Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/57

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THE MAN IN THE ROOM
37

could have answered in two seconds. To drive out that and think of President Harrison so as to give a seemingly 'innocent' association, 'Cleveland,' took him over five seconds. I then went for the hold of this Harrison, probably, upon Mrs. Branower. I tried for it twice. The second trial, 'brother,' made him think again for five seconds, practically, before he could decide that sister was not a guilty word to give. As the first words 'blow' only brought 'wind' in two seconds and 'strike' suggested 'labor' at once, I knew he could not have struck Dr. Lawrie a blow; and my last words showed, indeed, that Lawrie probably collapsed before him. And I was done."

Dr. Joslyn was pacing the room with rapid steps. "It is plain. Branower, you offer nothing in your defense?"

"There is nothing."

"There is much. The university owes a great debt to your father. The autopsy will show conclusively that Dr. Lawrie died of heart failure. The other facts are private with ourselves. You can restore this money. Its absence I will reveal only to the trustees. I shall present to them at the same time your resignation from the board."

He turned to Trant. "But this secrecy, young man, will deprive you of the reputation you might have gained through the really remarkable method you used through this investigation."

"It makes no difference," Trant answered, "if you will give me a short leave from the university. As I mentioned to Dr. Reiland yesterday, the prosecuting at-