Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-01-26
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER I-John BARLEY. noted Grim
inal investigator, recently returned from
Secret Service work during the war, Is
asked by the governor of New York to
investigate mysterious attempted rob-
berry Of the Robert Slyke home at Circle
stances Of the case interest BARLEY. and
he accepts,
CHAPTER u.-with his friend Pelt,
becoming the guests Of Bob Currie, an
old friend The three visit the Slyke
home. Slyke apparently resents Barley 8
coming, saying he is satisfied the two
were guilty. BARLEY is not Next morn
ing Slyke is found dead In bed, apparent
ly having shot himself
He was a small, decidedly nervous
man, weighing about a hundred and
thirty pounds, with low forehead,
shitty eyes, and fabby lips that
dropped His face twitched again and
again and his hands were never still.
II was not until Currie had told
him who BARLEY was, that he showed
tha slightest sign Of interest in either
Of us. and even then his manner was
far from cordial. You could see, In
fact, that he was wondering why
BARLEY had come, and wishing him a
thousand miles away.
BARLEY himself, seeing how Slyke
felt, said with a friendly laugh, Its
hardly right to run in on you this way,
Mr.. Slyke. / was coming over to see
you formally in the morning; but as
Mr.. Currie said he had some business
with you this afternoon, decided TO
come with him"
He then told Slyke why we had
come to Circle Lake. The man made
anything when BARLEY told him of the
governors interest in the two men now
in prison for the burglary.
When BARLEY had finished, he act
ually snarled, II am sick Of the whole
thing. Those men had a fair trial
and were found guilty. What more do
you wantT'
BARLEY, whose eyes had never left
his face, though Slyke refused to meet
them, shot out suddenly, "But you
were AeNSA sh* 1Anb thcS "SS
guilty"
The remark was so unexpected that
Sykes face grew red and be STAN
mered, "But-well-anyway they were
proven guilty"
"But you yourself said that you
could not identify them" N
'That may be so, but there wer5
others that did recognize them, even
though I could not" Slyke answered.
BARLEY changed his tactics. When
few that can resist him; and In a mo-
ment or two even Slyke thawed under
his smile.
II can understand" BARLEY re-
marked, "how bored you must be with
the whole affair, but, as you probably
know, Mr.. Slyke, there Is a growing
feeling that those men in prison are
innocent. What / am to do Is to find
out whether there is any ground for
such feeling. know that you will
be the very first person to wish them
pardoned II they are innocent. Can ]
come over tomorrow morning and
have talk with you about the burg.
laryT My wide experience may help
me to see things that the others have
overlooked. The governor asked me
to look into the matter, you know"
Slyke did not seem over-pleased at
this suggestion, and muttered that he
was going fishing In the morning. He
finally agreed that his step-daughter
Ruth could give BARLEY whatever In
formation he wanted. Seeing that so
far as he was concerned, the converse
ton was over we took our leave.
AS we re-entered the woods Bart
ley remarked with laugh, "He was
not what you might call keen to see
us. That burglary for some reason
seems to be sore subject with him"
When we arrived at the house, Our
rle excused himself to see about some
matters on the estate, and we went
up to our rooms.
Currie had said that If we came
down to dinner In evening dress he
would throw US out; 80 still in white
hannsls, we joined him In the dining
room. He was talking with a young
man Of about thirty-fivs, whom he in
troducsd as Doctor King. BE was a
likable sort Of chap with clean-shaven
face, tanned red by outdoor life, and
dark blue eyes with twinkle In them.
Upon his coat was the little insignia
that showed he had seen service.
Currts had promised us a good din
ner, and we were not disappointed.
The doctor showed himself to be as
well read as BARLEY, who Is interested
In anything that Is a book. As the
dinner progressed, we found that the
doctor and BARLEY found many con-
genial topic.
Their discussion finally settled down
upon the two schools Of psycho-analy.
sis. From the first, this talk bored
Currie and every once In a while he
would throw me an appealing glance.
At last the conversation turned to
crime, and Currie suddenly asked
BARLEY IL it had ever been discovered
who Jack the Ripper -Wss What made