| Show I IV SETTLED 1 OUT OF OURT the Cb Exp lol ts of a Private t O Detective t Copyright BY ri SCOTT 1095 CAMPBELL C by b M th BELL Anther r Lang Bans BansA I IA A spiteful Hash flash in the th darkness a single sharp report on the stillness of the night one hollow groan from lips grown gray in an instant then the dull dun thud of ot a body fallon fallen heavily he to the ground round Let Lot go my m throat A narl was va tho the answer then smothered d oath both mingled with iu 11 wrenching of bones and sinews in InI Int t I terrific struggle l Let gd Let go you ou knave or orl You hound bite off ot my tin fin tinor or Gr Ill fl knife you y u unless a Now the interruption was a n blow quickly followed by another The night silence was broken only by 0 quickly moving feet A figure darker than the tho darkness darted hero here and there now crouching in frantic haste to o search the ground now rising in desperate apprehension to gaze and listen Presently It sped ped swiftly away through the gloom leaving behind only the th dreadful tokens of a midnight hor horror two lifeless men prostrate on the earth with upturned white faces and sightless eyes staring up at the starry sky Mr 11 Morris Morrs Donald gazed razed down at them in the warm sunlight or of the tol day and appeared oblivious to tho the fact that his arrival upon the tragic scene stirred in most observers even iven 11 a greater Interest than that oc occasioned by the shocking spectacle Even in the suburban town to which he lie had been hurriedly summoned the name of the noted Boston detective v Was as very well known and a look at him in flesh tiesh and blood was an incident to be remembered J j Superficially the ease case appeared only ordinary A milkman driving by the bank building at daybreak had lied dis discovered discovered covered the dead bodies of two men lying yIn on the this ground near noar the building of which one of tho th side doors stood i partly open Instead of personally in investigating Investigating Investigating the matter he hastened to report it to Humphrey McPherson a local constable dwelling near and the th latter hastened to the scene It then was found that the bank had been entered during the night and the safe blown open and robbed That the crime rime was that of skilful professional burglars was Immediately apparent for a very superior kit of tools covered the soiled floor and the work vork ork plainly was that of experienced hands Shrouding the affair with mystery m I however were the two dead men found on the ground outside both of whom Appeared to have been murdered and it was this startling feature case caseI caseI I I v ch had led the bank officials to H I I U 1 summon Donald from irom Bos Boston r DU DUton os f ton letting the mystifying evidence lie till he should arrive which occurred about noon The case Is much too deep for Mc Ic Pherson our local constable was the explanation offered by Mr Jimmie Al lison hlson the bank cashier why I I iye sent for you and let things lie I None of the evidence has b leen een dis Mr Allison Barely so much as a hair Things In the bank and out of it are Just as we 1 C found them McPherson M Pherson Phenon notified me flip at once and I have hac been here since early earty morning Not one of the gaping crowd has set foot this side of the fence Donald glanced at the throng lined un up at the Iron fence once fronting the ground of the bank building The sur surroundings surroundIngs surroundings were characteristic of those attractive suburban towns Into whose I residential streets ts business edifices have not seriously encroached The bank building was an artistic structure of stone somewhat back from the 1 street and flanked with a I luau a 5 III slue S In 41 both dl were handsome dwellings k extensive grounds bile in the background were the L abutting estates of at some of ot the wealth lest iest residents Under inder the circumstances the bank had been closed to business and a brief examination of or the demolished sate safe had enabled Donald to measure the burglary burglar at about Its face value The mystery of the shocking scene outside however was not so easily solved On the green reen sward award ten feet from the side door of the building which opened into the enclosed grounds lay la the body of a man shot through the head A rod away nearly at the Ute rear corner of ot the building was stretched another with his skull beat beaten i in en n In Beside him lay an open dirk turk while the ground nearby plainly evidenced his terrific struggle with the assailant by b whom he had been slain It was while grimly surveying the latter that Donald held the foregoing tilL with his companion by whom he lad lud d been conducted through the tho bank z I Ii i out of tho the side idu door mentioned T t r think you ou said Mr Allison that ou oi are the bank cashier he re remarked remarked remarked marked with a curious indifference which invariably mystified others u hilI It masked his own sentiments I I am nodded Allison In the of President Ripley who now s Jn In in Europe 1 have bac full tull charge of our cur ur b which now includes this de affair Naturally I feel feet the furious r responsibility r tJ and a 1111 I hastened o n t procure the best detective talent to br b obtained u I smiled LamEly faintly wane while his nis in gray eyes rose roso to meet those rK the speaker He lie was an attractive ran Tan this tills Allison still well under 40 v th tit a handsome me face fe and an even evon perfectly proportioned figure with the limbs and chest of a Hercules Mingled with a natural frankness of or c his cleanly shaven features almost classical in their regularity evinced cd a n strength of character and of will well in accord with Ith his T rc figure fi ure When hien smiling or laughing hu I however hOler a single defect jarred I his splendid beauty beautone one of his upper front font teeth il had d been broken on nl artificially rebuilt and the entire I tooth appeared like Jike a tooth of or gold gol S As Allison smiled with the above I J moreover Donald casual jy IJ observed that hat one corner of the tooth was slightly damaged as ns if it a particle partido of or gold had broken away a nave havo been neen unseen uns en lied had the tooth Itself been less notice able ab e eYou N You flatter me Mr Ir Allison yet I hope to be of some somo service to said he be h then very favorably impressed you with the man manI I feel sure you will vIiI Mr Donald In one respect nt at least I can be of some assistance Fortunately I nize nizo both of these men and know both to have been habitual criminals and expert bank robbers Indeed exclaimed Allison in ac nc cents of relief at whIch i Donald brief ly Iy wondered Im very ory glad you thus II Identity them Yonder fellow tellow with an ounce of lead Iea n his head Is Eddie Stokes a at t crook only recently discharged from Sing Sing after a ten te years ars sentence And this man at our feet Is John Pell notorious under the nickname of Poke Pell a skilful safe safebreaker safebreaker breaker and as desperate a ruffian as ever stood in leather I would wager Allison that no man of ordinary prowess turned him down in this fash fashion fashion fashIon ion ionA A change as fleeting as that caused by a breath over still waters crossed handsome face and he glanced furtively at that of the detect detective detectIve ive lye His skull appears to have havo been 0 broken with a heavy bludgeon said ho he Evidently 0 The other was shot So I see Interposed Donald Has any person been found to have the report of the weapon 7 Not as yet McPhersons inquiries s about that have proved vain vainA A single report might not have haye been heard the nearest dwelling being somewhat removed A physician who viewed the bodies fixes the time of the crime at about 2 i this morning The precise hour is not of much im importance importance importance The Tho evidence as a whole v hole Let Lot me tell von vou OU how It strikes me mp Allison Impulsively interrupted with an for which Donald could not account There must have been at least four crooks in this tide Job at the start for one alone could not have slain these two The gang cracked the safe all right and as nearly as I now can tell succeeded in securing about in cash and bonds When hen about leaving with their plunder however these two must have been killed by their heir confederates who probably thus aimed to secure the entire amount There certainly was a desperate fight tight out here as the ground plainly indi indicates Indicates cates and in which this dirk evidently was dropped Notice also this mans finger It is bitten nearly nearl off ring and andall andall andall all Im inclined to think Mr Ir Donald that this theory theor of mine about hits the nail on the head Gazing down at the lacerated hand to which his attention was called the keen gray eyes ces of Mr Morris Donald took on a subtle glow The dead hand lay lax in the sunlight A single bright gleam from a plain gold ring from a aspot aspot aspot spot scarce larger than a pinhead on its soiled and surface was so reflected that it met the detectives eye For air arr instant only he deliberated I ed cd then slipped his glove gloe into his pocket Your theory appears very ble said he Ill see what I can dis discover discover cover corer to verify it itCan ItCan itCan Can I aid you Qu Allison quickly in Cl U ired I I Not at present It is my m opinion o that your our conjectures are correct and that these two rascal were slain by Hark Did I hear McPherson call your our name For a moment the two men stood and listened The crowd lined up at the distant fence gazed and wondered Seated in the bank McPherson and andi i Ing the double crime It was now that Morris Donald a mystery always his first move I heard nothing muttered Allison after atter a moment I 1 thought McPherson called Ill go and see Shall I wait walt here for you Allison nodded and vanished into the bank Thus artfully rid of his companion Donald dropped quickly to his knee and caught up UI the burglars lacerated hand Whipping hipping out a lens hens he lIe fell to studying the mangled middle finger and a tarnished gold ring lIng it which was badly bent and crushed deep Into the torn flesh And all the while he gazed his brows knit closer Ills his eyes burned brighter and the lines about his thin red lips grew more and more severe Suddenly he dropped the t e dead hand and sprang to his feet Allison was re returning returning returning turning Already Alread his steps could be heard on en the corridor stairs As he came from the door with his fine tIne dark eyes hastening to seek seok those of the de detective Mr tir Morris Donald met him a smile Yes indeed Allison your theory ap appears appears appears pears very cry reasonable he repeated quite as if there had been no tion To tell the truth Im afraid I Ishall Ishall Ishall shall find nothing enabling me to Im Improve improve Improve prove upon it Was I right about Mc McPherson lc Pherson No he did not call No queried Donald with brows lifting odd I must have hae i been mistaken Possibly the cry came I from some person in the street As to the evidence you OU have pointed out Mr Allison There still Is more the latter again Interrupted with an eagerness to which Donald appeared oblivious Further confirming your theory theor Exactly How so 0 Notice these footprints where the struggle occurred Here where the soil soli is disturbed they are quite distinct Plainly enough the impressions were made mado by b the two men by whom these fellows were killed I have been looking at them yet et I 1 do not see how they indicate that thero were two men Donald perplexedly perplexed I re joined as both stooped to study the b U Nonsense you Jou eyes cried Allison hastening to explain Here Is an Impression that can have been een left only by a man wearing rub bers berg Notice these crisscross lines near the tho toe They The arc are found only on the soles of rubbers By Jove true They were Apparently new ones also Surely surely Yet neither of th se men has on rubbers Further Furthermore Furthermore i imore more which proves there were I two assailants hero here is an impression larger than tha the feet of either of these dead men and which evidently was left lef Ie by a heavy boot booL Notice the nails in the heels You are right They The are plainly visible It Is equally equall plain then that there were two assailants one wearing rub ruber bers er and nd the t other a pair of heavy boots Allison forcibly reasoned Now look out this way with me I have traced these same footprints even through the gap in that hedge show Ing lug conclusively which way the two murderers fled fied Beyond the gap there Is less lees grass and the impressions ImP are I very distinct This way come this way with me and Ill show you Stop a moment said Donald I first will measure tho the feet of ot these two men Inen not a bad Idea Shall I get got you a string I have a pocket tape measure much better bettez be teJ You detectives seem to be provided with everything laughed Allison despite their gruesome employment A measure or of this kind is almost in dispensable said Donald Now I am ready It If ouli kindly lead the way There was an odd light in his eyes eJes as he followed Allison across the stretch of ot lawn then through a a gap In a hedge some fifty yards back of ot 0 the bank building As tho the latter had h d said In the damp damn soil soli of an adjoin ing meadow the footprints were doubly distinct and still could be tra ed for fora a Considerable distance While measured and studied them still with that Indifferent Interest which so blind blinded blinded ed cd others Allison continued to argue with unabated earnestness There seems to be b no getting around It Detective Donald There cannot have been less than two assassins both hoth bothof bothof of whom fled fied In this direction Notice that the footprints all point one way always away awa from the bank corresponds in size with the foot of f either dead man eh oh I thought not noL I was quite sure of It Here also are impressions indicating that both men nen were running for there are no left by their heels Plainly PlaIn I enough Mr Donld Donald they fled this way after killing their confederates and an reached the next street by passing back backof of that stable and dwelling If If you will allow me a word Mr r Allison cried Donald rIsIng with a au u laugn i t win will ten tell you now how you have nave made one very great mistake Mistake As he echoed ech ed the word the of earnestness in AllIs ns cheeks vanish vanished ed like hike a flash He recoiled slightly with eyes dilating with a dangerous dangeo s light and Donald hastened to t add with agreeable dryness A mistake merely in your selection sele of a vocation Mr Ir Allison Alson Instead if It ifa Ita f fa a banker my dear man you should have been a detective On my word I fail fal to see se why you required my help In this investigation Then you ou think I am right d Allison Alson with wih countenance brightening as If It under a limelight To the very ery letter declared Donald approvingly Your discernment is re remarkable remarkable remarkable your deductions absolutely correct i I flatter flater me Not in the least least Really Real Allison Alson I could have arrived at no other conchi conclusions conclusions Indeed I am glad to hear you OU say so No doubt no doubt It is a satisfaction to know that tha I have done all that was vas possible with wih the case Allison feelingly added adde In appealing to you ou Mr Donald I 1 You did right perfectly right Doi DO I aId ald heartily hearty interrupted Let is re rt return turn to the bank Your own detective work has made the case so plain that I really tealy have accomplished next to nothing here I hope to do better a alte little later but haste baste is imperative The two rascals who fled fed already have a long start of us but I shall try to hit upon some |
