The Argosy, January 1906 — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

302 When the cab reached police head- quarters, Perriam was the first to alight, but Ladd jumped out briskly after him, ‘smiling grimly at the other’s evident suspicion that he intended to run away at the first opportunity. As luck would have it, Detective Sergeant Connaughton chanced to be standing on the stoop, smoking a big, black cigar, and a look of surprise came over his face when he saw Perriam and his companion alight from the cab. “Hello, there!” he exclaimed. “I thought you were on your way to Can- ada by this time.” He cast a careless glance at Ladd. “Tm not going to Canada, Con- naughton,” replied the reporter quietly. “Vve changed my mind.” “Ah! I had an idea you would. The thing isn’t so easy as it looks, is it? So you have decided to leave such work to the police, eh?” — There was a shade of sarcasm in the detective’s tone. “Not at all,” said the reporter quiet- ly. ‘I’m afraid there’s very little left for the police to do. [ve found Arthur Ladd.” “'The deuce you say! Where is he?” Even as he asked the question the de- tective’s eyes were sizing up Perriam’s companion from head to foot, and he uttered an exclamation of surprise. “You don’t mean ” he added, pointing to Arthur. “Yes,” answered Ladd coolly, “ ?m the man you want, officer. I’m Arthur Ladd. I came back to give myself up.” “Good for you, young man! It was the best course, for we would have got you in the end, anyway. You’re my pris- oner, Mr. Ladd. Ill trouble you to step this way, please.” He took Arthur by the coat-sleeve, and, followed by Perriam, entered the building and marched his prisoner to the office of the chief of the detective bureau. “Inspector,” said Connaughton to a keen-eyed, gray-haired man sitting at a roll-top desk, “Pye got an important prisoner here.” Wao as att oruffly. “ Arthur Ladd, wanted on the charge of murder—the Nassau Street murder.” asked the. chief THE ARGOSY. “Of which I am not guilty,” re- marked Arthur boldly. ._“ Then why did you run away, young man?” asked the inspector, fixing his sharp, blue eyes on Arthur as though he would read him like a book. “It was foolish of me, I will admit. In my first surprise at hearing the jew- eler was murdered, and that I was charged with the crime, I allowed my- self to be persuaded to leave the city.” “Who persuaded you?” “A friend.” asked “ What is this friend’s name? ” the inspector sharply. “YT cannot tell you that. It would get her—I mean him—into trouble, I suppose. Let me say, however, in my own defense, that as soon as I got off the train I realized at once the folly of taking such a step when I was entirely innocent of any crime. JI jumped on the next returning train and came right back to give myself up. That’s why ’m here now.” “See here, young man,” said the in- spector, looking straight into Arthur’s eyes, “ why don’t you own up to this crime and have done with it? We'll make it as easy for you as possible, if you make it easy for us. That (ll prom- ise you. There’s no doubt whatever that you killed Meyer. Nobody but a fool would deny it under the circum- stances, and I am certain you don’t look like a fool.” “TI swear to you that I am innocent, inspector.” “You deny that you were in his office that day, I suppose.” “On the contrary, I admit that.” “You had no quarrel with him; he was alive and well when you left him, I suppose,” said the chief sarcastically. “He was certainly alive. J admit, however, that I did have a quarrel with him, and that I struck him with my cane.” “Oh, you do admit that!” exclaimed the inspector in unfeigned surprise. “Young man, let me warn you that every word you say now will be used as evidence against you. You admit that you attacked this jeweler with your sword cane, eh?” “Yes. He threatered to blackmail me, and I lost my temper and seized him com chook (Eo) im