Under His Thumb — page 161: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

152 UNDER HIS THUMB. Instead of growing more excited the young man became calmer. He firmly answered: “T went there to meet George Dyer, the foreman.’ ‘How did you know you would find him there?’’ ‘“‘He made the appointment. ’’ “You saw him?”’’ ‘*T did, sir.’’ “And received a communication from him?’’ ““Yes.’’ ‘‘Concerning the murder of Hiram Waldron?’’ ‘“Indirectly.’’ “Will you state the communication in detail?’’ ‘‘T am not at liberty to do so, sir.’ ‘Does it implicate any one?”’ ‘It does.’’ | “Then what right have you, young man, to with- hold the facts?’’ ‘‘Because there is a divine law of fidelity above the human law of vengeance. You detectives seek only to punish unhappy human beings for so-called crimes which you would yourselves commit under like circumstances. I will tell you frankly, Mr. Croly, that I have evidence involving some one in this crime. But it implicates an innocent pe one as innocent as an angel.’’ Croly was impressed by the sudden vehemence of the young man. The latter’s words, although seem- ing to admit much, yet left the truth as deeply hid- den as before. The detective regarded the other fixedly for a mo- ment, and then quietly said: “You are attempting a wild impossibility, my man, in trying to shield a guilty person by so plain a subterfuge. You expect me to infer from your — words that the person implicated is a woman—per- cComicbooks co