stoutly denied that he
knew anything at all about the rob-
berry. He seemed to have the Idea
that thought he was implicated i'm it.
All he admitted knowing was bit
of gossip that he had picked up
around the house at the. time it was
committed. The more questioned
him the more he insisted that he knew
nothing about it, and | almost be-
lleved him. But the chauffeur, at the
point of death, had said. ASK the
boy 1t stood to reason then that he
must know something of Importance.
At last 1 told him that the chauffeur
had insisted that he knew, and asked
if anyone had ever told him anything
about the crime. A startled look
came into his face; and he turned to
me excitedly, his words tumbling over
each other.
Maybe that's what he meant. But,
good Lord, / thought it was a joke,
darned if 1 didn't. thought he was
kidding me; he was drunk, you know"
'Who was drunk" asked.
"Briffeur. He was very drunk, sir.
You see, you asked me did l know
anything about those men breaking
into Sykes, and didn't; but Brif-
feur told me one night"
He paused.
go on / commanded.
ut was one night soon after the
trial. Briffeur came drifting in here,
pretty well lighted up. When --e was
that way, he used to talk lot; but
he never told the truth at such times,
as I'd often found out. He never
knew afterward what he had been
saying. He would tell awful yarns
about women, and the like. No one
ever believed him.
/ brought the boy to the point by
asking what it was the chauffeur had
told him. He hesitated, then in voice
that showed that he thought what he
was going TO say was almost too fool
ish to mention, he added, HE got to
talking about that robbery, and said
It was to laugh, the way the trial had
gone. That no one knew that he had
committed the robbery-no one except
himself and one other. / thought, of
and laughed at him. When asked
him why he did it, he said Slyke owed
him lots of money, and that he was
after it,"
1t was natural that the boy should
have thought this conversation of no
more Importance than many others of
the chauffeur. when he was drunk and
bOasting about things that had never
happened.
The chauffeur, he said, had come
into the garage, 'lit up like battle
ship" The talk had veered around
to the robbery, and he had boosted
that the two men were in Jail for the
robbery that he himself had commit
ted. Who had helped him, he did not
say. He claimed that Slyke owed him
'lots of money" 1t seemed absurd
that wealthy man like Slyke should
owe his chauffeur money and not pay
| it. He had even boosted that the evil
dence against the men in prison was
arranged by himself.