Part 35 (2/2)
”No,” said the judge dryly, ”she will tell us to-night.”
The banker bounded in his seat.
”You'll see,” he cried. ”Another flash in the pan. I don't like being mixed up in this matter--it's a disagreeable--most disagreeable.”
Dr. Bernstein puffed a thick cloud of smoke into the air and said quietly:
”Yes, sir; it is disagreeable--but--unfortunately it is life.”
Suddenly the door opened and Captain Clinton appeared, followed by his _fidus Achates_, Detective Sergeant Maloney. Both men were in plain clothes. The captain's manner was condescendingly polite, the att.i.tude of a man so sure of his own position that he had little respect for the opinion of any one else. With an effort at amiability he began:
”Got your message, judge--came as soon as I could. Excuse my bringing the sergeant with me. Sit over there, Maloney.” Half apologetically, he added: ”He keeps his eyes open and his mouth shut, so he won't interfere. How do, doctor?”
Maloney took a position at the far end of the room, while Dr. Bernstein introduced the captain to Mr. Jeffries.
”Yes, I know the gentleman. How do, sir?”
The banker nodded stiffly. He did not relish having to hobn.o.b in this way with such a vulgarian as a grafting police captain. Captain Clinton turned to Judge Brewster.
”Now, judge, explode your bomb! But I warn you I've made up my mind.”
”I've made up my mind, too,” retorted the judge, ”so at least we start even.”
”Yes,” growled the other.
”As I stated in my letter, captain,” went on the judge coolly, ”I don't want to use your own methods in this matter. I don't want to spread reports about you, or accuse you in the papers. That's why I asked you to come over and discuss the matter informally with me. I want to give you a chance to change your att.i.tude.”
”Don't want any chance,” growled the policeman.
”You mean,” said the judge, peering at his _vis a vis_ over his spectacles, ”that you _don't want_ to change your att.i.tude.”
Captain Clinton settled himself more firmly in his chair, as if getting ready for hostilities. Defiantly he replied:
”That's about what I mean, I suppose.”
”In other words,” went on Judge Brewster calmly, ”you have found this--this boy guilty and you refuse to consider evidence which may tend to prove otherwise.”
”'Tain't my business to consider evidence,” snapped the chief. ”That's up to the prosecuting attorney.”
”It will be,” replied the lawyer sharply, ”but at present it's up to you.”
”Me?” exclaimed the other in genuine surprise.
”Yes,” went on Judge Brewster calmly, ”you were instrumental in obtaining a confession from him. I'm raising a question as to the truth of that confession.”
Captain Clinton showed signs of impatience. Shrugging his ma.s.sive shoulders deprecatingly, said:
”Are we going over all that? What's the use? A confession is a confession and that settles it. I suppose the doctor has been working his pet theory off on you and it's beginning to sprout.”
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