CHAPTER XXIV
MR. QUIGLEY IS INTERVIEWED
For a moment there was a halt; Ashton-Kirk, Hutchinson and Scanlonlooked at the broken-nosed man without speaking, and the heart of thebig athlete turned sick at what he had heard.
"You saw her strike the blow?" asked the investigator.
"Yes--with a big brass thing. I thought it was a poker; but the paperssaid afterward it was a candlestick, and I guess it was."
"What did you do after seeing this?"
"It got into my head that Duncan Street was no healthy place for me, andI'd have jumped out of sight, only for seeing the woman take thediamonds."
"She took them, then?"
"It was the first thing she did. I hung to the outside door waiting forher. But she fooled me. She must have gone out some other way, for Iheard the gate click, and saw something in the shadow of the trees onthe sidewalk. I hurried out there, but she was gone; I didn't getanother peep at her."
Ashton-Kirk smiled.
"That is," said he, quietly, "not until to-day, at Quigley's."
Fenton's lower jaw dropped, and he stared at the investigator vacantly.
"At Quigley's!" said he.
"You saw her come down the hall while you were at the broker's door,"said Ashton-Kirk. "And while she bargained with Quigley for a price on adiamond necklace, you were looking in once more. She wore a veil, butveils are not always dependable disguises."
"I don't know how you got that," said Fenton, at last, "but it's true,all right. I spotted her as soon as I saw her; the veil might as wellnot been there."
Ashton-Kirk drew on his gloves.
"Perhaps to-morrow you'll be called upon to repeat what you've saidto-night. So hold yourself ready."
"All right," said the broken-nosed man, sullenly. "You know where tofind me, I guess."
"Oh, yes." The investigator turned to Hutchinson, and continued: "I'mobliged to you: you have facilitated matters greatly, and perhaps savedMr. Fenton from something rather serious. Good-night."
Followed by Scanlon, Ashton-Kirk left the place; a score of yards awaythe investigator gave a low whistle and a shadow flitted across thestreet to his side.
"There's a man inside there I want you to keep in sight, Fuller," saidthe investigator. "The name is Fenton, and he has a broken nose."
"Oh, yes, I know him," said Fuller, readily. "Used to be a tout in theold Sheepshead Bay days."
"Good!" said Ashton-Kirk. "Don't let him slip you. It's important."
Fuller at once started toward Gaffney's; and the investigator andScanlon made their way out of the back-water into the swirling,high-colored avenue. At a druggist's Ashton-Kirk paused, and the twowent in. A telephone book was flipped over until the letter Q wasreached.
"Ah, yes," said the investigator. "Mr. Quigley lives at the DoricApartments." Then as he closed the book: "I trust we shall find him athome."
Scanlon said nothing while the other called a taxi, and when the vehiclearrived, they got in, Ashton-Kirk giving the driver the address wanted.
The Doric Apartments was a new and pretentious place upon a wide streetand directly opposite a small, green park. There was a great deal ofbrass and marble and show about the entrance, and a uniformed attendantannounced them by means of a telephone. In a few moments the manturned.
"Mr. Quigley says he does not recognize your names," said he. "And willyou kindly state your business."
"Tell him it is very important. That we must see him at once. That itwill be to his interest to do so."
The hall porter repeated these words almost as they were given to him,but apparently the man above was not convinced.
"He says that he cannot be seen to-night; that he has retired," spokethe hall man, turning once more. "Can you not call at his office in themorning?"
Ashton-Kirk stepped inside the brass rail.
"If you please," said he to the man as he took possession of theinstrument. Then in a sharp, decisive tone he spoke into thetransmitter. "Mr. Quigley, I am very sorry to inconvenience youto-night. To put off the matter of which I have to speak until morningwould perhaps place you in a rather hard light. The police always makesuch a muddle of these things."
There was a pause, then came a shrill piping over the wire, startled andinquiring. Scanlon saw the investigator smile.
"Very well," said Ashton-Kirk. "We will come up immediately." Turning tothe hall man, he asked: "Where is Mr. Quigley's apartment?"
"Twelfth floor, sir. Take the elevator. Number 1203."
The glittering cage swept smoothly up through the shaft, and at thetwelfth floor stopped.
"Third door to your right, suh," said the black man in charge.
Ashton-Kirk was about to knock at the door indicated when it opened, andthey saw a man in a dressing gown, a long side growth of hair brushedover a bald head and a white, puffy face.
"Sir," said he, agitatedly, "I really must protest against this sort ofthing; it is very late. And I have had a trying day."
"I repeat, Mr. Quigley, I am sorry to disturb you; but, as I have alsosaid, the matter is very pressing. The police----"
"Come in, come in," said Quigley, hastily. "This way, gentlemen. Isuppose a man in my way of business must expect certain unforeseencontingencies."
They passed into a room which seemed packed tightly with glitteringthings; everything gleamed; not a foot of the wall but had a painting,and each held within a gilded frame; small marbles shone as though theyhad been polished; each piece of furniture had been rubbed to theultimate; the rugs were of the brightest and the floor threw off a sheenof varnish that was appalling.
"Take chairs," said Mr. Quigley. "Be comfortable, now that you arehere." And when he saw them seated, he stood before them, an injuredlook upon his puffy white face. "The police, you said, sir. Now, justwhat of the police?"
"About a week ago," said Ashton-Kirk, quietly, "there was a murder doneat Stanwick. Perhaps you recall it; the victim was a man of the name ofBurton."
"Burton!" Quigley nodded and pursed his lips to hide a tremble that wasthere. "Yes, I recall that deplorable affair. The son was taken for thecrime, I think." He looked at the investigator with uncertainty in hiseyes. "But why do you speak of that matter in connection, as it were,with me?"
"By an odd train of circumstances," spoke Ashton-Kirk; "there was arobbery committed at the time of the murder. Some diamonds were taken."
"Diamonds!" Quigley's mouth dropped open, and his pale face becamepositively ghastly. "Why, in my reading of the newspaper accounts of thecase, I saw no mention of a robbery."
Ashton-Kirk nodded.
"That is true, because this phase of the matter is one of which neitherthe newspapers nor the police know anything as yet." He leaned forwardin his chair and continued in his smoothest tones: "Among the thingstaken was a diamond necklace. And this was sold to you to-day."
"No, no!" protested the man. "It is not true, sir! No, no! I am verycareful. I never purchase or lend money on things of which I am notaltogether sure."
"The necklace was brought to you to-day between twelve and one o'clock,"said the investigator. "It was brought by a woman who wore a veil andyou haggled with her as to the money she was to get for it."
"Sir," said Quigley, lifting one hand, "I must insist that you aremistaken; I must insist that this is a----"
But Ashton-Kirk stopped him.
"When I had the man send up my name a while ago," said the investigator,"you replied that you did not know me. Surely, Mr. Quigley, your memoryis much better than that. I would hesitate to accuse a man in your lineof effort of being so forgetful. Only three years ago I transacted alittle business with you--the matter of Senator Donaldson's collectionof Revolutionary autographs. They had been taken by his youngerson--since dead--and sold to you. If it had not been that the Senatorwas anxious to hush the matter up, you would have had some trouble onyour hands, Mr. Quigley."
The broker choked and gasped, and when he came out of this his wholemanner had undergone a c
hange.
"Mr. Ashton-Kirk," said he, "I beg your pardon. I do recognize you now.But, sir, you had entirely slipped my memory; if you had not mentionedthat unfortunate Donaldson episode I would not have recalled you. Thatwas one of those things in which even a very honest man might becomeinvolved. I was deceived in that case, and----"
"Let us agree, then, that you were deceived. And that being so, is itnot possible that it might have happened again?"
Reluctantly, Quigley agreed that this was so.
"However," said he, "I take all precautions. I ask questions; I delveinto the history of every valuable thing offered me. But I admit that Ihave been misled once or twice, in spite of all I could do."
"Suppose," said Ashton-Kirk, "you allow us a look at the necklaceand----"
"But it is not here!" exclaimed Quigley. "It is at my office, lockedaway in the safe."
"Very well," said Ashton-Kirk. "We have a cab outside. Let us go to youroffice."
"It is late," expostulated the broker. "I had retired for the night. Whynot morning, sir? The morning will find us fresh and wakeful, and we cantalk things over at our leisure."
"The morning has one drawback," said Ashton-Kirk. "The police may, inthe interim, learn something; and if you are not arrayed on the side ofthe law by the time they reach you, you may be decidedly inconvenienced,not only in this matter, but in others as well."
This seemed powerfully to impress Mr. Quigley.
"I shall do as you request, Mr. Ashton-Kirk," said he. "I put myselfentirely in your hands. If you will give me a few moments to dress Iwill go with you to my place of business, and permit you to examine thenecklace. I am always ready to demonstrate my integrity; no one has everfound me unwilling to comply with every requirement of a reputablebusiness man."
With that Mr. Quigley disappeared, and within fifteen minutes he emergedfrom the rooms beyond fully dressed, including a most respectable tophat; they descended and got into a cab, and in a little while brought upat the Chandler Building, where the broker had his office.
A night man sleepily ran them up to the required floor, and Quigleyunlocked his office door.
"Now, gentlemen," said he, "it is fortunate that I still have what youdesire to see here in the office. I have a very good safe, but nevertrust anything to it of extreme value unless I am compelled to do so.This necklace came too late for me to place it in the vault I use forsuch things, so I had to keep it here overnight."
THEN THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN]
He turned the knob of a formidable looking safe until he had effectedthe proper combination; then the door swung open. The inner door wasthen unlocked and Quigley pulled out a drawer; from this he took amagnificent necklace of diamonds which gleamed resplendently under thelights.
"This is the article you spoke of," said he. "Quite handsome. But I feelsure that it is in no way connected with the unhappy affair atStanwick."
Ashton-Kirk took the jewels in his hand and examined them keenly. Thenhe held them out to Scanlon.
"What do you think?" he asked. "I have only a description to go by, butyou must have seen the stones frequently at close hand. Are they thesame?"
Scanlon needed only one glance.
"They are," returned he; "I'd know this necklace among a thousand."
"The lady who left them with me," said Quigley, still hopeful, "wasquite respectable. I'd vouch for that at any time. She is a widow andwas once in good circumstances."
"You know her, then?" said Ashton-Kirk.
"Oh, yes; we have had a number of small----" But here the man pausedabruptly; then he began a fit of coughing which was unquestionablyintended to cover the break. "Oh, yes," he resumed, "I know her quitewell."
"You were about to say," spoke Ashton-Kirk, coolly, "that you have had anumber of small transactions with her. How recent were these?"
Quigley blew his nose violently and cleared his throat, as though thecoughing spell had left him in an obstructed condition.
"Why," he gasped, trying to assume a most confidential manner, "thatwould be rather difficult to say. You see, I keep a very neglectful runof these people, and my memory is really very poor."
"The necklace was not the only jewel stolen at Stanwick," saidAshton-Kirk, quietly. "There were a number of other pieces, and I mustreally insist that you cudgel your mind for the facts. You must haveentries somewhere in your books. I am asking this as a favor; of course,if the police were requested to appear in the matter they would usemethods entirely different from----"
"It is barely possible that my clerk has some record of these things,"said Quigley, hastily. "Just one moment, please, and I will ascertain."
He went into an inner office, took a book from a desk drawer and beganturning the leaves with a moistened thumb. Scanlon, catching the eye ofthe investigator, winked knowingly.
"Why, to be sure," said Quigley. "Of course! Here it is, fortunately.She has been in the office three times in the past week."
Ashton-Kirk stepped behind the counter and into the inner office, andcoolly looked over the broker's shoulder.
"Do you see?" asked Quigley. "Right here. There are three rings in oneitem; and there is a brooch in another. And then, of course, thenecklace."
Ashton-Kirk examined the entries and made some memoranda in a smallbook; then he began asking some questions in a voice so low that Scanloncaught only a word here and there. He recognized "woman," also "veil,"and in another place "this afternoon." It were as though Ashton-Kirkwere urging the man to accompany him somewhere, which Quigley seemedloth to do. Then the investigator took something from his pocket andshowed it to the other. Bat caught a flash of it; it was aphotograph--of Nora Cavanaugh, and the broker was now nodding his headeagerly as he gazed at it.
"They're going to Nora's," was what flashed through Bat's brain. "Thishound of a pawn-broker'll try and put something on her whether it's trueor not." His mind seethed with this for a moment, and then came anotheridea. "But they'll not take her by surprise; I'll get there before them,and tell her."
And silently Mr. Scanlon slipped through the hall door and was gone.
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