The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-08-05

was suddenly swallowed up in his In
terest in the revelations we made to
him.
"That's one to Mallory, certainly"
he said at last. "He was right and
was wrong"
How do you make that out?" I
questioned.
'Didn't I tell you that Mallory sus-
pected Harvey of some active connec-
ton with the crime, and thought that
he was lying to shield himself? The
discovery of the cloak makes 1t evil
dent that he was right. He knew who
the actual criminal was, knows now,
and was undoubtedly associated with
her. He probably thought to save
himself by giving us the clew that
would lead to her detection. In his
eagerness, he Overreached himself and
told too much. told more than he could
possibly have seen. If his testimony
as to how he saw it were true"
He broke off there with a short
laugh. "But confess" he said, turn
ing to my chief, confess that this
discovery of Phelps puts your theory
of associative illusion completely out
of court. Harvey testified to black
haired woman in green cloak, and
denies that he saw more of her than
her silhouette upon the shade. We
know now that black-haired woman
in a green cloak was actually there,
from which it follows that Harvey
lied, knew that he lied. And to have.
lied thus about matter which he
knew to be vital and significant, he
must have some powerful, and prob
ably guilty. motive. don't believe
that you can get away from the logic
of that"
"Your conclusion is probable" said
my chief, "but it's not inevitable"
Ashton dismissed the denial with
mere tolerant shrug, and set it down
to the obstinacy of old age
"YOu brought the cloak to town with
you, suppose" he went on presently.
nodded you'll want it, l pre-
sume?'
"Yes, he said. at may prove val
liable bit of bait, not for the girl her.
self, of course, but possibly for one
of her accomplices. Ill have Harvey
arrested at once. Surveillance isn't
good enough for him now; want him
in JAIL"
"You promised me chance at Har-
not thrn,rUl, vxyifh
Do you remember said the doctor.
81 hope you don't mean to withdraw
it."
Ashton stared at him. "You still
think you. can beat up anything in
that covert?" he asked incredulously.
"Oh, well, I've no objection to your
trying. I'll have him arrested at once
and brought to town. Where do you
want him? AT your laboratory"
"Yes," said the doctor. "When may
we expect him? This afternoon. some
timer"
"Yes," said Ashton. mot later than
four o'clock"
The doctor swallowed the last of his
coffee, pushed back his chair. and rose
to his great ungainly height.
snow, let's have an understanding"
said he. 'I've given you, freely, all
the information you've asked for. 1t
comprises pretty much all the informa-
ton you have which can be of any
service to you in the solution Of the
mystery Of this crime That, of course,
is partly due to luck. believe that
l can solve that mystery by my meth
DDS. l believe that with your methods
you will fail. Phelps and / are going
to set about trying to find that girl
for ourselves, in our own way. If
we find her, we will examine her in
our own way; and we sha'n't tell you
anything about it until our investiga-
ton is complete"
Ashton smiled. "Of course you
know" said he, that you are propos-
ing something that. under my oath Of
office, can't permit. If you find that
girl don't think it very likely that
you will, but if you do. shall be
obliged to take her away from you and
put her in safe keeping. And the
methods I'll use to determine her guilt
or innocence will be my methods, and
not yours"