Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

ACCORDING TO * 1’d been making some calls during the evening, and was walking home up the ave- nue when I met my friend, Frank Long, and we strolled along together, taking a turn through the park. We sat down on a bench and talked for a while. Then we started for home and were just crossing the road- way when I heard a car coming around the bend. It was going so fast that before we could jump back it hit us. The fender hit me and knocked me down. Long was struck squarely. I jumped up and'‘shouted. This officer came running up and blew his whistle, but the car speeded up and dis- appeared. Then we looked at Long and found he was dead. Pen’s heart seemed to stop beating for a full minute. Frank Long dead! And he accused of killing him—the one man in the world he would be most likely to want to kill if it were possible for him to want to kill any- body! But how absurd! Of course it was some other car that did the killing. He started forward impulsively to make an indignant denial, but the lieutenant was speaking again. ‘You say you identified the car?” “Yes,” Varnum affirmed. ‘“ I know that car well. And I recognized Wimbleton as he came toward us. He never slowed down or turned out an inch. It was a bright spot near a lamp. He certainly must have seen us.”’ Again Pen started to speak. ‘““ And you, officer?” the lieutenant inter- posed. This to Doane. “I'd just spotted this fellow an’ his car when I heard the yell. I got his number. Anyhow, I™Know him without. I’ve seen him speedin’ in the park before. Him an’ me had a bit of a set-to a while back. He put on more gas when he see me an’ never stopped for me whistle.” “It’s a lie—a damnable lie!” Pen shouted. The rough hand of his captor seized his arm. “ Cut it out. That ‘ll do ye no good.” ** Couldn’t have been some other car did it, you think, officer?” went on the imper- turbable lieutenant. THE EVIDENCE. 317 ‘There was no other went that way in an hour,” Doane asserted positively. Baffled at every point, but still convinced that this ghastly plot could be easily over- turned, Pen became suddenly calm. “YT demand the right to call my lawyer,” he insisted. “It’s yer right,” the lieutenant agreed, and a half hour later Amos Manley, who had looked after the Wimbletons’ legal busi- ness for two generations, hurried into the station as nearly in a state of perturbation as that dignified gentleman could get. After a talk with the lieutenant he was allowed a few minutes alone with his client. “Tell me what happened, Pen,” was his greeting. “ Happened? Nothing happened as far as I’m concerned. I know I didn’t hit any- body. I didn’t see a soul in the park ex- cept this lying officer who backs up Var- num’s statement. I didn’t drive beyond the speed limits once the whole evening.” ** Now, look here, Pen. You know I’ve got you out of a lot of scrapes, and I’ve always told you a man gets off lightest when he has an accident, if he confesses frankly. If you hit this man, say so, and we’ll prove it was his fault.” “Look here! I didn’t hit him. Do you think I’m lying?” ‘‘ No, no—of course not. We'll just have to assume this is a conspiracy by the police and that they’ve got this little fool of a Varnum so scared he thinks he saw what they tell him he saw. We'll straighten it out in magistrate’s court in the morning. Don’t worry. Sorry you’ve got to stay here to-night, but there’s no bail allowed. They’re making this a manslaughter case. You don’t mind my asking a few personal questions, do you? “ The park officer, Doane, says you and Long had a fight in the park a while ago, and he separated you. He says you threat- ened then to get Long some day. You ap- parently got the officer pretty sore. He says you defied him. He seems to believe you ran Long down on purpose. ** Now, what was it about? I understand you and Long and Varnum have all been attentive to Thomas Harwood’s daughter. Had that anything to do with it? This is EORMICLOOO© (C <S (E@)