President Fraser was removed to his home in a dangerous condition. His
advanced age did not withstand the shock. Now alternately he raved and
muttered incoherently, and the old eyes were wide, staring fearfully
always. There was a consultation between The Thinking Machine and West
after the removal of President Fraser, and the result was another
hurried meeting of the board of directors. At that meeting West was
placed, temporarily, in command. The police, of course, had been
informed of the matter, but no arrest was probable.
Immediately after The Thinking Machine left the bank Hatch appeared
and inquired for him. From the bank he went to the home of the
scientist. There Professor Van Dusen was bending over a retort, busy
with some problem.
"Well?" he demanded, as he glanced up.
"West told the truth," began Hatch. "Neither he nor any member of his
family uses perfume; he has few outside acquaintances, is regular in
his habits, but is a man of considerable wealth, it appears."
"What is his salary at the bank?" asked The Thinking Machine.
"Fifteen thousand a year," said the reporter. "But he must have a
large fortune. He lives like a millionaire."
"He couldn't do that on fifteen thousand dollars a year," mused the
scientist. "Did he inherit any money?"
"No," was the reply. "He started as a clerk in the bank and has made
himself what he is."
"That means speculation," said The Thinking Machine. "You can't save a
fortune from a salary, even fifteen thousand dollars a year. Now, Mr.
Hatch, find out for me all about his business connections. His source
of income particularly I would like to know. Also whether or not he
has recently sought to borrow or has received a large sum of money; if
he got it and what he did with it. He says he has not sought such a
sum. Perhaps he told the truth."
"Yes, and about Miss Clarke----"
"Yes; what about her?" asked The Thinking Machine.
"She occupies a little room in a boarding-house for women in an
excellent district," the reporter explained. "She has no friends who
call there, at any rate. Occasionally, however, she goes out at night
and remains late."
"The perfume?" asked the scientist.
"She uses a perfume, the housekeeper tells me, but she doesn't recall
just what kind it is--so many of the young women in the house use it.
So I went to her room and looked. There was no perfume there. Her room
was considerably disarranged, which seemed to astonish the
housekeeper, who declared that she had carefully arranged it about
nine o'clock. It was two when I was there."
"How was it disarranged?" asked the scientist.
"The couch cover was jerked awry and the pillows tumbled down, for one
thing," said the reporter. "I didn't notice any further."
The Thinking Machine relapsed into silence. "What happened at the
bank?" inquired Hatch. Briefly the scientist related the facts leading
up to the search, the search itself and its startling result. The
reporter whistled.
"Do you think Fraser had anything to do with it?"
"Run out and find out those other things about West," said The
Thinking Machine, evasively. "Come back here to-night. It doesn't
matter what time."
"But who do you think committed the crime?" insisted the newspaper
man.
"I may be able to tell you when you return."
For the time being The Thinking Machine seemed to forget the bank
robbery, being busy in his tiny laboratory. He was aroused from his
labors by the ringing of the telephone bell.
"Hello," he called. "Yes, Van Dusen. No, I can't come down to the bank
now. What is it? Oh, it has disappeared? When? Too bad! How's Mr.
Fraser? Still unconscious? Too bad! I'll see you to-morrow."
The scientist was still engrossed in some delicate chemical work just
after eight o'clock that evening when Martha, his housekeeper and maid
of all work, entered.
"Professor," she said, "there's a lady to see you."
"Name?" he asked, without turning.
"She didn't give it, sir."
"There in a moment."
He finished the test he had under way, then left the little laboratory
and went into the hall leading to the sitting-room, where unprivileged
callers awaited his pleasure. He sniffed a little as he stepped into
the hall. At the door of the sitting-room he paused and peered inside.
A woman arose and came toward him. It was Miss Clarke.
"Good-evening," he said. "I knew you'd come."
Miss Clarke looked a little surprised, but made no comment.
"I came to give you some information," she said, and her voice was
subdued. "I am heartbroken at the awful things which have come out
concerning--concerning Mr. Fraser. I have been closely associated with
him for several months, and I won't believe that he could have had
anything to do with this affair, although I know positively that he
was in need of a large sum of money--ninety thousand dollars--because
his personal fortune was in danger. Some error in titles to an estate,
he told me."
"Yes, yes," said The Thinking Machine.
"Whether he was able to raise this money I don't know," she went on.
"I only hope he did without having to--to do that--to have any----"
"To rob his bank," said the scientist, tartly. "Miss Clarke, is young
Dunston in love with you?"
The girl's face changed color at the sudden question.
"I don't see----" she began.
"You may not see," said The Thinking Machine, "but I can have him
arrested for robbery and convict him."
The girl gazed at him with wide, terror-stricken eyes, and gasped.
"No, no, no," she said, hurriedly. "He could have had nothing to do
with that at all."
"Is he in love with you?" again came the question.
There was a pause.
"I've had reason to believe so," she said, finally, "though----"
"And you?"
The girl's face was flaming now, and, squinting into her eyes, the
scientist read the answer.
"I understand," he commented, tersely. "Are you going to be married?"
"I could--could never marry him," she gasped suddenly. "No, no,"
emphatically. "We are not, ever."
She slowly recovered from her confusion, while the scientist continued
to squint at her curiously.
"I believe you said you had some information for me?" he asked.
"Y--yes," she faltered. Then more calmly: "Yes. I came to tell you
that the package of ten thousand dollars which you took from Mr.
Fraser's pocket has again disappeared."
"Yes," said the other, without astonishment.
"It was presumed at the bank that he had taken it home with him,
having regained possession of it in some way, but a careful search has
failed to reveal it."
"Yes, and what else?"
The girl took a long breath and gazed steadily into the eyes of the
scientist, with determination in her own.
"I have come, too, to tell you," she said, "the name of the man who
robbed the bank."