Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

530 sorry that you can’t hang the murder on him, for thieves fall out, you know, but we’d have to help prove his alibi unless: we perjured ourselves and there were the O’Rourkes, anyway. Nail him for running a crooked game and I'll be your star wit- ness!’ | McCarty breathed deeply when he reached the street once more, as though to clear his lungs from a fetid atmosphere, but he felt that he had accomplished more in the past hour than at any time since he had undertaken the case. He was on the inside now, looking out, and although he had learned nothing which pointed to the actual solution of the crime there was a chance, that the right thread was in his hands at last. During his interview with the bankrupt broker an idea had come to him which completely revolutionized his earlier plan of procedure and he lost no time in finding a telephone-booth and calling up headquar- ters. His later decision had not been brought about by anything he had learned from Ford, nor was it connected with Nicholas Cutter and his sub rosa profes- sion; it was the alternate thread in the tan- gle which might lead to the truth. Inspector Druet was already at his desk and informed him that Yost reported no trace of the missing Hildreth woman, and Martin, when he was relieved at the Crevel- ing house, said that Hill had betrayed - neither protest nor surprise at finding him- self under guard, nor had he made the least move to escape espionage. The report of the chief medical examiner on the autopsy had come in also, and he had reversed the opinion of his assistant; Creveling could not have killed himself. It had been murder. ‘‘ Perhaps it’s just as well, sir.’”” McCarty’s tone was humble. ‘I’ve changed my mind, thinking over the dope you’ve got against Hill, and, moreover, I’ve dug up a few things this morning that look like they might make the case complete.”’ ‘IT thought so!” the inspector laughed jubilantly. “Good old Mac! You're not afraid to admit you’ve made a mistake, are your” “No, sir,” McCarty responded slyly. “Not being regularly connected with the ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. force any longer, promotion don’t bother me and when I’m in the wrong there’s noth- ing to hold me back from saying so, and starting over. I’ve been thinking that as long as you’ve got the dragnet out after that Hildreth woman and the stations and ferries and roads watched so that she can’t make her getaway from the city, we're bound to land her in time and there’s no use in waiting for her to try to get in touch with Hill before we run him in agam. I think I’ve got a way to make him talk after a day or two in the Tombs, but I’d like to make the arrest myself.”’ ‘““Go to it!” the inspector said heartily. “Your mind was so set on it that he wasn’t guilty, I thought I’d give,you a few days . te find out that you were barking up the wrong tree, but the Hildreth woman is too clever by half to give herself away by trying to communicate with him. Come down here and I'll have a warrant ready- for you to take with you.” ‘““Couldn’t you send it up to me at the Creveling house?”’ McCarty asked. “ I’m on my way there now, sir, and I don't want to losé any time.” All right. ll have it there in half an heur.” Inspector Druet added: ‘‘ Have you seen anything of Terhune?”’ “Yes, sir. He broke into my rooms last night and Denny and me found him sitting there as calm as you pleased when we came up from headquarters!’’ McCarty almost choked over the recollection. ‘“ He’s invited us both to one of his séances to- night.”’ “Vil see you there, then.” The inspec- tor laughed once more. ‘ He has the case all doped out to suit himself, I suppose, but he wouldn’t condescend to take me into his confidence. It won’t matter to us, Mac, for if he’s hit on the truth we'll have the bird safely caged beforehand. Do you want us to keep the news of Hill’s rearrest out ef the papers?” ‘No, but-leave that to me, sir. I want to give a young friend of mine, Jimmie Bal- lard, of the Bulletin, a beat for the first evening edition; after that they can all go to it, and welcome, the more publicity the better. It’s only that Jimmie’s done me a a goed turn in the shape of information ecomniclacclks Colin