Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

920 The clerk of the court repeated the name and the pale, distinguished looking individ- ual who had entered with his oddly dis- similar companion rose and approached the witness stand. When he had been sworn in Lemuel Lazenby asked: “Your profession, Mr. Nichols?” “ T am a private detective,” Cliff respond- ed in a weak but steady tone, “ a member of the firm incorporated understhe name of the Shadowers.” “Who enlisted your services in connec- tion with this case?” ‘Mr. Grosvenor Hood, of the counsel for the defense.”’ “* When?” “Last Friday morning.” ‘“‘ Did you view the scene of the crime?” “T did, sir. I examined minutely the room in which Mr. de Puyster Monckton had been found dead.” “ Will you describe in detail to the court the discoveries, if any, which you made there?” “On the wall beside the telephone was written a series of four figures, 6-0-9-0.” Cliff’s quiet, well bred voice reached to the corners of the room and George and Henry turned and stared long and questioningly at each other. What was Cliff putting over? Hadn’t that number been 6099? “ You are positive of this?” The attor- ney was evidently asking for a repetition to impress the fact upon the minds of the jury and Cliff complied “Tam certain. The figures were 6-0-9-0. They had been written with a soft lead pencil, in an irregular downward slant, with open loops and a wavering tail on the ‘ 9.’ They were unevenly spaced also, the figures at both ends separated widely from the two center ones which all but overlapped, and the pencil had been pressed so deeply into the wall paper that it had left indentations, with a sharp gouge at the loop of the final ‘o’ where the lead had broken short off, leaving a superfluous downstroke and scat- tered dots. I discovered also the fragment of lead broken from the pencil; it was lying on the white linen floor covering just below the telephone instrument.” Lazenby submitted in evidence the scrap of lead and a paper tracing together with ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. the impression from it. Although the prose- cution interposed an objection it was over- ruled. “Do you recognize this tracing?” The attorney passed it forward and Cliff glanced at it and nodded. “Yes. I made it myself, from the figures written on the wall.” “What is your special line of work in connection with the Shadowers?” “IT am the handwriting expert of the corporation,” Cliff replied with dignity. “It was in this capacity that you as- sumed entire charge of this investigation into the death of Mr. Monckton?” “Yes. It was clearly a handwriting case. By no other means could the murderer of Mr. Monckton have been traced.” This time the district attorney’s roar of objection was sustained, but the calm asser- tion had made an ineradicable impression on court and spectators alike. “As a handwriting expert, then, would you say that these wavering, uneven figures had been written by an aged person?” “No. I would say they had been writ- ten gropingly by one who could not see. I would say they had been written in the dark.” Again came an objection and again it was sustained, but Lazenby went on: ** Did you make any further discoveries?” ** Not until my second visit to the estate where the crime took place. There on a spike of the high iron fence near a footpath I found a torn fragment of worn: blue serge.” | The scrap of cloth was admitted in evi- dence and identified, and then Clifford was turned over to the district attorney, who submitted him to a gruelling cross-examina- tion, but could not shake his testimony. As he stepped down from the stand at last the clerk of the court called: “ Bessie Farley.” A little figure which seemed incredibly small in a simple white frock rose from far back among the spectators and tripped for- ward, round eyed and blushing shyly, but undismayed, while a stir ran around the court room and the prisoner himself stared in unconcealed amazement. “This baby cannot know the meaning COMIC oool S (©