The Brand of Silence: A Detective Story — John Shaqi
The Brand of Silence: A Detective StoryMcCulley, Johnston
General
The Brand of Silence: A Detective Story
McCulley, Johnston
American fiction -- 20th century; Detective and mystery stories
Jim Farland hurried away, and Sidney Prale was conducted through dark
corridors to a cell, where he had the experience of hearing a door clang
shut behind him and the bolts shot. Prale never had expected to get into
jail when he was worth a million dollars, and most certainly he never
had expected to face a charge of murder.
He was allowed to send out for some luncheon, and it was more than an
hour before Coadley, the attorney, arrived. Prale was taken into the
consultation room.
He liked Coadley, and he liked the way in which Coadley regarded him
before he spoke.
"I believe that you are innocent," the lawyer said.
"The job will be to make other people think that way," Prale said, with
a laugh. The attorney's words had been like a ray of hope to him. "Did
Jim Farland tell you the story?"
"Yes. I'll try to get you out on bail, or get you out in some manner,"
Coadley said. "This appears to be a peculiar case. It is not only the
charge of murder; it is the fact that several men told falsehoods about
you. You haven't an idea who your enemies are?"
"Not the slightest."
"I'm glad that Jim Farland is working on this case for you, Mr. Prale.
He is a good man, and I may need a lot of help. I'll get my own
investigators busy right away, too, and we'll coöperate with Jim
Farland. You go back to your cell and take it easy. I'll get you out
before night, if I can."
Lawyer Coadley was a shrewd man, and his methods were the delight of
other attorneys and jurists. He lost no time when he was confronted with
a case that held unusual interest. Within an hour he was in court,
acting as if fighting mad.
Had a reputable citizen any rights, he demanded? Were the police to be
allowed to throw an innocent man into jail simply because there had been
a crime committed and somebody had to be accused? His client did not
care for an examination at this time, he said. Arraignment and a plea of
not guilty were all right, however.
Sidney Prale was arraigned, and the plea of not guilty was made and
entered. Then Coadley began his fight to have Prale admitted to bail.
The district attorney opposed it, of course, since that was his
business. The judge listened to the statement of the captain of
detectives. He heard Coadley say that his client could put up cash bail
in any amount, and was willing to abide by any provisions. Finally the
judge freed Prale on cash bail of fifty thousand dollars, but designated
that the bail could be recalled at any time, and that he was to be in
the custody of a member of the police department continually.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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