Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1914 — WITHIN THE LAW [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WITHIN THE LAW

By MARVIN DANA

FROM THE PLAY OF BAYARD VEILLER Copyright, 1913, by the H. K. Fly company. - * •

CHAPTER XVII. The Trap That Failed. AS the scornful maiden went out of the door under the escort of Cassidy, Burke bowed gallantly to her lithe back and blew a kiss from his thick finger tips in mocking reverence for her as an artist in her way. Then when hf learned that Edward Gilder had arrived he ordered that the magnate and the district attorney be admitted and that the son also be sent up from his cell. “It’s a bad business, sir,’’ Burke said with hearty sympathy to the shaken father after the formal greetings that followed the entrance of the two men “It’s a very bad business.” “What does he say?” Gilder qucs tioned. “Nothing!” Burke answered. “That is why I sent for you. I suppose Mr. Demarest has made the situation plain to you.” “Yes, he has explained it to mo. It’s a terrible position for my boy. But you'll release him at once, won’t you?" “I can’t,” Burke replied reluctantly, but bluntly. “You ought not to expect it, Mr. Gilder.” “Inspector," the magnate cried brokenly, “you—don’t mean”— “I mean, Mr. Gilder, that you’ve got to make him talk. That's what I want you to do for all our sakes. Will you?” “I’ll do my best,” the unhappy man replied.

A minute later Dick, in charge of an officer, was brought into the room. He was pale, a little disheveled from his hours in a cell. The father went forward quickly and caught Dick's hands in a mighty grip. “My boy!" he murmured huskily. Then he made a great effort and controlled his emotion to some extent. “The inspector tells me.” he went on, “that you’ve refused to talk—to an swerhis questions.

“That wasn’t wise under the circumstances,” the father remonstrated hurriedly. “However, now, Demarest and I are here to protect your interests, so that you can talk freely. Now. Dick, tell us! Who killed that man? We must know. Tell me.” Demarest went a step toward the young man. "Dick. I don’t want to frighten you. but your position is really dangerous. Your only chance is to speak with perfect frankness. I pledge you my word I'm telling the truth. Dick, my boy. I want you to forget that I’m the district attorney and remember only that I’m an old friend of yours-and of your father’s who is trying very hard to help you. Surely you can trust me. Now, Dick, tell me: Who shot Griggs?"

**l shot Griggs,” sanTthe young man. Demarest realized that his plea had failed, but be made an effort to take the admission at its face value. “Why?” he demanded. “Because 1 thought he was a burglar.” “Oh, I see!” be said, in a tone of conviction. “Now, let’s go back a little. Burke says you told him last night that you had persuaded your wife to come over to the house and join you there. Is that right?” “Yes.” “Now, tell me, Dick, just what did happen, won't you?” i . There was no reply, and, after a little Interval, the lawyer resumed his questioning. “Did this burglar come into the room ?” Dick nodded an assent. , “And he attacked you?” There came another nod of affirmation. “And there was a struggle?” “Yes.” “And you shot him?” “Yes.” “Then, where did you get the revolver?” Dick started to answer without thought: “Why, I grabbed it”— Then, the sig nificance of this crashed on his consciousness, and he checked the words trembling on his lips. “So,” he said with swift hostility in his voice, “so, you’re trying to trap me, too! You! And you talk of friendship. I want none of such friendship.” But Burke would be no longer restrained.

“You don’t want to take us for fools, young man,” he said, and his big tones rumbled harshly through the room. “If you shot Griggs in mistake for a burglar why did you try to hide the fact? Why did you pretend to me that you and your wife were alone in the room when you bad that there with you, eh?. Why didn’t you call for help? Why didn’t you call’for the police as any honest man would naturally under such circumstances?” “We’re trying to save you,” the father pleaded tremulously. Burke persisted in his vehement sys-‘ tern of attack. Now, he again brought out the weapon that bad done Eddie Griggs to death.

“Where’d you get this gun?” he shouted. “I won’t talk any more,” Dick answered simply. “I must see my -wife first.” His voice became more aggressive. “I want to know what you’ve done to her.” “Did she kill Griggs?” Burke questioned roughly. Dick was startled out of his calm. “No, no!” he cried, desperately. “Then, who did?” Burke demanded sharply. “Who did?" “I won't say any more until I’ve talked with a lawyer whom 1 can trust.” He shot a vindictive glance toward Demarest The father intervened with a piteous eagerness. “Dick, if you know who killed this man you must speak to protect yourself." The face of the young man softened as he met his father’s beseeching eyes. “I’m sorry, dad.” he said, very gently. “But I—well, I can’t!” Again. Burke interposed. “I’m going to give him a little more time to think things over. Perhaps he’ll get to understand the importance of what we've been saying pretty soon.” He pressed the button on his desk.

and, as the doorman appeared, addressed that functionary. “Dan. have one of the men take him back. You w ait outside.” Dick, however, did not move. His voice came with a note of determination. “I want to know’ about my wife. Where is she?" Burke disregarded the question as completely as if it had not been uttered and went on speaking to the doorman, with a suggestion in his words that was effective. “He's not to speak to any one. you understand." Then he condescended to give his attention to the prisoner. “You'll know all about your wife, young man. when yon make up your mind to tell me the truth."

Dick turned and followed his custodian out of the office in silence. As the doorman reappeared Burke gave his order, “Dan, have the Turner woman brought up.” The inspector next called his stenographer and gave explicit directions. At the back of the room, behind the desk, were three large windows.. which opened on a corridor, and across this was a tier of cells. The stenographer was to take his seat in this corridor, just outside one of the windows. Over the windows the shades were drawn, so that he would remain Invisible to any one within the office while yet easily able to overhear every word spoken in the room. When he had completed his instructions to the stenographer Burke turned to Gilder and Demarest.

“Now, this time,” he said energetically, “I’ll be the one to do the talking. And get this: Whatever you hear me say don’t you be surprised. Remember, we’re dealing wih crooks, and when you’re dealing with crooks you have to use crooked ways.” Then the door opened, and Mary Turner entered. She paid absolutely no attention to the other two in the room, but went straight to the desk and there halted, gazing with her softly penetrant eyes of deepest violet into the face of the Inspector... -,.i~ Under that intent scrutiny Burke felt a challenge and set himself to match craft with craft. His large voice was modulated to kindliness as he spoke in a casual manner. “I just sent for you to tell you that you’re free.” “Then, I can go?” v j “Sure, you can go.” , Without any delay, yet without any haste, Mary glanced toward Gilder and Demarest,. who were watching the scene closely. Then, she went toward the outer door of the office. Burke waited until she had nearly reached the door before he shot his bolt • “Garson has confessed!” Mary turned and confronted the inspector, and answered without the least trace of fear, but the firmness of knowledge: “Oh. no. he hasn’t!” “What's the reason he hasn't?" Burke roared out wrathfully. “Because be didn’t do it.” “Well, he says he did it!” Mary, in her turn, resorted to a bit of finesse, in order to learn whether or not Garson had been arrested. “But how could he have done it, when he went” — she began. “Where did he gq?” “You ought to'know, since you have arrested him, and he lias confessed.” Burke was frantic over being worsted thus. To gain a diversion, lie reverted to his familiar bullying tactics.

“Who shot Griggs?" he shouted. “My husband shot a burglar." Mary said languidly. "Was his nameGriggs?” “Oh. you know better than that." Burke declared, truculently. “You see, we've traced the Maxim silencer. Garson himself bought it up in Hartford." For the first time. Mary was caught off her guard “But he told me"— she began, then checked herself. “What did lie tell you?” Burke questioned “He told me that he had never seen one. Surely, if he had had anything of the sort, he would have shown it to me." Burke pressed the button on the desk. and. when the doorman appeared, ordered that the prisoner be returned to her cell. “I suppose.” Mary said, “that it's useless for me to’ claim my constitutional rights. and demand to see a lawyer?" ‘Wes." Burke agreed, "you’ve guessed it right, the first time.” Cassidy came hurrying in with a grin of satisfaction on his stolid face. “Say, chief," the detective said with animation, "we've got Garson.” Burke asked Gilder and the district attorney to withdraw, while he should have a private conversation with the prisoner. “Now.” he said when they were alone together. “I'm going to be your friend.”

"Are you?” Mary's • tone was noncommittal. “Yes,” Burke declared. heartily. “And I mean it! Give up the truth about young Gilder. I know he shot Griggs, of course. But I’m not taking any stock in that burglar story—not a little bit! No court would either. What was really back of the killing? Was he jealous of Griggs? Well, that’s what he might do then. He’s always been a worthless young cub. A rotten deal like this would be about his gait. I guess. Tell me. now, why did he shoot Eddie Griggs?” There was coarseness a-plenty in the inspector’s pretense, but it possessed a solitary fundamental vlftue: it played on the heart of the woman whom he questioned, aroused it to wrath in defense of her mate. In a second, all poise fled from this girl whose soul was blossoming in the blest realization that a' man loved her purely, unselfishly. Her words came stumbling in their haste. i “He didn’t kill him! He didn’t kill him!” she fairly hissed. “Why. he's the most wonderful man in the world. You shan’t hurt him! Nobody shall hurt him! I’ll fight to the end of my life for Dick Gilder!”

Bnrke was beaming joyously. “Well, that's just what I thought,” he said, with smug content. “And now, then, who did shoot Griggs? We’ve got every one of the gang. They’re all crooks. See here," he went on, with a sudden change to the respectful in his manner, “why don't you start fresh? I’ll give you every chance in the world. - I’jn dead on the level with you this time.”

By now Mary had herself well in .hand again vastly ashamed of the short period of self betrayal caused bj the official’s artifice against her heart. As she listened to the inspector’s assurances, the mocking expression of her face was not encouraging to that astute individual, but lie persevered manfully. “Just you wait.” he went on cheerfully, “and I'll prove to you that I'm on the level about this, that I’m really your friend. There was a letter came for you to your apartment. My men brought it down to me- I've read it. Here it is. I’ll read it to yon!” He picked up an envelope, which had been lying on the desk, and drew out the single sheet of paper it contained. Mary watched L'lm_ wondering much

more tn aii her expression revealed over this new development. Then, as she listened, quick interest touched her features to a new life. This was the letter: I can’t go without telling you how sorry I am. There won’t never be a time that I won’t remember it was me got you sent up; i that you did time hi my place. I ain't going to forgive myself ever, an<ll swear I’m going straight always. Your true friend HELEN MORRIS. For once, Burke showed a certain delicacy. When he had finished the reading, he said nothing for a long minute. Mary’s eyes were luminous in the joy of the realization that for her, after all, rehabilitation might be in a measure possible, though nothing could ever repay the degradation of years Infinitely worse than lost. Burke’s harsh voice, cadenced to a singular sympathy, broke in on her reverie of pleasure and of pain. “You knew this?” he Inquired. ' “Yes, two days ago.” “Did you tell old Gilder?” he asked, Mary shook her head in negation. “What would be the use?” she reminded him. “I had no proof. No one would believe me."

“They’d believe this. Why. this letter sets you clear. If old Glider should see this letter, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to make amends to you. He’s a square guy himself. If it comes to that, even if he was bard on you. Why, this letter wipes out everything.” Then, the insistent question beating at bls brain forced him to speak roughly, building hope on the letter's Inestimable worth to the woman before him. - “Who killed Griggs?’’ There was no reply. And. presently, he went on. half ashamed over bls own intrigue against her. “Say,” he said, and, for once, his voice was curiously suppressed, “you tel) me who shot Griggs, and I’ll show this letter to old Gilder. Now, listen,” he cried eagerly. “I give you my word of honor that anything you say in here is Just between you and me.” Unconsciously his eyes darted to the window, behind which the stenographer was busy with his notes. ' ( I'hat single involuntary glance was enough for the keen instinct of the woman to make a guess as to the verity. “Just tip me off to the truth.” Burke went on ingratiatingly, "and I’ll get the necessary evidence in my own way. Now. there’s nobody here but just you and me. Come on, now—put me wise!” ' “Are you sure no one will eyer know?" “Nobody but you and me." Burke declared, all agog with anticipation of victory at last. “I give you my wouj!" Mary met the gaze of the inspector fully. In the same instant, she flashed

On him a smile that was dazzling, the smile of a woman triumphant in her mastery of the situation. Her face was. radiant, luminous with honest mirth. She spoke in a most casiial voice, despite the dancing delight In her face. The tones were drawled in the matter of fact fashion of statement that leads a listener to answer without heed to the exact Import of the question, unless very alert indeed. Thlw Is what she said: ‘Tin not speaking loud enough, am I, stenographer?” And that industrious writer of shorthand notes. absofßed In his task, answered instantly from bls hidden place in the corridor. “No. ma’am, not quite.” Mary laughed aloud, while Burke sat dumfounded. She rose swiftly, and went to the nearest window, and with a pull at the cord sent the shade flying upward. There was revealed the busy stenographer, bent over bis pad. A groan of distress burst from him, and he fled the place in ignominious rout The smiling Mary was returned to her cell. (To be continued.)

“Where’d you get this gun?”

“You ought to know, since you have arrested him.”