Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/94

This page has been validated.
72
THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF LUTHER TRANT

would have scared any innocent man under the same conditions. My own tests could cause reactions only in the guilty man.

"That man, I think you understand now," Trant continued rapidly, "I was practically sure of when Crowley told me of Caylis's alibi. You have just seen the effect upon him of the same tests I tried on Kanlan, and the conclusive evidence the galvanometer gave. The fact that Caylis himself never read the News only contributed to my certainty that another person was concerned, a person who could have either decoyed or sent Mr. Bronson out. So I went to the place, found the doctor's sign just beyond, discovered that that doctor treated, not Bronson, but the little Mitchell boy, that the telephone had been broken inside the house that evening to furnish an excuse for sending Bronson out, and that Mrs. Mitchell reads the News."

"The Mitchell woman sent him out, of course," Walker checked him almost irritably. "Six blocks away—Crowley ought to have her by now."

Miss Allison gathered herself together and arose. She clutched the inspector's sleeve. "Inspector Walker, must you—" she faltered.

"None of us is called upon to say how she shall be punished, Miss Allison," Trant said, compassionately. "We must trust all to the twelve men who shall try these two." But to her eyes, searching his, Trant seemed to be awaiting something. Suddenly the telephone rang. Walker took up the receiver. "It's Crowley," he cried. "He says Mrs. Mitchell skipped