The Third Degree: A Narrative of Metropolitan LifeKlein, Charles
General
The Third Degree: A Narrative of Metropolitan Life
Klein, Charles
City and town life -- Fiction
"You can't do him very much harm, you know," said the captain with
affected jocularity. "He has confessed to the shooting."
"I don't believe it," she said emphatically.
Trying a different tack, he asked carelessly:
"Did you know Mr. Underwood?"
She hesitated before replying, then indifferently she said:
"Yes, I knew him at one time. He introduced me to my husband."
"Where was that?"
"In New Haven, Conn."
"Up at the college, eh? How long have you known Mr. Underwood?"
Annie looked at her Inquisitor and said nothing. She wondered what he
was driving at, what importance the question had to the case. Finally
she said:
"I met him once or twice up at New Haven, but I've never seen him since
my marriage to Mr. Jeffries. My husband and he were not very good
friends. That is----"
She stopped, realizing that she had made a mistake. How foolish she had
been! The police, of course, were anxious to show that there was ill
feeling between the two men. Her heart misgave her as she saw the look
of satisfaction in the captain's face.
"Ah!" he exclaimed. "Not very good friends, eh? In fact, your husband
didn't like him, did he?"
"He didn't like him well enough to run after him," she replied
hesitatingly.
The captain now started off in another direction.
"Was your husband ever jealous of Underwood?"
By this time Annie had grown suspicious of every question. She was on
her guard.
"Jealous? What do you mean? No, he was not jealous. There was never any
reason. I refuse to answer any more questions."
The captain rose and began to pace the floor.
"There's one little thing more, Mrs. Jeffries, and then you can go. You
can help your husband by helping us. I want to put one more question to
you and be careful to answer truthfully. Did you call at these rooms
last night to see Mr. Underwood?"
"I!" exclaimed Annie with mingled astonishment and indignation. "Of
course not."
"Sure?" demanded the captain, eyeing her narrowly.
"Positive," said Annie firmly.
The captain looked puzzled.
"A woman called here last night to see him," he said thoughtfully, "and
I thought that perhaps----"
Interrupting himself, he went quickly to the door of the apartment and
called to some one who was waiting in the corridor outside. A boy about
eighteen years of age, in the livery of an elevator attendant, entered
the room. The captain pointed to Annie.
"Is that the lady?"
The boy looked carefully, and then shook his head:
"Don't think so--no, sir. The other lady was a great swell."
"You're sure, eh?" said the captain.
"I--think so," answered the boy.
"Do you remember the name she gave?"
"No, sir," replied the boy. "Ever since you asked me----"
Annie arose and moved toward the door. She had no time to waste there.
Every moment now was precious. She must get legal assistance at once.
Turning to Captain Clinton, she said:
"If you've no further use for me, captain, I think I'll go."
"Just one moment, Mrs. Jeffries," he said.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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