Show B Y r-r r I A r CRIME n r i i ii r r DOCTOR r r rn r D COPYRIGHT Ernest ErnestW W. W Hornung THE j J I The Bobbs Publishers Company Q SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS Dr Dollar a m man m who calls himself the crime doctor nOlI W who wo 10 ha has some very cry decided and arni Ideas Ideus about the treatment of or criminals and potential poten poten- tIL criminals ment tomes becomes acquainted with wih tal Vinson home secretary of En- En Eng Eng- 1 nt The meeting corn cornea about by Dr Dollar recovering Mr Ir Vinson's Ilson's watch for tor a pickpocket who has hut taken It without th the bit later's cr's knowledge c Tho doctor let lets Urn tho thief go and In explaining explain explain- thie In ing his reasons for no tO o doing Interests work nil anil In lU his 1115 tho secretary II In his II nursing homo for rol potential criminals criminal lie tells how ho he himself had le for tor time limO as the tho result ofa ofa of ofa tendencies a I resul a bullet wound finds later that It was WS the Mr Ir Vinson I doctor octor himself who stoic the watch his Ins purpose being to 10 gain the secretary's the attention ol promises to tu help work vork Lid Vera era Moyle Is militantly Interested Interested Inter Inter- In politic and in III her hel zeal smashes ested eted 11 n II some windows window end and Is IN put nut In prison release she he finds hIlls that thiL she sho has haM Li Upon 1011 her the accidentally killed a police officer while ha has trying to g got get t way away and aJI that a man been accused of the murder She goes to Dr Vr Dollar jollar Doll for assistance for the man and ami tho latter later Interests the home secretary Retting getting the release of Croucher r the man accused cd of the mur mur- Cruch der iler The fact act that Lady era Vera lole committed t tile the he deed Is IN kept secret ecret oven from the tho home secretary but bul ho he tries to trace the criminal thru through h a life le knife in it preserver cr with a concealed knie with which the murder murIer wa was done tOle wih Croucher to his home Dr Ir I ollar takes Dolar and feeds and aul clothes him getting him to prom ISA n to 0 remain for tor a while But Butan Butan Butan an old pal uI enters his room by hy stealth and tells him hint who hn the real murderess Is Isn n and d of tel a plan to blackmail her Croucher Crouch Crouch- er cr escapes peg from the tile home hOle and atI attempts to ts hold hotd up J lately Lady Ht era Vcra as RI she Is travel travel- hip bIg to Home to tl Join her mother The doctor of or the plan and traveling to tho the name train trail prevents the robbery Vera Vcra to marry marry mar mar- Lad and 11 afterwards fenn asks Lady ry him 1 I Edet d a R young oun l who vho Is 19 to be he married shortly is IH sent b by the home secretary to Dr DI Dollar Dolar to see sec lie if he can help him to get et sonic some sleep SIC I because he has hat l been heen unable to get an any rest rt The doctor le learns that Edenborough h who Is confidential secretary ani and I draftsman for Stockton first fint lord lorr of the kingdom Is under sU suspicions of or selling plans o of tho state statesman man He lie is isto isto isto private ato to b bc 0 married to Lucy Trevel n who besides sides other things in is a very ery wonderful wonder wonder- ful ic skater cr When I Edenborough h leaves leaves' the home he asks alks Dr Dollar Dolar to watch the l Um the following after aHer- non noon lies Hes an Italian Halian marquis returned ll Ic 1 In iii another voice his beastly name namE Ive I've no use for Cor the But ho can sl skate ate The Tho first r l waltz finished there were two more in quick succession and Edenborough h had a a better heter word for Ol Miss Tre Trevellyn's next partner He lie le was on only I a a plowing glowing lo schoolboy home from Crom Eton for Cor his leave ItiC but the past mistress lent herself to his Ills dash and fling with a gusto equal eual to his own Im glad 1 that's over ovel o e said Eden Eden- borough Im l as us she escaped with wih her ier life clutches I a front from the desperados desperado's say confound that fellow RocchI She was waltzing with the handsome handsome hand hand- some brute again for Cor he 1001 looked 1 no noles noless noless less les with wih hl his deep blue chin chimi and insolent eyes antI and his air of conscious mastery h plainly him chafing visibly as the tile pair swept t ept past with certainly the appearance or of of some extra verve for hla his Dollar Dolar himself was c very dl disagreeably impressed and that thul down clown to 16 the end when Rocchi skated up with wih the lad lady whom ho he surrendered with a gleam of palpable bravado bra Yet that impression altered alered with wih the of Miss s 's not very ol opening opening ening el less resolute mouth She had good teeth and a hearty heart voice an and eyes CES of a t breezy and humane au audacity Dollar Dolar thought of oC tribute and anti agreed with wih all al except pt the odious comparison There was indeed no comparing types as different different differ differ- ent as Lucy Trevellyn n an and Vera era Moyie but the tile one had never ne er puzzled him In the past pat more completely complete complete- ly than did ld the other othel before he took his ve leave Al And the they had talked about the wedding and and their presents present and the tho wedding trip trim as thou though h neither God nor man mun could interfere Only three days to go o said id Dollar Dollar Dollar Dol Dol- lar to himself And nd two of th the three ere were soon boon gone without alarums or excursions except on the part of the crime doctor himself He lie was neglecting neg nes- lect hl his practise for or the ease case cHe in lit hand he heas was as nowhere to be found fount when badly wanted on the Tuesday nl night ht nor yet et on Ill the Wednesday morning and this was the more mOIe ex extraordinary extraordinary ex- ex in that it was cor e den h who wanted him now no I with wih an ashier ashler face faco than ever er e and no now nov on the telephone in a frantic Olce l At dusk on n the Wednesday his key turned in th the latch hatch and ant next days day's bridegroom burst burt from the waiting waiting- room at the tho same moment At t last last cried Edenborough and looked HO so o ghastly In the electric light that Dollar Dolat did dir not switch swich it Il on In Inthe Inthe intIle the tIle room consulting or ask a u question question fueston fues- fues ques ques- tion ton as ho shut the tile door dool It lt I was wan one of those mild mid unseasonable unseasonable able da days R on which the tile best Iest of servants ser ser- el ants keep up UI the tile hl biggest fires fin 8 the doctor open opened cd the time French window that tat led from Crom his ills den lOll down rusty usty steps into a foul Coul and arid futile futie enclosure of or Sir grimy gravel gra el and moribund shrubs 1 In tho the meantime Edenborough rou h had hadnot hadnot had hadnot not taken a seat scat as mechanically bidden bid den but hut ha hail liati planted himself in de defiant the the- fiant fant pose poso b before of the fire and the glow Clow showed restless hands twitching twitch twitch- in hug ing into fists but not the tie face Of or which on one look had harl been hen enough lYou l. l You might have left word where here you rou were he lie began with great bit bit- I I have o Just done so returned Dolar Dollar at your rooms rom 1 I was wanlin want want- I in ing to tn see you you rou presently It I seems like fate to find you here before I cc l I 1 suppose youve you've ou e heard the latest wherever where youve you've ou e been pursued h a aware and Jealous of or some independent ent perplexity on the tIlO part art of oC DollarI Dolar Dollar I 1 have ha e heard iso o much said the doctor dropping into a chai chair Better Betor Bet t ter or r be ht explicit and and as expeditious a ayou us as you rou can cn my dear 11 fellow felo I 1 have Ilave ha e an appointment almost directly Oh theres there's not IlOt much to ml say bay re rejoined rejoined re- re joined the tile other sardonically You Yu remember when you came camo to Princes Prince's doctor octor I I do Indeed both hoth as if It it St They hey ne were weeks week ago agu S You know I told lold dl Id I'd Ill had a ahard n hat hard hul of or town I 1 remember mb I I 1 i meant ment with wih m my chief Lord chief Lord Stockton Stockton seeing seeing his new brood broo of ot su submarines In Ill their unfledged state I suppose sup sup- 1 pose That was waR It it- it md l-md alit and making the asual sketches That's Thal m my Joli or joh juh I or was as 1 I was Stockton's walking Kodak until un un- til iii tl yesterday afternoon then 1 I got ot the boot ool for fOI a present and amI andS S v 1 a a chance of or the tile Jug for fOl my honeymoon honeymoon honey hone moon moon The Tho harsh voice broke tot for nil all al Its sudden slang and alle Dollar wa was I driven to his only policy I Im not going to pretend 1 I don dont don't know Im of this he sail said I know of or It from the home secretary A du duplicate tin tin- plicate of ono one of or those last lust drawings of yours yours yours- A duplicate Well el a bad imitation if you ou like The fhe doctor paused his fis IS thou though h he lie had ld finished a n sentence as thou though h the tIle phrase had Interrupted his thOl thought ht Well el said sil Edenborough grimly Did you ou hear hen I how tho they got ot hold of oC it Intercepted in tho po post t I 1 gathered gath guth- ered erell on its is way abroad In our post ost said h. h Almost a casus belli hel In itself Itsel I should ha have hae c thought thought And have hite p hl you OU no flO Idea Idel ho how it came camo there a asked l ed tho the doctor bluntly but hut now he meant to be he blunt he was not nol 0 sorry I when hl his man flew into a feeble passion on oil the tho spot spot What hn t the devil leVil do you mean man Doctor Doctor Doc Doe tor Dollar Dolar I know no more a about out the tho matter matel than I than I was going to S' S say than you ou do do hut but I be begin ln to think you ou know more than you YOl pretend I didn't think I had hat pretended said sull Dollar simply Well Vell el what do the you OU know de demanded tle- tle mantled Edenborough In a n fury of or sl suspicion All Al I suppose he lie added add alti- ed cd with a n. n schoolboy sneer when HIM thu answer was slow to come Yes Ves nil said Id the tho doctor very Yel gravely el and reluctantly as ns though thriven driven into a pronouncement of life or death There Thele was s as no outcry of surprise from Edenborough He lIe Ic had llad some omo pride e But nut his Ills knees he began an to tremble trem trem- Lie ble lle in the lie firelight ht and his unclenched han hands s to twitch I dont don't donl believe c bele it it I. I ho exclaimed at al I length You tell tel me what you ou know All AH 1 that you yourself suspected and made mare yourself ill 1 with wih suspecting and and couldn't sleep for Cor suspecting suspecting- lon long n ago o Pitiful tone and anti tender lender hand carried carried car car- ried ned a lel conviction con than the words And now It I was vas the patient patent v. v vho ho had sunk Into the chair chai the doctor doctor doc doe tor tel bending over o his bowed and quivering quivering ering shoulders You are ore not the first man my dear Eth he went on Oil who would seem to ha have v been hn betrayed In cold hlo blood b by a woman woman woman-by by the wom worn an Mark m my ins' words closel closely I sty say s1 it I ISms seems scorns so o. o I would not condemn the lie greatest malefactor unheard I Imant meant mant to hear har hariss Miss iss Trevellyn Tr In CI first l feeling In m my bones hone against all al reason rca rea son fon that there here may ma still sWI be bo some un unimaginable un- un imaginable explanation But If Il the worst vorst be true of her hr then th the best is true lul of or you for you OU are the first man manI I have IH c known bear the thE brunt as you 0 have ha e borne borle it It my roy very ery dear fellow Clow What hat makes makR you ou suspect her groaned gi E Edenborough to tho ho ground Its Is not a case of ol suspicion suspicion suspicion-don't don't dont deceive cecel c yourself as to that Edenborough Eden Eden- borough burough I know that Miss lUss Trevellyn fIn Tre IJO produced and an and parted with with those those last two sketches about which theres there's been all al the trouble I only suspect that she got you OU to show how her the originals oris- oris almost as aN soon as th they were made on the plea hilea of oC her tremendous interest In the na navy Quite true rime she dl did said ald Eden Eden- boi but as though he ho did not appreciate ate what h he was saying ns as though something else else ha had stuck in his mind But Bitt it I was as a tremendous ous Interest he lie Ill exclaimed Jumping auIt up au It I was wa her bet f fathers father's interest ills his life In Indeed Isn't it Il abl Inconceivable that hi huts hi daughter daughter apart apart from everything e el else elc 1 Ive I've found her that her that that she of or nil ail ai p people should do llo a thing thing like this this' I 1 am afraid the tl inconceivable happens hap hap- pens liens almost as aM often ofen ns as 18 the lie une- une said Id Dollar Dolar with wilh a si sigh h. h Criminology indeed prepares us for Cor little Ite else Think of the lie perfectly good mothers who ho have o flown fown to in infanticide infanticide In- In as the first relief of or a mind unhinged The inversion in erslon of or the rulIn ruling rul rul- In hui ing passions is one of the sure symptoms turns toms of or in insanity But of cout course e she's she mad cried crier 1 Edenborough h. h if lf she's guilty ul at allBut nil all nil but ut that's what I cant can't and ant wont won't believe hee be he- 1 lieve hite e I can believe hele e it one minute hut but not the next Just as Ive I've Ive suspected suspected sus sus- and amI lau laughed her at my suspicions all 01 this nl nightmare time One look In her 11 face Cace has hs always as al been heen enough auld and minute would be at this minutE Well cl we shall shaH soon on see see said Hald Dollar Dolat Dol Dol- lat lar at glancing at the coc clock But Bait I Ican Ican Ican can only warn you ou that lint m my evidence e la ia overwhelming o Lets h have It It then what is your evidence e demanded Edenborough h In a fresh fit ft of oC stone blind defiance defiance- My dear fellow you OU force Corce my 1 Celo hand said salt Dolar Dollar God knows you ou have ha e a ri right and ht-and and It cant can't make matters matters mat mat- worse worst than they ar are My ly evidence evi I dence consists ts of a full Cul and circumstantial circum scoundrel to confession by u it 1 dislike at nt MI sIght wight ht whom I took your own o n II lk find nd whose career I have has P ha spent the he week investigating I 1 needn't tell tel you ou in I J mean the thC Infamous Rocchi whispered Eden at the second attempt a as th though I h his hll very ery ton tongue ue rejected i the abhorrent nl name ml Y Yet fl now lOW he stood perfectly at last still sti like a man who sees t last Well WelI he a added lell In an ominously ra rational ra- ra Lonal fI voice oice I must Iv live lon long enough else I Ido whatever to send en him to tn hel hell er do You will have hac to find him first wi ha e Rl said Dollar Dolari lie Ho has son gone hack back hac 10 o ohis ohis his paymasters paymasters not not his own owl coun countrymen coun coun- thC they they kicked him hint out long a ago u Ive I've l e taken it t on Oil myself to do ho 10 the same instead ul of or handing him over overto overto o er to the lie police and doing loing an infinite deal more Inure harm Ilum than goodS Good But was not listening to tn I a word he ho was as talking to himself and ane II he 1 talked tI 1 aloud as soon as he ho hoLLS was H given a chance Now ow we know |