The Argosy, June 1904 — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

do0 “M-m. <A difficult thing to reach,” he said, standing beneath the light and looking up. “ You have not steps here hke your friend? ” <4 No.” “As it can’t be reached, I think we can dismiss this room from our investi- gation: any way, for the time being.” Relief! That word is a long way from describing the extent of my sensations. It had been the one thing I most feared: his examination of my skylight. Having seen the other, I imagined he would insist on seeing this one. “And now ”—he put his hand on my shoulder while he looked me squarely in the face—‘ I want you to believe in my honesty.” “ TTonesty!” “Yes. [ am more a thief catcher Yes. than a thief. Do you grasp that?” “T hear what you say,” I answered, taking courage from his genial smile; “but for the life of me I can’t under- stand.” “Well, I want you to leave me in your chambers alone.” “ Alone!” “Yes. You see I may have little ob- servation methods of my own, which 1 don’t want to give away. I don’t want a rival in my own line.” He said this with an irrepressible twinkle of merriment in his eyes. It showed that he was not to be taken at his word—or, rather, that the word was to he taken with a seasoning of salt. It was equally evident that lhe wanted to have the place to himself. After all, it only seemed a reasonable requirement. Besides, as I ran over in mv mind the contents of each room, I kuew there was nothing he could see which could in any way link me with the dead man who had been found in Ivane’s chambers. Whatever he might find in any way connected with the girl need not trouble me. For that murder I had been acquitted. A man cannot in this coun-- irv be tried twice for the same offense. “Quite plainly, Mr. Ward,” I said, trving to put a good face on the mat- ier, “ you mean you want us to take our departure, and leave you - “ Tike,’ interposed Kane, “the last rose of summer, blooming alone.” PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG COM THE ARGOSY. “You've hit it,’ the detective an- swered, “precisely. I do. I am more plain than polite perhaps, but most practical. Have you any objection? ” “What objection ”—there was noth- ing else for me to say—* could I have?” He still kept his hand on my shoul- der, and I seemed to feel a kindly pres- sure from 1t; not the usual grip that a detective would be lkely to give a man suspected of murder. I derived quite a lot of comfort from the contact. “You sce,” he said, “I am engaged here on a sort of double-barreled task. If I can pull both triggers successfully, it will be as good as killing two birds with one stone. You are in one of the barrels, you know. Perhaps by being left to myself here, | may be able to find clues: which others have missed. Something which will indicate the reason for the girl’s coming here, and account for the manner in which she died.” Ife meant kindly all he said; meant it to be confidence inspiring; but my hopes rather fell when he spoke so. Because I knew how the girl had died, and I knew that the woman who had killed her was—in the eyes of the law-—— my wife. I knew, too, perfectly well that if I told why I married her, there must come to light my handling of the man’s body. That would be bad. I could give no possible, acceptable explanation of what had occurred. No. This was again an instance where it would be better to conceal truth. I was a strong man, of athletic build, a fact Ward had noticed. I should be accused of having carted the body from my own rooms and of put- ting it in those occupied by Kane. If that charge were made how could I possibly hope to disprove it? I was not fool enough to think I could. What would be the result of my ac- cusing Zairbeni? Waste of breath. No, fiction must continue to be my trump card. “ How long,” inquired Kane, “do you propose spending in these rooms, Mr. Ward?” “Oh ”—the detective looked round — probably half an hour, or less.” “Well, come away and smoke a cigar JOO C© ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED