The crooked crossDutton, Charles J. (Charles Judson)
General
The crooked cross
Dutton, Charles J. (Charles Judson)
Bartley, John (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Detective and mystery stories; Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction
We did not speak for a moment. Bartley's statement had been so
unexpected that I saw a rather questioning look pass over Ranville's
face. Though I had been surprised to discover that the man who had
looked through the library window was the gardener, yet I had not
thought there was anything suspicious in his action. His explanation,
that he had seen the light in the building and had gone to see who was
within, had sounded reasonable. The dull, stolid type of man he was
seemed to make it impossible there could be any real motive in his
trying to escape.
A look at both Bartley and Ranville told me they had a different
opinion. That the gardener had been asked by the Chinaman who had
visited us to take one of the small caskets from the library was a
rather startling piece of information. Perhaps it was even more—that
bit of luck which Bartley said might lead to the solving of the
mystery. Just as I was about to say this, Ranville spoke:
“Looks to me as though we had better run up to the library again.”
Bartley nodded, and as we rose to go out into the hall for our hats,
all at once the door bell rang—a long, shrill ring which died away,
only to be repeated. With a bound and a growl Trouble gave one leap,
waking from his sound sleep, and rushed to the hall. As I was the
closest to the front door, I went to open it, wondering who it might
be.
Pushing the growling dog behind me, I opened the door to find a
messenger boy standing there. With a half grin he extended a telegram
in my direction. I signed the book, gave the boy a tip, and brought
the yellow envelope into the house. As I glanced at it, I saw it was
addressed to Carter.
Bartley took the telegram, and after a look at the name said that he
thought he had better open it. He tore the thin paper, took out the
message and slowly read it through. As he glanced over the words, I
saw his eyebrows raise a little. Then he said, turning to us both:
“Listen to this. It will interest you.”
“Washington, D. C.
“Know nothing of man you wired about under name given. No one that
name ever connected with Embassy either here or London. Description
given does not fit any one we have information about. Am wiring San
Francisco and New York.
“Wing.”
As he finished reading it, he saw that Ranville was not familiar with
the name which was signed to the telegram, so he said:
“This is the answer to the message you told me Carter sent to his
chief in Washington. Wing is the head of the identification end of the
Secret Service. From what he says you can see they do not know your
Chinese friend.”
Ranville's face clouded for a moment. He informed us he had been of
the opinion that the oriental had told us the truth. He added, there
was only one explanation of his visit that now seemed reasonable. As
we both waited for him to tell us what he thought, he continued:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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