Part 36 (2/2)
I've worked this case out. He hasn't.”
And public opinion was with him. It conceded that he had the right answer to the puzzle. At that very moment the ”star” reporter of _The Sentinel_ was hammering out on his typewriter the following paragraph for publication in the morning:
”While it is generally recognized that Chief Greenleaf deserves great praise for the promptness with which the guilty man was discovered, the chief himself called attention this evening to the invaluable a.s.sistance he had received from Mr. Lawrence Bristow, already a well-known authority on crime. It was Bristow who, in addition to other brilliant work, forged the last and most impressive link in the chain of evidence against Carpenter. He did this by suggesting that the tests be made to determine whether or not the negro's finger nails showed traces of a white person's skin.”
Later on in his story, the reporter wrote:
”Not a clue has yet been uncovered leading to the location of the stolen jewelry.”
If Braceway could have read that, he would have said: ”Wait until we get to Was.h.i.+ngton. That's where we'll come across the jewels. Give us time.”
Bristow, having a different opinion, would have refused to divulge it.
The last thing he expected, was any such result in Was.h.i.+ngton.
CHAPTER XIX
AT THE ANDERSON NATIONAL BANK
When the train pulled into Was.h.i.+ngton at eleven o'clock, Henry Morley, the first pa.s.senger to alight, shook off the red-cap porters who grabbed at his grips, and hurried toward the gates. Braceway, well hidden by shadows just inside the big side-door of one of the baggage coaches, observed how pale and haggard he looked under the strong glare of the arc-lights.
”Hardly more than a kid!” thought the detective, with involuntary sympathy. ”Why is it that most of the criminals are merely children? If they were all hardened and abandoned old thugs this work would be easier.”
Nevertheless, he kept his eyes on Morley and, a moment later, moved a step forward. This made him visible to a well-dressed, sleek-looking man who up to that time had been standing on the dark side of the great steel pillar directly across the platform from the baggage car. Braceway, with a quick gesture, indicated the ident.i.ty of Morley, and the sleek-looking man, suddenly coming to life, fell into the stream of street-bound pa.s.sengers.
Braceway went back to the Pullman and rejoined Bristow, who was waiting for him in the stateroom.
In the taxicab on their way to the Willard Hotel, the lame man lay back against the cus.h.i.+on, apparently tired out and making no pretense of interest in anything. Braceway muttered something inaudible.
”What's that?” Bristow asked, opening his eyes.
”I'd been thinking what a pity it is that most criminals are youngsters.
When you nab them, you feel as if they hadn't a fair show; it hardly seems a sporting proposition. After that, I soothed myself by considering the satisfaction one feels in landing the old birds, the ones who know better.”
”I can appreciate that,” the other agreed. ”That may be one reason why I'm glad I've fastened the thing on an ignorant negro rather than on a fellow like Morley.”
”You've too much confidence in circ.u.mstantial evidence, Bristow. I remember what an old lawyer once told me: 'Circ.u.mstantial evidence is like a woman, too tricky--and tells a different story every day.'”
At the Willard, finding that adjoining rooms were not to be had, they were put on different floors. Going toward the elevators, Braceway said:
”Unless something unexpected turns up, let's have breakfast at eight.”
”And then, what?”
”Go to the Anderson National Bank. A man named Beale, Joseph Beale, is its president. We'll have to persuade him to have the records examined, to see how Morley stands. If he's wrong, short, the rest will be easy.”
”Very good. Did your man pick him up at the train?”
<script>