HOW NICK SIZED UP THE CASE.
Ten o’clock the following morning found three persons seated in Harold
Garland’s apartments in the Grayling--Nick Carter and his two
assistants, Chick Carter and Patsy Garvan.
The murder of Father Cleary then was on every tongue. Newspapers
throughout the country were describing the shocking crime under glaring
headlines. It had leaked out, too, though Nick had not revealed it, that
Lottie Trent had been abducted by the assassins and was in some way
concerned in the crime.
The thousand tongues of rumor were never more busy. Conjectures of every
description were in the air. Linked with the name of the missing girl,
in circles where he was well known and his recent changed appearance had
been noticed, was that of Harold Garland, and many already were
whispering suspicions that he knew more than he was willing to tell.
These insinuations were given additional impulse by the fact that
several newspapers were describing a man who had been noticed near the
scene of the double crime, and whose actions, as reported by several
observers, were of a kind to warrant suspicion. His identity had not yet
been discovered by the newspapers, however, and thus matters stood at
ten o’clock that morning on the second day following the murder.
“By Jove, it’s a bad mess, an awfully bad mess,” Chick Carter gravely
remarked, after Nick had described the case in detail to both of his
assistants.
Both had arrived in disguise at the Grayling that morning, in accord
with instructions Nick had telephoned, and they had been given
apartments on the same floor with those of Garland.
“Bad enough, Chick, but not nearly as bad as it might be,” Nick replied.
“I have stated only the superficial facts, not what I have detected
under the surface.”
“The case has redeeming features, then?”
“Decidedly.”
“How so?”
“I suspect, to begin with, that Margate’s scheme at the outset was only
a colossal bluff. I don’t believe he had, nor has, photograph copies of
the government plans.”
“Great Scott!” exclaimed Patsy, gazing. “He must have a nerve, chief, in
that case.”
“The proof of a pudding is its eating,” Nick replied. “Whether it’s a
big bluff, or not, the rascal was in a fair way to get by with it. He
has brought Garland to the point of planking down the money demanded.”
“You think it a case of blackmail, then,” said Chick.
“I do.”
“But the photograph of the portfolio--he certainly must have taken
that,” Chick argued.
“Very true,” Nick admitted. “It is a small photograph, however, and may
have been taken with an ordinary kodak. Margate may have had a camera of
that kind. He is a keen, far-sighted fellow. He may have apprehended
that his designs at that time might miscarry, and that he later could
work out the scheme I now suspect. Having that in view, he may have
taken a photograph of the portfolio. A photograph of a big government
plan with such a camera, however, would be of no earthly use.”
“That’s very true,” Chick admitted.
“Bear in mind, now, that Margate had the plans considerably less than
twenty-four hours after stealing them from Dillon,” Nick continued.
“It’s not reasonable to suppose that he would immediately have thought
of having them photographed, nor be supplied with the necessary
paraphernalia.”
“True again, Nick, as far as that goes.”
“We can safely assume, too, that he would not have dared to employ a
photographer to make the negatives. The nature of the plans would have
forbidden that. It’s a hundred to one, too, as I have said, that he was
not provided with a camera large enough to have been of any use in
making photographs of the plans, though he might have taken that of the
portfolio.”
“Gee! that’s right, too, chief,” put in Patsy, who had been listening
attentively. “It was not in the crib where we recovered the plans, or we
should have seen it. Chick and I searched the shack from cellar to
attic. Besides, they must have been photographed by daylight, and
Margate had the plans only one morning, when you come right down to it.
We nailed the whole gang, you remember, soon after noon.”
“Those are the very points, Patsy, on which I base my suspicions,” Nick
replied. “In so serious a matter as this, however, we must not bank on
suspicions only. Aside from getting the photographs, if Margate really
has them, we must put that thoroughbred rascal where he belongs.”
“Didn’t Garland see the photographs during his interview with Margate?”
Chick questioned.
“He saw a batch of photographs and blue prints on a table, but was so
unnerved by the threatening situation that he did not examine them,
taking it for granted that they were what Margate stated.”
“The more fool he,” Chick said dryly.
“I suspect that the rascal would not have let him examine them, in case
my suspicions are correct,” said Nick. “I suspect, too, that the big
camera Garland saw in the room was brought there only to give color to
Margate’s assertions.”
“By gracious, chief, if we could find out where he got it----”
“That’s the very point, Patsy,” Nick interrupted. “He may have bought it
in some store, or hired it from some photographer. You must start out
this morning and follow up that thread.”
“I’ve got you.”
“You may be able to learn from whom the camera was obtained and where it
was delivered. Garland has stated that it was too large for one to have
carried away by hand. It may have been sent by express, or taken away in
an automobile by the rascal himself. Follow up the thread, if possible,
wherever it leads.”
“Trust me for that, chief,” said Patsy expressively.
“In the meantime, Chick, you must see Lottie Trent’s brother, in prison,
and find out from him whether the girl is acquainted with Margate, and,
if possible, where he has been living since he slipped through our
fingers a month ago. If you tell Larry Trent what has befallen his
sister and of what Margate is guilty, I think he will state all he knows
about the rascal.”
“Very likely,” Chick agreed. “You have no doubt, I infer, that Margate
is the man who killed the priest.”
“Not the slightest,” said Nick confidently.
“But for what reason?”
“Because, unless I am much mistaken, Lottie Trent has been friendly with
Margate for some little time, not knowing his true name and character,
nor anything about his relations with her convict brother,” Nick
explained. “I think she in some way discovered, however, that Margate
was plotting with confederates against Garland, and that she went to
Father Cleary and confided in him.”
“Confided what?”
“One fact on which hinges the whole business and which further confirms
my suspicions.”
“Namely?”
“The fact that Margate is out only to blackmail Garland, and that he has
not a single photograph of the government plans.”
“But why didn’t she inform Garland himself, in that case, instead of
confiding in the priest?”
“She may have had no opportunity,” Nick pointed out. “She may have made
the discovery that very evening. She may have been threatened by Margate
and others engaged in the scheme.”
“I see,” Chick nodded.
“She could frame up a plausible reason to visit the priest, perhaps, and
take a chance that she could save Garland by doing so,” Nick went on.
“This is consistent with her recent appeals to him, and she would have
been eager to do him such a service. She went out to expose the whole
business to Father Cleary, I think, and was probably seen and followed
by Margate and his confederates. They afterward killed the priest and
got away with the girl, that nothing should prevent their getting the
money expected from Garland.”
“But how do you account for the letter written by the girl?”
“She was lured into writing it.”
“When?”
“That very evening, Chick, after Margate learned that she was wise to
his game,” Nick continued to explain. “She probably did not know that he
had discovered the fact and suspected that she might expose him.”
“I see.”
“He paved the way to further incriminate Garland, therefore, bent upon
making a sure thing of bleeding him out of this money. He wrapped his
hand with a bandage, pretending that he had sprained it, and got the
girl to write the letter, she supposing it was for him.”
“That’s quite obvious, of course.”
“Lottie Trent probably consented, not thinking of Garland’s given name,
in which the letter was addressed, nor of the covert significance of the
letter. Margate did not ask her to sign it, of course, which explains
why a few fragments of the bottom of the sheet could not be found where
I found the others.”
“I see the point,” Chick said thoughtfully. “You may be right.”
“It is further confirmed by another bit of evidence.”
“What is that?”
“The bandage I found on the rectory veranda,” said Nick. “It bore no
evidence of having been bound around a wound, or sprain. Plainly
enough, nevertheless, it had been wrapped around the left hand of a
man.”
“And you deduce from that?”
“Something quite suggestive,” said Nick, smiling. “I happen to know that
Andy Margate is left-handed.”
“By Jove, that is doubly significant,” Chick declared. “Did you recall
that when making your investigations?”
“No. Not until I talked with Senator Barclay and learned about Garland.”
“You suspect, then, that the girl was heard confiding in the priest.”
“Exactly.”
“And that she was abducted after leaving the rectory, and the priest
afterward killed.”
“Precisely.”
“And that Garland was afterward lured to that locality, and this torn
letter dropped in the opposite lots in order to so incriminate him,
apparently, that he would be helplessly in the power of these rascals.”
“That is my theory, Chick, and I’ll bank on its being very close to the
truth,” Nick nodded.
“Gee! my money goes with yours, chief,” said Patsy. “I wish I could
place a real bet on it, instead of only a mental wager.”
“I think you would win,” Nick said a bit dryly.
Chick straightened up in his chair.
“Have you confided all of these points to Garland?” he asked abruptly.
“You bet I haven’t,” said Nick. “I’m taking no chance that a feeling of
relief will betray, in case of his being watched, the scheme that I now
have in view.”
“I thought you had something up your sleeve,” smiled Chick. “What is
your scheme?”
Nick took a cigar from his pocket and lit it before replying.
“I’ll tell you,” he then said seriously. “Garland joined me here late
yesterday afternoon. I had come here in disguise, providing that the
house might be watched, which I have not taken the trouble to confirm,
knowing it might be impossible.”
“Quite likely.”
“I talked with Garland about half an hour, merely to give my
instructions. I then sent him out, wearing my garments and disguise, and
he last night occupied my apartments in the Willard. He is to remain
quartered there until I have cleaned up this affair. I remained here in
his place, as well as in the garments belonging to him. You have
observed, no doubt, that I’m wearing a new set of scenery, and that my
suit case stands there in the corner.”
“Yes, I noticed both,” laughed Chick. “But what is your scheme?”
“A very simple one, though open to many possibilities,” Nick replied.
“Garland has a final appointment to-night with Andy Margate. He is to be
met as before, and taken to the present quarters of that archscoundrel,
where he undoubtedly is established with his confederates in this job.
He is expected to hand over eighty thousand dollars in return for the
alleged photographs--but he will do nothing of the kind.”
“You intend----”
“Garland is about my height and build,” Nick cut in. “His cast of
features resembles mine. It will require but very little artistic work
with grease paints and powders to turn me into a likeness of him that
will pass muster under ordinary conditions.”
“And you----”
“I mean that Garland will not keep the appointment,” said Nick, with
ominous intonation. “He is to come here this evening in disguise, but
only to serve me as a model. He then will return to the Willard. I shall
go in his place--to meet Andy Margate.”