Jimmy stayed in Lentone while Professor Brierly went on to his
own camp. Jimmy called up his office where he knew that a dog
watch would be kept all night.
The sleepy voice that identified itself as Duke Wellington became
crisp when Jimmy gave his name. The entire office was now a throb
and expectant of news from the Canadian border.
"Just a flash, Duke. I'll file a story in time for the first
edition tomorrow morning. They picked up 'Chicago' Boyle here near
the New Hampshire border; Boyle was in a job in Yonkers some time
ago where he got into a house the same way the killer got into
Miller's Folly; chimney, rope and climbing irons. Boyle's alibi is
fishy, Duke, awfully weak.
"A member of this Tontine group, William Flynn, who lives in
Pleasantville decided he had to go home. There was quite a scene
about it in Judge Higginbotham's camp. This thing is getting on
the nerves of most of them. They're all up in the air. They
weren't going to let him go. Finally they compromised by letting
him go under escort, get me. A policeman from Lentone and a
trooper are going to escort him to the Massachusetts line, where
someone else will take it up.
"McCall, the D.A., arranged with the police authorities to watch
him while he's in New York, to see that nothing happens. Better
cover that, Duke, have a man pick him up with escort when he gets
off the train. Any news at the New York end?"
"Naw, police handing out a lotta applesauce about soon having the
bird who bumped off Schurman. I think they picked up about
thirty-five assorted crooks on this Schurman killing. I'll say this for
'em, I never saw 'em so busy since that bird bumped off a couple
cops and a kid. That all, Jim?"
"Yep. Think I'll go up to Professor Brierly's camp and if he
hasn't got anything to say, I'll hit the hay. Tell Hite, if he
calls, that I'll file a full story, will you?"
Jimmy's eyes glinted with amusement when he came to the wharf of
McCall's camp. It was still daylight and he had no difficulty
recognizing some of the high lights in his profession on the porch
and on the wharf. A number of them had simultaneously arrived at
the conclusion that they would fare better perhaps camping on
Professor Brierly's trail than they would in following the
Higginbotham group and the meager information that the police were
willing to divulge.
They surged about him when he stepped off the boat. He soon
convinced them he would share with them every bit of news he got
from Brierly, the police, or the Tontine group as it was now
called. All of them now had the story of Boyle's arrest.
Jimmy listened with a grin as they told him of their experience
when they tried to pump Professor Brierly. One of them sported a
black eye. He had used language that Matthews did not like and the
blonde young giant had punched him in the eye and threatened to
clean out the entire group if they didn't let the Professor alone.
Jimmy assured them earnestly that Matthews meant what he said.
After convincing themselves that they could get no more news at
this source the crowd melted and the camp was left to the peace of
a Canadian summer night.
Professor Brierly was fingering Boyle's watch with a perplexed
frown on his fine features as Jimmy stepped into the living-room.
The old man looked up as the reporter entered the large room with
its soft lights.
"What about the watch, Professor? Can you tell as much about it as
you can about the rope and twine?"
Professor Brierly snapped at him:
"Are you trying to be funny, young man? Are you trying to convey
the impression, are you implying that you do not believe what the
microscope showed me when--"
"Pardon me, Professor. I worded my question wrong. No, remarkable
as it sounds, I believe every word you say, of course. But--"
"There is nothing specially remarkable about it, Mr. Hale. The
true value of the microscope in scientific criminal investigation
is just now beginning to be appreciated. The watch, now--" Once
more the puzzled frown that had appeared several times creased his
brows. He continued slowly:
"There is nothing in the watch that places it in or near the farm
or farmyard from which the heavy rope, the twine and the fish line
seem to have come. There is certainly nothing that places it in a
department of a hat factory where dyed particles of felt hats may
be found in great profusion."
"You mean, Professor," broke in McCall, "that a microscopic
examination of the watch didn't show those characteristics?"
"Yes."
"Provided, Professor, Boyle is telling the truth about when his
watch was cleaned. If the watch were thoroughly cleaned it would
obscure--"
"Boyle told the truth, or the approximate truth about the time his
watch was cleaned last. The watch shows evidence of that."
"What do you say about, Boyle, Professor?" pursued Jimmy.
"There is not a single shred of evidence against him. As I have
heard you say, Mr. Hale, I would not convict a yellow dog on such
evidence."
"Did you hear his alibi, Professor? It's certainly a flimsy
excuse, if I ever heard one."
"True, it is flimsy. But I am half inclined to believe it because
it is so flimsy. I watched him very carefully, as you no doubt
did. I was impressed with the belief that the charge of murder
surprised him. And it did not appear the surprise of a murderer
who thought he had his trail well hidden.
"Boyle is rather above the average criminal. The murderer as we
have seen, is a man of considerable resource. If caught, he is
certain to have a better alibi than Boyle had, a more plausible
alibi. Does Boyle strike you like the kind of man who, if he
murdered a man, would not have a more plausible story? No, I tell
you, its very lack of plausibility almost convinces me of its
truth.
"Boyle is in a desperate situation and he knows it. He showed it
by readily admitting that he was engaged in the illicit traffic of
liquor, when apparently, the police were not at all concerned with
this phase of his activities.
"But aside from all this, there is the watch; the watch is very
important. It may be negative, it is true, but it is nevertheless
very convincing. The rope and the twine and the fish line were
positive evidence. Not evidence that the murderer owned the farm
or farmyard perhaps, but evidence that the articles in question
were at that farmyard a considerable time; evidence that the twine
was in a hat factory.
"Place the rope, twine and fish line in Boyle's possession; place
Boyle in a hat factory and you may convince me of his guilt of
Miller's murder. Not otherwise."
He snapped shut the watch case, with an emphatic click. His brow
cleared.
"Negative evidence is often very important, is it not? It helps
clear one's mind. I think I am beginning to see. What a gorgeous
plan it was. Did I say that I took back what I said about the man,
responsible for these deaths not being subtle? I did? Well he is
subtle, dangerously so."
"Do you mean, Professor," Jimmy leaned forward eagerly, "that you
know the man who--"
"Not so fast young man. I do not know who it is, but I am
beginning to think I know who it might be; who it can be. Is that
dubious?" His eyes were now gleaming. The three men watching him
knew the signs. His small shapely hand was pounding the arm of his
chair softly. He became suddenly grave. He spoke to McCall:
"Did we hear Flynn say that he told his comrades when he came here
that he would have to leave on an important errand today?"
McCall and Jimmy nodded. Professor Brierly's gravity became more
profound. He sprang to his feet. He said emphatically:
"Call New York at once, Mr. McCall. Do not waste a minute. Tell
them to take extreme precautions in watching Flynn. I believe
Flynn is in the greatest danger. Oh, fool that I am! Why did I not
think of it? At once, Mr. McCall, at once." He pounded the table
impatiently. As McCall was turning the small crank to ring the
operator, Professor Brierly added:
"After you've done that, McCall, see if you can get in touch with
the train that Flynn took. Warn his guards."
When McCall came back to the table looking inquiringly toward the
white-headed old scientist, the latter smiled slowly. "Thinking
that I am getting into my dotage, young man? Flynn is in deadly
danger. I will feel at ease about him only when he gets back here
safely. His greatest danger is when he arrives in New York. He is
probably safe on board the train but I do not know, I am afraid
for him."
Jimmy went outside to see to the comfort of his youthful pilot.
Harry Stoy had made his bed on the ground near the wharf. He said
he liked to sleep outdoors under the sky. When he returned Jimmy
took his portable typewriter to his room where he wrote far into
the night.
The entire household was wrapped in slumber when the telephone
bell awoke them with its insistent buzz. McCall, cursing the
impulse that had made him install a telephone in this out of the
way camp, arose sleepily and took down the receiver.
The growling voice at the other end of the wire identified itself
as that of Hite, of the New York Eagle. McCall profanely told the
voice that he would get Jimmy, when Hite stopped him.
"Never mind Jimmy, you'll do. I was at a night club when I got
word that you sent out word to guard Flynn. Is that right?"
"Yes. Is that what you woke me up for. Can't a newspaper respect
another man's--"
"Aw, boloney, save that for the jury. I called you up to tell you
that I did something for you. A souse got in a fight with Flynn on
the train. The cop and the trooper staved off trouble. I got in
touch with someone up there and now there's two secret service men
on the train with him. They got on the train at Brattleboro. Tell
your friends and tell Jimmy. Good night."
When McCall turned away from the telephone, Jimmy was standing
there watching him. When he heard what the District Attorney, with
considerable heat, had to say, Jimmy grinned.
"Save it, Mac, save it. You ought to thank the old grouch for
calling you up. He put two secret service men on the train with
Flynn? Just like Hite. You'll have to admit that it takes a
newspaper man to do things."
McCall glared at him. Jimmy returned the glare with his most
impudent grin, and they returned to their beds.