A Husband by Proxy

by Jack Steele

  CHAPTER XXXII

  A TRAGIC CULMINATION

  The grin on the face of Mr. Wicks had apparently deepened and becomeeven more sardonic. He glanced Garrison over in his sharp, penetrativemanner, heightened by his nervousness, and took a chair.

  "Forgotten instructions, haven't you, Garrison?" he snapped, adjustinghis thin wisp of hair. "Where's your report on the case of Hardy, allthese days?"

  "Well, I admit I've rather neglected the office," said Garrison, eyinghis visitor with a new, strange interest. "I've been hard at work.I've lost no time. The case is not at all simple."

  "What's all this business in the papers? You mixing up with some nieceof Hardy's, and the girl getting married to save an inheritance?"demanded Wicks. "What the devil do you mean?"

  "That part is my private affair," answered Garrison calmly. "It hasnothing to do with my work for your company, nor has it interfered inthe least with my prosecution of the inquiry."

  "Do you mean to say it hasn't delayed your reports?"

  "What if it has? I've had nothing to report--particularly."

  "Yes, you have," snapped Wicks. "You know it was murder--that'ssomething to report!"

  Garrison studied the man deliberately for half a minute beforereplying. What a living embodiment of Durgin's description of HiramCleave he was! And what could he know of the facts in the case ofHardy's death that would warrant him in charging that the affair wasknown to be murder?

  "Do I know it was murder?" he queried coldly. "Have I said so, Mr.Wicks, to you, or to anyone else?"

  Wicks glanced at him with a quick, roving dart from his eyes.

  "You saw what was printed in the papers," he answered evasively. "Youmust have given it out."

  "I gave out nothing," said Garrison, bent now on a new line of thought,and determined that he would not accuse young Durgin by name tilldriven to the last extremity. "But, as a matter of fact, I do know,Mr. Wicks, that Hardy was murdered."

  "Then why the devil don't you report to that effect?" snapped Wicks."Are you trying to shield that young woman?"

  Garrison knew whom he meant, but he asked: "What young woman?"

  "Dorothy Booth-Fairfax! You know who I mean!"

  "What has she to do with it?" Garrison inquired in apparent innocence."Why should you think I'm shielding her?"

  "She's the likely one--the only one who could benefit by Hardy'sdeath!" answered Wicks, a little less aggressively. "You could seethat by the accounts in the paper."

  "I haven't read the papers for guidance," Garrison observed dryly."Have you?"

  "I didn't come here to answer questions. I came to ask them. I demandyour report!" said Mr. Wicks. "I want to know all that you know!"

  Garrison reflected that the little man knew too much. It suddenlyoccurred to his mind, as the man's sharp eyes picked up every speck orfleck upon his clothing, that Wicks, in the Subway that evening whenthey rode together in the jostling crowd, could have filched thatpoisoned cigar from his pocket with the utmost ease. He determined totry a little game.

  "I've been waiting for the last completing link in my chain," he said,"before accusing any man of murder. You are right in supposing that Ihave found out more than I've reported--but only in the last few daysand hours. I told you before that I thought perhaps Hardy had beenpoisoned."

  "Well! What more? How was it done?"

  "The poison employed was crushed to a powder," and he mentioned thename of the stuff.

  "Used by photographers," commented Wicks.

  "Not exclusively, but at times, yes."

  "How was the stuff administered?"

  "I think in a fifteen-cent cigar." Garrison was watching him closelywhile apparently toying with a pen.

  "Very good," said Wicks with an air of satisfaction that was notexactly understandable. "I presume you have something to goon--something by way of evidence?"

  "No," said Garrison, "unfortunately I have not. I had a second cigarwhich I believe was prepared with the poison, but I committed theblunder of losing it somewhere--Heaven alone knows where."

  "That's devilish poor business!" cried Wicks in apparent exasperation."But you haven't said why you believe the man got the poison in anysuch manner. On what do you base your conclusions?"

  "Near where the man was found dead I discovered an unsmoked cigar,"answered Garrison, watching the effect of his words. "It containedwhat little of the powder the victim had not absorbed."

  Wicks looked at him almost calmly.

  "You've done good work," he said. "It's a pity you lost that secondcigar. And, by the way, where did you get it?"

  Garrison realized that, despite his intended precautions, he had goneirretrievably into disclosures that were fetching the case up toDorothy or young Foster Durgin. In his eagerness to pursue a newtheory, he had permitted Wicks to draw him farther than he had everintended to go. There was no escape. He decided to put it through.

  "I got it from a box, at the coroner's office," he admitted.

  "Mr. Garrison, what do you mean by withholding all these facts?"demanded Wicks sharply. "Where did Hardy get the box of cigars?"

  Garrison would gladly have evaded this question, but he was helpless.

  "They were a birthday present from his niece."

  "This Miss Booth-Fairfax?"

  "Yes."

  "And you're in love with her!--masquerading as her husband! What doyou mean by saying you've not attempted to shield her?"

  "Now go slow, Mr. Wicks," cautioned Garrison. "I know what I'm doingin this case. It was given to me to ferret out--and I'll go through itto the end--no matter who is found guilty."

  "That's better!" said Wicks. "You don't believe it's this young woman.Who else could have as good a motive?"

  Garrison was fighting for time. A sacrifice was necessary. Heutilized young Durgin, who might, after all, be guilty.

  "Miss Booth, or Mrs. Fairfax, has a step-brother, by marriage," hesaid. "He has worked at photography. He gambles in Wall Street. Hewas desperate--but as yet I have no positive proof that he did thiscrime. I am waiting for developments--and expecting things at anymoment."

  "Where is the man?" said Wicks. "What's his name?"

  "Foster Durgin. I'm waiting for him now. He's fifteen minutesoverdue."

  "Arrest him when he comes!" commanded Wicks. "Take no chances onletting him escape!"

  "Perhaps that's good advice," said Garrison slowly. "I'll think itover."

  "He's the only one you suspect?"

  "Well, there's one more element, somewhat vague and unsubstantiated,"admitted Garrison. "There's a man, it seems, who threatened Hardyyears ago. He has followed Hardy about persistently. Hardy appearedto fear him greatly, which accounts for his ceaseless roving. This manmay and may not have accomplished some long-planned revenge atBranchville. He appears to be somewhat mystical, but I felt it mybusiness to investigate every possible clew."

  "Certainly," said Wicks, whose scrutiny of Garrison's face had grownonce more abnormally acute. "What's his name?"

  Garrison focused his eyes on the man across the desk incisively.

  "Hiram Cleave."

  So far as he could see there was not so much as a flicker to show thathis shot had gone home.

  Wicks spoke up, no less aggressively than before.

  "Where is he now?"

  "No one seems to know. I hope to discover--and report."

  Wicks rose and took his hat from the desk.

  "Except for your negligence in appearing at the office," he said, "youhave done fairly well. Shall you need any help in arresting Durgin?If you wish it I----"

  A knock on the door interrupted. A postman entered, met Garrison as hewas stepping across the floor, and handed him a thin, flat parcel,crudely wrapped and tied. It was postmarked Rockdale.

  Garrison knew it for the photograph--the picture of Cleave for which hehad hoped and waited.

  "Wait just a minute, Mr. Wicks," he said, backing toward the door with
intent to keep his man from departing. "This is a letter from a friendwho is helping on the case. Let me look it through. I may have moreto report before you go."

  Wicks sat down again.

  Garrison remained by the door. He was cutting the string on thepackage when a second knock on the glass behind him gave him a start.

  He opened the door. A small, rather smiling young man was in the hall.

  "Mr. Garrison?" he said. "My name is----"

  "How do you do?" Garrison interrupted loudly, having instantlyrecognized Foster Durgin, from a strong resemblance to his olderbrother, and instantly calling out: "Excuse me a moment, Mr. Wicks,"stepped out in the hall and closed the door.

  "My name is Durgin," said the visitor. "I called before----"

  "I know," interrupted Garrison, moving down the hall and speaking in avoice so low he was certain Wicks could hear nothing, from behind thedoor, even should he try. "I've been expecting you. I want you to dosomething quickly, before we try to have a talk. I want you to godownstairs, ring up police headquarters and ask for a couple ofofficers to come as quickly as they can travel."

  "What for? I don't----"

  "I've got to arrest the man who murdered your uncle," said Garrison,using the most searching and startling method at command to put youngDurgin to the test of guilt or innocence. "Act first and come backafterward!"

  "I'm with you!" said Durgin. "Got him, have you?--what's his name?"

  He was innocent.

  Garrison knew it, and instantly concluded that the young man before himcould hardly have stolen the uncle's second will. But he had no timefor ramifying inquiries. He pushed his visitor toward the elevator andonly answered with more urging for speed.

  He returned to the office, tearing off the wrapper from his picture ashe went. He glanced at it once before he opened the door. It wasWicks--not so bald--not so aggressive of aspect, but Wicks beyond theshadow of a doubt. On the back was written "Hiram Cleave."

  Wicks turned upon him as he entered.

  "I can't wait here all day while you conduct your business in thehall," he said. "Who was the man outside?"

  Garrison had grown singularly calm.

  "That," he said, "was Foster Durgin."

  "And you let him get away?" cried Wicks wrathfully. "Mr. Garrison----"

  Garrison interrupted curtly.

  "I took your advice and sent him to get the police. Good joke, isn'tit, to have him summon the officers to arrest the man who murdered hisuncle?"

  Wicks had an intuition or a fear. He stared at Garrison wildly.Garrison remained by the door.

  "What do you mean to do?" demanded the visitor.

  "Wait a few minutes and see," was Garrison's reply. "Meantime, here isa photograph of the man who threatened Hardy's life. And, by the way,"he added, holding the picture with its face toward himself, in attitudeof carelessness, "I forgot to say before that a man was seen enteringHardy's room, in Hickwood, the night of the murder. He extracted twocigars from the box presented to Hardy by his niece, and in their placehe deposited others, precisely like them, purchased at the same littlestore in Amsterdam Avenue where she obtained hers, and bought,moreover, within a very few minutes of her visit to the shop. All ofwhich bears upon the case."

  Wicks was eying him now with a menacing, furtive glance that shiftedwith extraordinary rapidity. He had paled a trifle about the mouth.

  "Mr. Garrison," he said, "you are trifling with this matter. What doyou mean?"

  "Just what I said," answered Garrison. "The witness who saw themurderer leave his deadly cigars in that box should have arrived by nowto identify the criminal. This photograph, as I said before, is apicture of the man I think guilty."

  He advanced a step, with no intention of abandoning the door, anddelivered the picture into his visitor's hand.

  Wicks glanced down at it furtively. His face turned livid.

  "So!" he cried. "You think you---- Get away from that door!"

  He made a swift movement forward, but Garrison blocked his way.

  "Not till your friends the policemen arrive!" he said. "It was yourown suggestion, and good."

  "You act like a crazy man!" Wicks declared with a sudden change ofmanner. "I'll have you discharged--you are discharged! The case isout of your hands. You----"

  For the third time a knock was sounded on the door.

  "Come in!" called Garrison, keeping his eyes on Wicks, whose face hadturned from the red of rage to the white of sudden fear. "Comein--don't wait!"

  It was Pike and young Will Barnes.

  "That's the man!" said the youth on entering, his eyes transfixed byWicks. "Look at him laugh!"

  "I'd kill you all if I had a gun!" cried Wicks in an outburst ofmalignity. "I killed Hardy, yes! I said I'd get him, and I got him!It's all I lived for, but, by Heaven! you'll never take me to jailalive!"

  He caught up a chair, ran to the window, and beat out the glass with ablow. Garrison ran to snatch him back, but Wicks swung the chair andit broke on Garrison's head and he went down abruptly in a heap.

  There were two sharp cries. Wicks made one as he leaped to his deathfrom the sill.

  The other came in a woman's utterance.

  It was Dorothy, at the open door.

  "Jerold!" she cried, and ran into the room and knelt where he lay onthe floor.

  He was merely stunned. He recovered as if by the power ofstubbornness, with his mind strangely occupied by thoughts of Hardy'swill--the hidden will--and the fingers stained with black. When heopened his eyes he was looking up in the sweetest, most anxious face inall the world.

  "Help me up. Let me go before everyone comes," he said. "I believe Iknow where to find your uncle's will!"

  It was already too late. Durgin and two policemen appeared at the opendoor.