The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-03-29

form, but I'll need samples Of yours,
Mr.. Bulls"
The politician made no move to take
the case II don't like finger-prints,"
he said. They're too-permanent.
I've already told you was there"
did you have a revolver. Mr..
BullisT
The politicians eyes betrayed q
flicker Of interest. mo"
"Did you see revolver in that
study, or handle one?"
"No."
well, / have to identify a thumb
print on revolver. You've nothing to
worry about. apparently. Besides" he
added smilingly. "this isn't Per-
manent record. These specimens can
be destroyed, after we compare them"
Bulls still hesitated. then, taking
the cigarette case he pressed his fin
gers against it deliberately. sri de-
pend on you, Sergeant" he said. It'll
confess / don't like the idea"
That was all. With only nod to
Peter, he numbered from the room.
Lie S6TS0dut pullcu sEnCultdtArSAJ
after Bulls departure. what do you
suppose was on his mind? There's
something worrying him, Peter. He
didn't seem worried when mentioned
the revolver. He knows we couldn't
have anything else on him. but he's
bothered Can you figure it out?"
at may be just as he says" the
novelist pointed out, "a natural aver
sion to being finger-printed. Remem-
Der, If you can judge the man by his
reputation, he's had great deal to
do with the underworld. That would
explain such an aversion"
"We'll soon know If that's all that's
worrying him." Kilday was assured.
"Come on into the Bertillon room. I'm
going to check up on that thumb-print
on the revolver"
With the aid of Kilday's polished
cigarette cases, the finger-prints Of
most of those under suspicion had al
ready been collected. The sergeant
himself had obtained those Of Cho0
Choo Train, Calls Shipley and Daniel
Bulls. The men who had been dis
patched for the others had returned
by now, and the work of attempting to
identify the five sets Of prints found
in the study, together with the thumb
mark on the revolver, had begun.
In the Bertillon laboratory, each
print had been photographed after
careful preparation. Then the work
Of matching began, each whorl and
line Of q print serving as guide to
the identity Of the person making It.
On fiat desk in the center Of room
whose walls were lined with pictures
Of criminals whose identity had been
established in this very way, lay
number Of square white cards. Some
Of these had as many as half dozen
different finger-print photographs past
ed on them. Others had but one. Pre-
viously. the prints had been carefully
sorted out, and the duplicates all
placed together.
In q second orderly pile were the
negatives of specimens collected BY
the detectives, from the suspects. A
clerk armed with a reading-glass was
attempting to match the prints In the
two piles.
Zone set has already been matched"
declared the sergeant. He handed
Peter two cards, clipped together, and
pointed out the means by which the
specimens had been identified. "Nick
Royce" said the sergeant. He read the
label attached to the card. Finger
prints found on the telephone and on
surface of desk HIM. Seems to bear
out his story, doesn't it?"
$50 far, at least" agreed Peter.
The officer indicated a vacant chair
for the novelist and drew one up for
himself "What luck are you having
with the one on the gum" he inquired
Of his assistant That's the most Inn
portant one"
Silently the man handed him an
other clip Of cards. Kilday inspected
them earnestly, and then passed them
on to Peter.
The thumb-print matches these
prints found in the study" he said.
"Now we have only to find which one
of our suspects left these prints"
Reaching among the specimens, ne
selected those of Webster Spears. He
made no attempt to conceal his eager
ness as he compared these with the
print on the revolver, but after only
q moment he looked up, frowning.
"Not Spears" he said.
He next tried specimens Of Rylie
Carmody's finger-prints, with the same
disappointing result. He slammed the
cards impatiently upon the desk.
"What do you think Of that, Peter?
II neither Of them Is guilty, what was
the girl trying to protect them fort
Unless" a light dawned on his face.
"h'm! Perhaps 1t was herself she was
protecting"
But Calls Shipley's prints did not
khn 0r1Vyn nlth