Part 27 (2/2)

CORNERED

Marsh replaced everything in the suitcase, put it back in the cupboard, and closed the door.

”We're through here for the present, Nels,” he said.

Shutting off the lights, the two men returned to the main floor. As they entered the library, Morgan and Tierney appeared, having completed their search of the upper part of the house.

”Any luck?” asked Marsh.

”Nothing at all with any bearing on the case,” answered Morgan. ”How about you?”

”I found all the evidence we need; most of it in a suitcase, which is probably the one Atwood removed from his apartment.”

”There goes one of your theories, Marsh,” laughed Morgan.

”Which one?” inquired Marsh.

”That Clark Atwood and this man Hunt were not in cahoots.”

Marsh smiled. ”What is the proverb?” he said. ”'Tis wisdom sometimes to seem a fool.'”

”Now then, Morgan,” he continued, briskly, ”there's the telephone.

You make arrangements to have your men come out and take care of the evidence in the bas.e.m.e.nt, and the prisoners. While you're doing that, the rest of us will bring in those fellows we left out by the road.”

Morgan went to the telephone as directed, and Marsh led the others down the drive to the gate. Everything was just as they had left it, and they found the two men where they had placed them, behind the bushes.

”If I'm any example,” said Tierney, ”these two guys must be near frozen to death.”

”That'll cool off their ambition for a fight,” replied Marsh.

Marsh placed Wagner, who was the smaller of the two men, over his shoulder, and Tierney and Nels, carrying the other man between them, followed Marsh back to the house. They put the two men in chairs in the library, and lifting the other man from the floor placed him in a chair near them. Marsh then turned to Morgan.

”Have you fixed everything up?”

”Yes, they ought to be here inside of an hour and a half.”

”Fine!” commented Marsh. Then turning to Nels, he pulled out a bill and presented it.

”Nels,” he said, ”we've all got to go into the city. Somebody must watch this place while we're gone. You have a good gun there, so you can stick around until the police come.”

”Sure--Aye watch.”

”Come on,” Marsh called, and the three men started out. The last thing Marsh heard as he went down the steps, was a voice murmuring, ”He bane fine man.”

Oak Street lay shadowy and deserted, as Marsh, accompanied by Morgan and Tierney, turned into it from Rush Street.

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