Chapter 11

Jimmy stayed in Lentone while Professor Brierly went on to his own camp. Jimmy called up his office where he knew that a dog watch would be kept all night.

The sleepy voice that identified itself as Duke Wellington became crisp when Jimmy gave his name. The entire office was now a throb and expectant of news from the Canadian border.

"Just a flash, Duke. I'll file a story in time for the first edition tomorrow morning. They picked up 'Chicago' Boyle here near the New Hampshire border; Boyle was in a job in Yonkers some time ago where he got into a house the same way the killer got into Miller's Folly; chimney, rope and climbing irons. Boyle's alibi is fishy, Duke, awfully weak.

"A member of this Tontine group, William Flynn, who lives in Pleasantville decided he had to go home. There was quite a scene about it in Judge Higginbotham's camp. This thing is getting on the nerves of most of them. They're all up in the air. They weren't going to let him go. Finally they compromised by letting him go under escort, get me. A policeman from Lentone and a trooper are going to escort him to the Massachusetts line, where someone else will take it up.

"McCall, the D.A., arranged with the police authorities to watch him while he's in New York, to see that nothing happens. Better cover that, Duke, have a man pick him up with escort when he gets off the train. Any news at the New York end?"

"Naw, police handing out a lotta applesauce about soon having the bird who bumped off Schurman. I think they picked up about thirty-five assorted crooks on this Schurman killing. I'll say this for 'em, I never saw 'em so busy since that bird bumped off a couple cops and a kid. That all, Jim?"

"Yep. Think I'll go up to Professor Brierly's camp and if he hasn't got anything to say, I'll hit the hay. Tell Hite, if he calls, that I'll file a full story, will you?"

Jimmy's eyes glinted with amusement when he came to the wharf of McCall's camp. It was still daylight and he had no difficulty recognizing some of the high lights in his profession on the porch and on the wharf. A number of them had simultaneously arrived at the conclusion that they would fare better perhaps camping on Professor Brierly's trail than they would in following the Higginbotham group and the meager information that the police were willing to divulge.

They surged about him when he stepped off the boat. He soon convinced them he would share with them every bit of news he got from Brierly, the police, or the Tontine group as it was now called. All of them now had the story of Boyle's arrest.

Jimmy listened with a grin as they told him of their experience when they tried to pump Professor Brierly. One of them sported a black eye. He had used language that Matthews did not like and the blonde young giant had punched him in the eye and threatened to clean out the entire group if they didn't let the Professor alone. Jimmy assured them earnestly that Matthews meant what he said. After convincing themselves that they could get no more news at this source the crowd melted and the camp was left to the peace of a Canadian summer night.

Professor Brierly was fingering Boyle's watch with a perplexed frown on his fine features as Jimmy stepped into the living-room. The old man looked up as the reporter entered the large room with its soft lights.

"What about the watch, Professor? Can you tell as much about it as you can about the rope and twine?"

Professor Brierly snapped at him:

"Are you trying to be funny, young man? Are you trying to convey the impression, are you implying that you do not believe what the microscope showed me when--"

"Pardon me, Professor. I worded my question wrong. No, remarkable as it sounds, I believe every word you say, of course. But--"

"There is nothing specially remarkable about it, Mr. Hale. The true value of the microscope in scientific criminal investigation is just now beginning to be appreciated. The watch, now--" Once more the puzzled frown that had appeared several times creased his brows. He continued slowly:

"There is nothing in the watch that places it in or near the farm or farmyard from which the heavy rope, the twine and the fish line seem to have come. There is certainly nothing that places it in a department of a hat factory where dyed particles of felt hats may be found in great profusion."

"You mean, Professor," broke in McCall, "that a microscopic examination of the watch didn't show those characteristics?"

"Yes."

"Provided, Professor, Boyle is telling the truth about when his watch was cleaned. If the watch were thoroughly cleaned it would obscure--"

"Boyle told the truth, or the approximate truth about the time his watch was cleaned last. The watch shows evidence of that."

"What do you say about, Boyle, Professor?" pursued Jimmy.

"There is not a single shred of evidence against him. As I have heard you say, Mr. Hale, I would not convict a yellow dog on such evidence."

"Did you hear his alibi, Professor? It's certainly a flimsy excuse, if I ever heard one."

"True, it is flimsy. But I am half inclined to believe it because it is so flimsy. I watched him very carefully, as you no doubt