Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

564 Barry Caldwell made a gesture of weari- ness. ‘““What’s the use of going over this again and again? Haven't I told you that I wanted to protect the reputation of the girl? I’ve confessed the crime. . In the name of God, what more do you want?”’ For the first time since he was placed under arrest, the dramatist showed signs of breaking down. His face was white and haggard and there was the suspicion of tears in his eyes. The detective was no novice in crime. He was accustomed to unusual sights, but this emotion on the part of the young man of whom he was very fond af- fected him deeply. He patted him on the back affectionately. “Tt is all right, Barry,” he said. “ Everything will come out all right in the wash. And in the meantime believe me that I am only thinking of your own good.” “If that is true,” retorted Caldwell with asperity, “you will let me alone. And whatever you do, I don’t want you to drag this little girl into the thing any further.” Il. Ir was on a dull Monday afternoon that Peabody Smith made his way to the apart- ment of Mary Kayne, with the intention of laying his discoveries before her. How should he approach the girl? How suggest his suspicions without seeming to be an- tagonistic? The -answer to both these questions came from the girl herself, sud- denly, unexpectedly and spontaneously. “Oh, Mr. Smith,” she cried, the moment he entered the room, taking him by the lap- els of his coat and looking into his face with streaming eyes, ‘I can’t stand the strain any longer. I’ve got to tell you the truth—what I’ve been wanting to tell you from the very start. Barry Caldwell is no more guilty of this murder than you are. He is absolutely innocent.” Peabody smiled down at her in a fatherly manner. ‘Mary, I’m glad to hear you say that. You confirm what I have suspected from the outset.” = Thereupon he proceeded to explain the discoveries he had made; the testimony of ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Patrolman Kelly, which proved that Cald- well could not have been in the room at the time the shot was fired; and the dis- crepancy in the caliber of the bullet and the revolver from which it was alleged to have been fired. - 2 Mary Kayne listened to all of this pa- tiently, nodding her head from time to time. “Of course,” she said, “ you could prove that he was not guilty, but aside from that everybody must know that he never had anything to do with the death of Howard Harper.” Peabody Smith laughed. ‘““T must say that I like your confidence. It must be fine to inspire such loyalty in any girl. But, my dear, we are only half through with the business. We can go to the authorities and demand the release of Barry Caldwell on the ground that he is innocent. Very good. What will they say? They will want to know who is guilty.” She smiled at him through her tears. “That will be the easiest part of the affair.” Peabody Smith was not smiling now. His brows were wrinkled and hundreds of crows’ feet seemed to be forming around the corners of his eyes. ** Do—do you mean to say that you can tell me the name of the person who killed Harper?” She nodded her pretty head with empha- sis. “Who did it, then?” cried the detective. She sat down, looked at him intently and said quietly: “ 1 did it—I shot Howard Harper.” Peabody Smith just stood there staring at her. What she said was what he had half expected, and yet it seemed too unreal for belief. He had fought the notion of Barry Caldwell being a murderer, and now he mentally tried to acquit the girl. But she did not give him the faintest foundation on which to base his conviction. She re- lated all that occurred down to the smallest detail, and she concluded by going to a drawer and bringing forth a pearl-handled revolver. ‘“‘ Barry came in right after it happened. He saw Harper lying dead on the floor, COmmicoooxS., Conn