Five Short Mystery Stories

hi welcome back to detective and mystery fiction if you enjoy my content please consider hitting the like button it's the only way the YouTube algorithm notices me this collection is five short stories from the April 1922 issue of the black mask I added chapters for each story hope you enjoy this video the brand of cane by Ward Sterling the Black Mask magazine April 1922 chapter 1 Dr Andrews The Physician who had been called in by the coroner gave as his opinion that Waldo fellows had met death shortly after midnight the condition of the body he

said proved his contention then too the fact that the blood with which the sheetss were smeared had dried and hardened caused him to stick to his statement yet orille Hitchins fellow secretary swore that his employer had been alive and well at 2:00 in the morning Hitchin stated that he had been summoned by fellows at 1:00 and requested to drive to Amboy 2 mil away for some bromide Mr fellows had been extremely nervous of late and found himself unable to sleep finding that he had no bromide a drug that he was accustomed to taking he had

awakened the secretary Hitchens asserted that he had taken the light car made the trip and returned just before the Clock Struck two fellows had taken a dose of the drug and Hitchens had again retired Henry Phelps the drug clerk verified Hitchin statement as to the purchase of the bromide while landies the chauffeur told of getting out the light car for the secretary who had driven it himself in spite of of this Dr Andrew stuck to his statement that the murdered man had been dead at least 10 hours when he made his examination swensson the valet

had discovered the murder when he went to awaken his master at 8:00 it was nearly 10:00 when coroner Stevenson arrived accompanied by Dr Andrews and Bram DWI the New York detective who with myself were spending a few days vacation in the little village the prominence of the murdered man coupled with the fact that the detective and Stevenson were old friends caused the New Yorker to interest himself in the case at the latter's request fellows was a gentleman farmer a man worth several millions of dollars made in Wall Street who tired of life in the city

had purchased saset Farm just at the edge of Amboy Township and after stocking it with the finest blooded cattle and horses that money could buy had settled down to a life of rustic Bliss As Time passed he had added to his acreage by purchasing a joining Farms until half the township was his he had erected a mansion around which he had built smaller homes for his employees these with the great barns sheds for the Machinery Dairy and offices made Samoset Farm almost a small town such a man as Waldo fellow sat down in the midst

of a rural community is bound to be sought out by his fellowmen twice he had reluctantly allowed himself to represent his district in the state legislature the governor's chair could have been his for the asking his fellow townsmen loved him for the nobility of his character yet he had enemies by the score many of them the small landowners whose Farms surrounded his for the man who does things on a big scale is certain sooner or later to on the toes of others but who among those he had offended hated him to the extent of taking

his life chapter 2 fellows was murdered in bed apparently In Cold Blood for there was no evidence of a struggle of any kind nothing in the room had been Disturbed so far as could be ascertained nothing of value had been taken the fact that the bedding was not must led to the belief that the murderer had struck while his victim was asleep none of the servants nor Mrs fellows who slept just across the hall had heard any noise save when Hitchens returned from the drugstore with the drug which fellows had requested Mrs fellows had called

over the transom to Hitchens to ask what was the matter and he had told her of his employer's sleeplessness the bottle of bromide with a small quantity gone was found on the table beside the bed bromide seld a Max inside of half to 3/4 of an hour hence assuming that Hitchens had told the truth and everything pointed to his having done so fellows must if he was killed in his sleep have met death not earlier than 3:00 yet the blood which had flowed from the wound the condition of the body everything led a cool conservative

medical man to declare that death had struck at least 3 hours earlier nor could his testimony be shaken there were 12 servants who slept in the house all occupying the Upper Floor with the exception of Hitchens Marie Mrs fellow's maid and Swenson the valet Watson the Butler and en man about the house was the last person to bed and according to his own statement the first up in the morning he had personally locked all the doors and windows on the first floor they were all locked when he made his rounds in the morning Hitchens in

going to the drug store had left the house by the side door this he had left unlocked relocking it upon his return this led to the Assumption on the part of some of the officials that the murderer had entered the place by that door for during the secretary's absence hiding until his return and after fellows was asleep had struck the Fatal blow and escaped by the same door springing the lock after him there was no other way of looking at the matter unless one went on the theory that the deed had been committed by one

of the servants or Mrs fellows and the latter was Unthinkable while the servants all of them had been in fellow's employ for years and were known to be absolutely loyal of course the windows of the sleeping rooms on the second floor were open a man of agility might have gained an entrance in this way but luckily there had been a slight rainfall earlier in the evening and as a result the ground was in a condition to take Impressions easily the coroner and the sheriff made a thorough search for marks of a ladder or Footprints but

were positive that there was none beneath any of the windows and there was always to be considered the lack of motive aside from the farmers who would jealous of the big landowner there was no one known to hold a grudge against him my friend dwire declined to assist the officials in their hunt for Footprints contenting himself with dawling about the house as if greatly bored with the whole Affair conversant as I am with his methods I admit that this surprised me for he is usually energy personified when there is some perplexing problem to be untangled

eventually however the officials nonplused were forced to turn to him for advice he answered with a shrug of his shoulders absolutely refusing to be drawn into a discussion of the case following the timeworn methods the sheriff called all of the servants together and examined them eliciting no more information than had already been gained it was at this point that DWI who had listened to the questioning without comment offered a suggestion there's a band of gypsies camped a few miles the other side of town he remarked quietly their Chief is old father lipy a friend of

mine the old fellow knows his business from the ground up fortune telling mind reading and all of that sort of stuff in fact he's assisted me on more than one occasion I know that you'll laugh at me for the suggestion but let me bring him here I'll guarantee that he'll have the murderer by the heels inside of half an hour how he does it I don't pretend to know it's positively UNC PNY the way he pulls off his stunts but if its results you want then lipkey is your man the sheriff sneered coroner Stevenson in

spite of his friendship for the detective suppressed a smile with difficulty you don't want us to think that you believe in such rot do you Bram he inquired my friend Shrugged his shoulders again you asked for my opinion he answered I'm giving it to you I'll take a chance on father lipy in fact as I have stated I have many a Time the man has powers beyond the understanding of men like us but of course it's up to you and the sheriff chapter 3 Darkness had fallen when DWI and the coroner again drove up to

the fellow's home accompanied by father lipkey the Gypsy a typical member of his race was lipy a wrinkled little figure far past the age allotted to man but in spite of his years he carried himself like a youth of 20 and his black beady eyes glittered like those of a boy as he prepared the stage for the affair his huge brass earrings rattling like castets as he hurried here and there the spot selected by the coroner upon the advice of DWI for the test of lip's powers was the huge living room on the lower floor

the servants were ordered to carry out all of the furniture with the exception of the chairs which were arranged along the wall then every member of the household with the exception of the Widow was ordered to be present the old man mumbling to himself drew a large circle on the floor in the center of the room with a piece of charcoal after which he commanded us to seat ourselves just outside the circular Mark warning us under penalty of death not to to enter the circle unless commanded to do so by him his next Act was

to produce a braia which he lighted and placed in the center of the circle by its side he placed a small vessel containing water the lights were then turned out for an instant we were in darkness then the brazer flamed up filling the room with an unearthly bluish greenish sort of glare chanting to himself the old man threw a pinch of powder into the Flames at intervals the light would turn for a second into a vivid red then die away again to the dull sickly bluish green suddenly he seated himself cross-legged at the side of

the brazer and bowed his head closing his eyes as if in prayer he mumbled to himself in an unintelligible jargon I confess to a feeling of nervousness I could tell from the expression on their faces that the others were the same the T I was becoming almost unbearable when the old man slowly raised himself to a standing position and seizing the vessel of water sprinkled it on the floor inside the circle being extremely careful that not a single drop fell outside the Mark I must protect you from the powers of evil he explained keeping carefully

inside the mark he made the rounds touching each of us lightly on the forehead making on each of us the sign of the cross in the name of the father Son and Holy Ghost I heard him Mumble to himself reseating himself on the floor he again bowed his head and once more his lips moved as if in prayer suddenly he fell over and for several minutes writhed about as if in terrific pain I leaped to my feet to assist him but the strong hand of Bram DWI held me back remember he shouted the old man

commanded us regardless of what happened not to cross the line after 3 or 4 minutes the spasm ceased and the Gypsy seemingly none the worse for his experience arose and addressed us my friends he commenced in his halting broken English you have asked me here to use my arts in the detection of one who has committed a crime the crime of murder I have done my best inside this circle have I wrestled with the powers of darkness and the spirits of light I know not which one of you committed this foul deed no one knows

save God yet he who created all things will not allow the crime of murder to pass unnoticed therefore I say unto you this if he who committed this crime is in this room there will appear upon his forehead the sign of the cross the mark that God placed upon Cain this alone can I do more than that I am not allowed for my powers are limited he signaled for DWI to turn on the lights an instant later we were blinking at the unaccustomed brightness the old man seized the brazer and held it close to the

face of each of us gazing into our eyes as if seeking to read there the secret he was bent upon obtaining then came a shriek a gasp of astonishment of horror a cry I turned my head my eyes following the Gaze of the others upon the forehead of Hitchens was the sign of the cross for a second there was silence cold oppressive silence the secretary gazed from one to another of us mutely questioningly then his eyes sought the mirror above the fireplace afterward I recalled that DWI had seated him in front of the glass his

face became drawn the sweat stood out on his forehead in great beads slowly as if stunned his fingers sought the accursed mark upon his forehead he spat upon his hand and rubbed the spittle across the spot as if to erase it he held the tips of his fingers in front of his eyes surveying them thoughtfully dazed then without warning he dropped to his knees his arms outstretched towards the swarthy man within the circle I did it Jay did it he shrieked chapter 4 no I never met lipkey until yesterday DWI chuckled to us as 2

hours later hin safely lodged in jail he sat with the coroner the sheriff and myself in the forus Parlor and went over the various phases of the case I'm a fairly good judge of character and when I noticed him Begging On Main Street yesterday I immediately placed the old fellow as being far above the average of his class mentally incapable of playing almost any party might be called upon to take I realized far better than the rest of you that the murderer was too clever to be captured unless some subterfuge was used and when you

appeal to me Stevenson my thoughts reverted at once to the old man a falsehood or two in the interests of justice is in my opinion perfectly allowable and that I was correct in my estimate is proved by what happened what appealed to me from the very start was the apparent lack of motive had we been able to supply by a motive we might have been able to have laid our hands on the man who struck the blow but in the absence of one it became necessary to take some radical step to imagine that one of

the farmers hereabouts would become jealous enough to strike fellows down was absurd and granting that some of them might have the nerve they lacked the imagination to pull off so mysterious a crime I was confident in my own mind that Hitchens was the guilty party why because he was the only man who had an opportunity to kill fellows but on the other hand his Frank statements apparently eliminated him from the suspects let us analyze the affair a trifle deeper Dr Andrews swears that fellows was killed shortly after midnight we now know that he was correct

but Hitchens Bobs up with the story of being in conversation with the murdered man at 2:00 he was able to prove his statements by two reputable and disinterested Witnesses Landes the chauffeur and Phelps the drug clerk therefore my conclusion was that either Hitchens was lying or that the physician was wrong but my experience has taught me that medical men are as a general rule coldblooded that is they figure things out with mathematical accuracy and by the law of averages they are right 99 times out of 100 therefore Hitchens was lying but so far as we

knew there was no motive now the average man has deep within him a streak of superstition and a fear of whatever he does not understand therefore I took the indolent attitude before the servants finally working things up to a climax so that they expected wonderful things from the Gypsy whom I had touted so highly as soon as you gave your permission I hunted up the old man whose name by the way is not lipy but rodorigo for $10 he agreed to play the part the way I told him to and that he sustained my estimate

of him I believe you will all agree I spent the afternoon in coaching him I felt that in case Hitchens did not confess we would have lost nothing but I was betting on the superstitious streak in his makeup and one out we all know now what his motive was he had been systematically robbing his employer for years fellows had become suspicious and last night notified the secretary that they would go over the books together today hens waited until his employer was sleeping then entered the room by means of a key that he had secured possession

of struck the Fatal blow then went through the mum of going to the Village after the bromide thus providing himself with an almost perfect Alibi with fellows dead he figured that as confidential man he would be retained for a year or two to come finally reaching a point where he could get his hands on a large sum of money and make his Escape before his defalcations were discovered but rumbled the sheriff I'm still in the dark as to how the Gypsy caused that black cross to appear on his forehead just by mumbling a few prayers

those people know a lot of black art that we more civilized people will never be able to understand DWI grinned I furnished the black art myself he answered it cost me 10 cents at the drugstore the old old man made the cross on Hitchins forehead first if you will recall the affair he had just dipped his hand into the vessel of what looked like water he only pretended to dip his hand into it when he anointed the rest of you the heat of the brazer brought out the Mark or started it when he held it

up and pretended to peer into your faces what was it merely a 10% solution of ammonium chloride the same stuff from which invisible link made the old man's skin being dark it didn't come out on his hand as it did on Hon's forehead and that's the whole story end of the brand of cane by Ward Sterling the extra dozen eggs by JB Hy the Black Mask magazine April 1922 chapter 1 I am absurd enough to believe that in nine cases out of 10 I can determine the Innocence or guilt of a man accused of a

crime by looking into his face I have looked into Gerald Grayson's face and I do not believe that his was the hand that poured poison into Robert Marsh's wine from his eyes innocence shines as clearly as the sunlight shines through that window my friend mountfort made the forging statement with an air almost of defiance my impulse was to laugh at him but knowing how sensitive he was to ridicule i refrained instead I adopted a somewhat judicial attitude but considering the evidence I asked do you think you can convince an unimaginative jury of your young client's

innocence mountford answered me with a gesture of irritation hang the evidence he claimed bitterly it is more likely to hang your client than to be hung I retorted consider it Robert Marsh died suddenly in his home on the morning of March 29 an autopsy showed that his death was due to poison taken into his system in a glass of wine there are four witnesses to testify that on the evening preceding his death he was at the home of Graham Cumberland and with him drank a glass of wine that was poured from an almost empty DEC

by the accused these men will further testify that the wine was served by Grayson first to his host and then to Marsh and that he himself did not take any Cumberland is alive and well today which does away with the supposition that the wine was poisoned before Grayson poured it therefore we are left with only one conclusion which is that between the time when Grayson had served Cumberland and his pouring the wine for marsh He Slipped the poison into to the latter's glass my friend Rose and stood in front of me an expression of amused

Tolerance on his face you state your case Tom he said with all the Precision and bias of a district attorney nevertheless I tell you that Grayson is innocent and I am going to prove him so or I shall never stand before the bar of Justice again he caught up his hat and stick and with only a nod to say goodbye left the room from my window I saw his absurdly thin figure go flying down the street looking for all the world like that of some Modern Don kote and as I turned back to my desk

I reflected that probably no KN erant had ever set forth on a more futile Quest than mountfort was pursuing in his search for evidence to prove that Gerald Grayson was innocent of the murder of Robert Marsh yet it was like my friend to take up the cules for a man in as hopeless Straits as his present client it seemed to me at times that it was impossible for him to vitally interest himself in a case of any kind unless all the circumstances and evidence were against him at the very outset in my heart I wished

him good fortune while believing that in this instance Good Fortune could not come to him indeed there seemed no other explanation of Marsh's death than that which I had just stated to mount fooot there was no doubt that he had died of poison administered in a glass of wine there was no doubt that the wine had been poured for him by Gerald Grayson could there be any doubt that the poison was mixed with the wine by the same person who poured it and Grayson's motive for this terrible deed it was known to every man and

woman in the town he loved and was loved and the woman was Marsha's only daughter who was prevented from marrying him by her father's prejudices against him these prejudices were the result of one of those absurd UDS which still exist in southern communities at some remote period the Grayson and the marshes had been involved in a dispute over certain lands which when taken to the courts had been decided in favor of the former family since that time the name of gracon had been anema to a marsh and succeeding Generations had at different times done their

utmost to bring Misfortune to members of the Grayson family it is only fair to state in favor of the grayon that their activities in this quarrel had been directed along only defensive lines until this act of the last of the race in poisoning Robert Marsh not one of them had done anything to keep alive the fires of hatred and in the beginning even young Gerald had shown no animosity toward his hereditary enemies he had permitted himself to be attracted by a daughter of the race and in an upright manly way had done his best to

gain her father's consent to their marriage only when this consent was refused did he strike I was not present at the Gathering at Graham cumberland's house where Grayson committed the act that would send him to the Gallows but what happened was adequately described to me by an eyewitness the meeting was not a social one but was called by Cumberland as president of the town's largest bank to obtain the consent of his directors to certain Innovations he desired to establish present besides Cumberland himself and Marsh and Grayson were Herbert Stanley the bank's vice president and cashier

Samuel townend the richest and most powerful man in the state and Cashel Heming an attorney who held proxies for the absentee directors except by Marsh no objections were raised to cumberland's plan but Marsh who always enjoyed being in the minority and was of an unusually antagonistic disposition fought cumber and tooth and nail at moments he was positively insulting and had it not been for his adversary's tact and tolerance of an old man's irritability a serious quarrel might have ensued as it was after a great deal of argument it was decided to hold the matters under

discussion over to another meeting when it would be possible to get together a greater number of the banks directors it was when they had all risen to go that Cumberland with his well-known suavity intact had said Mr Marsh you and I have spoken pretty plainly this evening to to show these gentlemen that our disagreement in no manner affects our personal relations I am going to ask you to drink a glass of wine with me he turned to Grayson who had been sitting with his back to the buffet Gerald he said will you oblig Me by

reaching into the cabinet there and getting out the decanter and glasses obedient to his host's request Grayson had brought forth a decanter which to cumberland's shagrin was seen to contain only about two glasses of wine while Cumberland was offering to go into the cellar and procure more wine and being dissuaded by the others it was noticed that Grayson had filled two glasses from the decanter he held in his hand and that he had placed the first before Cumberland and the second before Marsh then the two men drank each other's health and the party separated for

the night at about half 1 the following morning Marsha woke in his bed in frightful Agony before his daughter could get a doctor he was dead chapter 2 I did not see my friend mountford for a week after the day he left me swearing to clear Grayson from the charge of murder or give up practicing his profession when at length he did come to me he was in such Low Spirits that I felt sorry for him he frankly admitted that repeated interviews with his client and with everyone who had been at Cumberlands on the night

of the tragedy had brought him nothing of value for the task he had set himself but hang it all Tom he said despondently I know I feel in every bone in my body that that boy is as innocent as you are if only I could strike upon a sign to set me off in the right direction oh why not admit you're beaten I argued persuade Grayson to let you put in a defense of temporary insanity and take his chances with the jury I'd as soon let him plead a straight an unqualified guilty you know how

the newer element in the town feels toward the old families and it's this element that composes most of our juries why the boy wouldn't have a chance then forget the whole rotten business for a while come with me and hear tot Walters play on her violin such music ought to be an antidote for anybody's troubles mountford did not reply to my suggestion when I had finished tying my creat I turned around and looked at him he was standing bolt upright in the center of the room staring at me intently yet somehow or other seemingly looking

Beyond me I spoke his name the sign the sign he exclaimed in a voice hoarse with emotion Gad Tom I think you've shown it to me if only you have and with no other word he dashed from the room leaving me to go on to the Walters concert at the opera house alone that even evening Miss Walters who was just back from 2 years in Dresden where she had studied under the best teachers played divinely lulled by the Exquisite notes of her instrument I was able to thrust aside all my problems and vexations and soar

into a world of purest Melody the music gripped me to such an extent that even after it was over and I was walking hward through the Soft Spring Moonlight I was a being apart from other Mortals therefore the shock was considerable when from out of the Shadows surrounding my porch a figure darted and caught me by the arm I had raised my fist to strike when Mount foo's familiar voice came to me out of the darkness Tom he cried I'm on the trail the scent is strong come I want you to be in at the

kill what on Earth are you talking about I cried thinking for a second that my friend had gone mad the Grayson case you idiot he answered impatiently by the grace of God I'll have that boy out of jail before I'm a day older without listening to my protests and vouch safing me no further information he led me hurriedly along the street toward the upper end of the town when at length I was going to declare my intention to go no farther unless he told me what wild goose chase we were pursuing he turned in at

the Gate of a fine old mansion surprised beyond belief I saw that the house toward which we were heading was the home of Graham Cumberland what are we doing here at this time of night I demanded surely you've been over the case with Cumberland a 100 times before this mountford ignored my question instead of answering it he took the steps of cumber and stoop at a bound and an instant later I heard his ring at the Bell the door was open to us almost instantly and it was cumberland's handsome genial face that looked out at

us from the lighted doorway come in gentlemen come in he cried when he had recognized us I am very glad you have taken the trouble to look in on me I had become so bored with my own company that I was just about to pack off to bed he stood aside and held the door wide for us to enter Mr Cumberland mount for said when a minute or so later we were seated in our hosts Library enjoying the flavor of his cigars our visit is not entirely a social one in fact I've come to ask

you a further question or so about the death of Robert Marsh perhaps you will bear with me when I tell you that my belief in Grayson's innocence is still unshaken and I do not want to leave anything undone that might in any way help him Cumberland made a deprecatory gesture he spoke in a tone of the utmost sincerity no one more than myself pities that unfortunate young man if there is anything I can tell you or do that will Aid him in any way come to me at any time of the day or night and

as often as you choose I turned toward Mount foot to see how he was impressed by our host's generous speech and I was amazed to see him grinning almost malevolently then why Mr Cumberland he asked in a voice barely above a whisper did you purchase so many eggs on the afternoon of March 29 eggs Cumberland cried quite rightfully startled out of his habitual calm what in Heaven's name do you mean Mount foot drew a memor random book from his pocket and with exasperating slowness turned the pages until he found the notation he was seeking on

March 29th he read at length from Simon green grer at 4:30 in the afternoon you purchased a dozen eggs which you carried home yourself Graham Cumberland settled back in his chair and regarded mountfort with an amused smile we'll grant that astounding fact he said good humoredly but what has a quite ordinary household purchase of mine to do with Robert Marsh's death but it wasn't an ordinary household purchase you see just the day before your cook had purchased her usual weekly amount of three dozen Cumberland shook his head and regarded my friend with a puzzled expression

I'm sorry he said but I don't quite see what you are driving at are you suggesting that I am extravagant in the matter of buying eggs or is it that you think eggs are bad bad no no Mount foot broke in not bad I think that they are the best thing in the world for a man who just taken a huge dose of corrosive sublimate Cumberland literally sprang from his chair he towered over mountford and for an instant I thought he was going to strike my friend then he fairly shouted what do you mean you

infernal fool I mean Cumberland mountford answered with a deadly calm that when you poisoned Robert Marsh in order to direct suspicion away from yourself you too drank of the deadly wine but you had an antidote in the form of the whites of a dozen eggs ready to hand you lived while Marsh died Cumberland made a gesture of disgust and turned away you're mad man Stark raving mad he said contemptuously your plan was very clever mountford continued and had it not been for an accidental word from Tom here and a moment of inspiration that came to

me when I needed it most you would never have been found out Grayson would have hanged for the murder you committed it is probable that you wanted Marsh out of the way because you knew that while he was alive you would never be able to make the changes in the bank that would cover up your irregularities ha you didn't think I knew about the bank as a matter of fact I didn't I merely guessed but the expression that crossed your face just then showed me that my guess was a good one but to continue you

emptied your decanter of all but two glasses of wine and to this wine you added enough corrosive sublimate to kill a man then you arranged the seating of your guests on the tragic night so that Grayson who was known to hate Marsh would be near the wine and therefore the logical person to pour it when you called for it he did pour it and Marsh died then everyone believed that he Grayson must have poisoned Marsh's glass since you yourself had drunk from the same decounter and suffered no bad effects that was because no one had

seen you rush to your bathroom after your guests had gone and drink down the whites of eggs that saved your life but do you think you can make a jury believe that silly yam cumin snarled yes you see I am able to show them the bottle in which the poison came and bring before them a druggist from a town 50 Mi away who will swear that on the 26th of March he sold you a quantity of corrosive sublimate on the excuse that you wanted to kill an alien dog at mountford's last statement cumber and straightened

himself and Wheeling dashed into his bedroom before either Mount Fort or I could reach the door it was slammed to and bolted then as we pounded on its panels we heard the sharp crack of a pistol shot mountford stepped back and said there to Tom was cumberland's confession to the murder of Robert Marsh chapter 3 later that night after the authorities had taken charge in cumberland's house and mount fooot and I had made our depositions before the district attorney my friend told me how he had discovered cumberland's guilt I deserve no credit Tom he said

modestly when I was in a highly keyed up State open to every sort of influence you gave me a hint I followed it that was all I gave you a hint I repeated in amazement mountford nodded sounds silly I know he continued but it's a fact that from your using the word antidote in something you were saying came the idea that set me on the right track remember I was searching madly for someone besides gra who might have poisoned Marsh until he used that word it seemed impossible that anyone else could have done so since

all the witnesses agreed that only he had touched the decanter from which two glasses were served one harmless which went to cumland and the other deadly then came my inspiration you said antidote and a suddenly as Lightning illumines a dark sky my mind was lighted I saw as in a vision how a man could poison another and keep himself from suspicion by taking some of the poison himself saving himself from its deadly Effects by taking an antidote already prepared I left you and rushed to the library where I read that the best antidote for corrosive

sublimate was a mixture of the whites of eggs the man toward whom my suspicions were now directed was of course Cumberland since the poisoned wine came from his decanter and he was the man who had taken the other glass of wine poured by the innocent Grayson I made the rounds of the groceries and dairies until I found the store where he had purchased a eggs on the day of the murder then hoping to find something else that might incriminate him I went snooping around his house and there back of his bam in a pile of

refuges I found the parts of a broken bottle that had once contained corrosive sublimate one of the pieces bore the druggists label I wired to him and in less than an hour had a reply that proved to me that my case against Cumberland was complete I found you and brought you to his house so that I might have a witness when I accused him and that is all end of the extra dozen eggs by JB Hy hinson's Perfect Crime by Ward Sterling the Black Mask magazine April 1922 chapter 1 having decided to kill Chester oarn

Hinson commenced making his plans he had often read of the Perfect Crime the foolproof crime to which there is no clue but which always ends disastrously for the perpetrator because of some straggling little thread left untied in his case there would be no slip up the average murderer he believed killed on impulse few if any went about it as he was doing weighing every minor detail covering every track as he proceeded carefully for he felt that he had months ahead of him in which to complete his Arrangements he went over every possible contingency every method

of killing known to civilized man was carefully jotted down newspaper clippings relating to Crime were card indexed and filed away for future reference when he had secured all of the information he desired he sat down spread the various Data before him and dissected them bit by bit this work completed he tabulated the results carefully then rejected the whole the crimes of others served him as an object lesson in what to avoid there were two pitfalls to be watched for one was the fact that oern was carrying on a liaison with Mrs Hinson in spite of

their efforts to avoid Scandal several people of their acquaintance knew which way the straws were blowing and one or two 120 had hinted at the facts to the husband and Ohan was a man of great wealth and hinson's cousin Hinson upon his death would inherit the greater part of his millions therefore any suspicion of murder would cause people to look naturally in hinson's Direction therefore there must be no suspicion of murder to kill Oar and have it appear as a suicide would never do either people always talked to too much about suicide and inquired into

the wise and wherefores talking might cause some blundering officer to accidentally guess at the truth after debating the matter thoroughly in his own mind he finally decided that there was but one solution to the problem first Ohan must be killed in such a way that it would look like an accident second when the killing took place Hansson must be close by but not actually present third others must be witnesses to the tragedy there must be enough witnesses to prove conclusively that an accident had been the cause of death and they must be men and women

whose testimony would be accepted without a question of doubt in any court in the land these things having been decided upon Hinson had next to select a method of committing the deed Ohan was an Ardent Sportsman Hunter and trap shooter what then would be more natural natur Al than that he should be killed in the field and by his own gun but how it took Hinson several weeks to decide this point here as before details were mentally discussed cataloged and discarded the solution was finally reached through the application of chemistry and having arrived at a

decision Hinson applied himself vigorously and with his usual painstaking thoroughness to the task of putting the affair through to a successful conclusion in an obscure drugstore in another city he purchased a small bottle of nitric acid several weeks later he motored to the Metropolis 100 m distant in order to secure 15 cents worth of sulfuric acid laying both purchases aside he waited several weeks finally finding occasion to make a trip to a third town where he bought a bottle of Glycerin he now had the ingredients to manufacture enough nitroglycerin to low uper regiment all purchased

in such a way that suspicion could never be traced to him but he was wary the time was not yet ripe there was always the chance that some over alert clerk might through some unforeseen circumstance remember his face and connect him with the purchase of one of the chemicals it was best to wait until the memory of his small purchases faded from their minds it was lack of attention to such small details that had caused others to be caught in his case nothing was too tiny to be overlooked his was a brain that could foresee

all contingencies 6 weeks passed before he was ready to act one day while visiting oar's bachelor apartments he managed to pocket half a dozen shells such as his cousin used in his favorite gun again he waited for weeks to see if the theft was noticed finding that it was not he proceeded to carefully draw the wads from three of the shells uncrimping the edges in such a way that it would not be noticed he even wore gloves to avoid Telltale fingerprints pouring out the charges of powder and shot he poured into the empty shells enough

nitroglycerin which he compounded from his chemicals to make small bombs out of each replace the wads and turning back the edges carefully he looked over his handiwork to all appearances the shells were identical with their mates yet when the hammer struck the cap it would create an explosion sufficient to tear the very head off of the unfortunate o'hern the terrific jar would explode the other shells and the remaining evidence would be destroyed naturally as Hinson knew there would be an inquiry but as a method of committing a murder it was so unique that it would

never be suspected instead the company which manufactured the cartridges would be blamed accidents are always likely to happen in powder factories in the end the coroner's jury would decide that something had gone wrong with the formula when the powder was made he as oar's next of kin would bring suit against the manufacturers and the latter for their own protection would settle as speedily as possible in order to avoid unnecessary publicity he next poured the acid and glycerin down the sewer the bottles in which the chemicals came he broke into small pieces and buried in the

ashes thus he covered his tracks as he went along the hunting season opened next day he and O had made all arrangements to leave early in the morning for a for noon sport among the Ducks a large party of friends was to accompany them the friends were to be the necessary Witnesses waiting until late in the evening he hastened to oar's Rooms a matter of business would he stated keep him in town for an hour or two after the party had started as soon as he could conveniently get away he would motor out to the

club grounds and join the others Ohan was examining his hunting gear and filling the pockets of his coat with cartridges as Hinson knew he would be waiting until the other had left the room for a second he removed three of the shells from the right hand pocket dropping into their place the three filled with the deadly nitroglycerin he knew oar's habits at the club ground rounds the sportsmen would divide into small parties each picking out his individual blind most of them would go in parties of twos with Hinson absent o'hern would occupy a blind alone

until his partner's arrival with the ducks flying thick one of the three fixed cartridges would surely be fired inside of the first half hour by the time he arrived the others would be on their way back carrying with them the mangled remains of Chester oarn chapter 2 someone has remarked that it is the little things that affect human Destinies in this case it was a small leak in a rubber boot that saved Chester oar's life and prevented Carl Hinson from committing The Perfect Crime Oar had been suffering from a slight cold arriving at the clubhouse

he no sooner set foot on the ground than he accidentally stepped into a tiny pool of water an instant later he discovered the leak in his boot there were no other boots available and to enter the blind with those he wore meant to invite an illness never of a robust Constitution he feared to take a chance as a result he sat on a log along the bank of the river his dog by his side watching the others fill their bags the morning turned out warmer than usual finding his heavy canvas hunting coat its Pockets loaded

down with shells too heavy over his thick sweater o'hern divested himself of it and laid it on the grass close by stretching out he filled his pipe and took matters as philosophically as could be expected of an enthusiastic Sportsman forced to keep out of the game at the opening of the hunting season with the Ducks thicker than ever before in history meanwhile Hinson driving slowly reached the grounds looking around carefully he was astonished to find no evidence of the tragedy where there should have been a white-faced little group of men standing around a blanket covered

form all of the members of the party as far as he could see were busily engaged in banging away at The Feathered game he hesitated an instant it would never do to go back now that he had come this far someone might have seen him the accident was certain to happen shortly to turn back now would be equivalent to admitting a guilty knowledge nor would he dare enter the BL with Oar for when one of the doctored shells exploded anyone within a radius of a dozen feet would be in danger moving slowly trying to think

of some excuse to keep out of the others company he rounded a curve in the pathway he was almost upon Oar before he noticed the other sprawled upon the River Bank half asleep chapter 3 do dogs are affectionate animals the one owned by o'hern was no exception to the rule forced to remain with its Master when the other canines of the party were enjoying a full day's sport it longed for a romp Hinson had often played with it in times gone past recognizing its friend it leaped to its feet and tail waving started toward him

hinson's gun was in his hand it was this that probably caused a streak of peculiar dog reasoning to flash through the animals brain here he probably thought to himself is why my master has been waiting now that he's arrived let's get started seizing oar's hunting coat in his mouth the animal leaped toward Hinson the heavily loaded pockets of the coat swinging wildly as it Formed upon the newcomer one of the loaded Pockets struck the butt of hinson's shotgun nitroglycerin explodes upon concuss end of hinson's Perfect Crime by Ward Sterling the light that Lies by peton

marzon the Black Mask magazine April 1922 chapter 1 whirling dust devils danced down the sunbaked road the heat from a Brazen Sky beat on the head of the man concealed in a clump of Summer dried bushes the heavy Woolen Garb of the state prison clung to his bulky shoulders which seemed to steam under the fierce Sun 8 hours before he had crawled into the shelter of the brush and he had at least 8 hours to wait he was afraid to sleep had sleep been possible in the overpowering heat he knew that the chase was on

there was reason enough to pursue convict 1836 now free aside from the fact that in a house without the Prison Walls a widow mourned a dead guard the Escape had been planned carefully and so far each detail had worked out perfectly except the dead guard that had been one of the contingencies considered probable but hoped improbable however what was was and the man dismissed the thought he was to be hanged anyway the road was empty of traffic it was a shortcut through a mountain pass from the main Highway rarely used it was chosen by the

man's friends that morning at dawn he had drawn Back Eyes gleaming hatred and the Defiance of a wolf at Bay as he watched a car of guards Drive madly down the road in the direction of Bayfield the convict had lived there so it was the first place of search the the man almost laughed at the Simplicity of their reasoning for hours he lay still in his thin cover of brush fearing to seek the cooler Shadows of the scrubby Willows he could see in the hollow just below him the guards might return he tried to review

the details of his further flight the car would come for him at 8 that night they would detour around Bayfield to Edgewood he wondered who would drive the car they hadn't told him but it was too hot to think he had to find shade the thin mosquite offered no protection from the Sun now high of ahead and those Willows looked so cool he decided to try for them cautiously he began to work his way down through the scrub growth he was afraid to leave the bushes and to keep behind them he couldn't rise to his

feet once he slipped and rolled down a little Gully a sharp Flint at the bottom gashed his head the blood from the cut mingled with the stre Grime on his face with Oaths he removed the spines of a prickly peir from an incautious hand the trip of the night before was as nothing to the slow Crawl Through the all too thin Fringe of brush finally he slipped into the clumps of Willows luxuriously he buried his face in the rank grass growth of the recent spring rains he stretched himself at length and reached for his cigarettes

then he remembered he couldn't risk a smoke but it was almost cool here anyway he sat up and looked around a depression hid him from the road if he kept his head down the leaves hid him from overhead observation he lifted his head above the Ridge and inspected the growth on the other side of the road then he saw it it was the reflection of the sunlight on the tail lamp of an automobile drawn up in the bushes now he could make out the shape of the car behind the curtain of leaves how had it

come there it hadn't arrived since he had why should anyone leave a car there when was the owner coming back suppose he arrived when slim baits came for him then this other car might take up the pursuit and he would be taken back everyone knew he was out now and they knew about the God too he cursed why was anyone using this road it wasn't a highway there weren't even any ranches on it probably it was only a joy Rider who had smashed up his car and it would stay there for a day or two

but that explanation didn't satisfy the man could see that other car pursuing him he knew his friends would send a racing car and they could out run that thing in the bushes but the police might see the race and then where would he be even now there might be someone waiting behind that screen of leaves the car prayed on his mind the convict tried to turn his back on it to forget it but always he returned to Gaze on it and vision the pursuit through the night he had to do something like a sprinter he

drew himself up on his fingertips like a streak of dirty gray he hurled himself across the road to fall panting beside the car with a Twist he rolled into the brush fearing almost to breathe he lay still but there was no stir in the car the were of a winging grasshopper was the only sound other than his own labored breathing with infinite caution the man edged his way up to the front of the car carefully he raised himself to his knees now that he was there what was he going to do he was not familiar

with the mechanism of automobiles but he knew the engine was the source of its trouble as well as its power he had seen slim baits working on a fli once and he had lifted the hood slowly he released the catches of the hood of this car that stood between him and Liberty gently he raised it until the engine was revealed then he looked with bewilderment at the unfathomed Mysteries before him baffled he couldn't decide what to do wires LED everywhere and the thing seemed enclosed in an impossible casing of iron but the wires were open

with teeth showing in Rage he caught them where they LED from the fuse board and tore them loose there was the ferocity of Murder in the strength that broke the sets screws from the board now get me he snarled as he lowered the hood into place chapter 2 Robert EMT long was in a hurry he didn't like driving at night particularly through the Bayfield cut off about half a mile from the main Highway his lights blinked twice then went out there was a screech of protesting brakes as he brought the car to a stop wait

till I get that garage man long groaned as he climbed out the trouble wasn't much just a loose connection and in a few minutes he had found it the lights blinked several times then settled into a steady glow thank God you got here Bo where's Slim baits longk nerves were good but he almost sent the car crashing into a gully at the roadside as the question came to him from the rear seat who was it how had he got there what did Slim Bates have to do with it everyone knew of Bates the fixer and

friend of crooks in Bayfield who would be waiting silently in the cut off for a car sent by slim baits there must be some Sinister reason and the back of Long's neck crawled as he remembered the afternoon paper it had told of The Escape of a convict awaiting action on a hopeless plea for a reprieve for murder he had killed a guard could he be the man behind him it couldn't be anyone else else and long thank the gods of chance for the darkness that hid him he didn't dare turn he could feel the double

murderer behind him with a gun at his back awaiting some move but he had to do something just a minute this is a bad stretch of road here long replied trying to collect his thoughts his way out lay through slim he had to take a chance slim is waiting for you he was afraid to try it himself long tried desperately to be matter of fact would he get away with it the convict peered at the man who was now driving the car madly through the night he didn't look like a friend of Slims and this

sedan richly upholstered wasn't the kind of car he had expected where'd he get you I never saw you before where did Slim get him long sort for an answer he had never seen slim baits he knew him only by reputation no you haven't seen me before slim got me so the officers wouldn't suspect anything I owe him a big favor for getting me out of trouble once it sounded reasonable enough but the man on the back seat wasn't sure slim ought to have come himself however this man had given him the signal with the lights

two flashes well if slim sent you I guess it's all right it had better be where's Slim going to meet me Ed Edgewood long almost sighed his relief at last he had something to go ahead on Edgewood was the meeting place then if he could get him to Edgewood he might find a way out yes where's my clothes again long took a chance at the Edgewood Hotel how in hell am I going to get in any hotel in this stuff and the convict tore savagely at his prison jacket again long felt that crawling sensation at

the back of his neck there was Menace In His tone how could he get to the officers before the Hotel was reached but he thanked the dealer who had sold him the cap and long dust coat under the back seat I was afraid to bring too much you'll find a long coat and a cap under that seat you're sitting on roll up your trousers and put them on just as soon as you get to my room I'll get your clothes grumbling the convict dug the coat and cap from under the back seat as the lurched

on through the night the guy might be an outsider but he sure could drive and slim had sent him the man settled down comfortably and thought of that car back in the bushes the car that wouldn't be able to pursue him he could smoke now and he did long was driving faster than he had ever driven before but the speed was slow compared to his racing brain what was he to do the convict was armed he had shot down a guard perhaps he didn't know the Road to Edgewood and long might turn off the Bayfield

when he reached the highway how could he find out then too there was the real car slim baates were sending after him perhaps that was roaring down the road behind him even now apparently it had been due just when he arrived he stepped on the accelerator as the car started to climb the last grade where the cut off joined the main Highway the lights of Edgewood would be in sight then and he would have to decide quickly whether to try the run for Bayfield the car reached the top of the grade and shot down the

road at a speed that drove the convict against the back of the car slow down bow slow down came the harsh command from the back seat do you want one of these Bayfield speed cops stopping us they used to hang around here longk question was answered he had to keep on to Edgewood the man on the rear seat stirred uneasily why was Slim getting so careful and if he couldn't come himself why did he have to pick an outsider this one could drive all right but he didn't like it he'd tell Slim So when he

met him where' you say slim was going to meet me he asked again at the Edgewood hotel I will have to go for him long had to stick by his story the convict didn't like the idea of the hotel why didn't slim pick out one of the regular Hangouts how you going to get me in that hotel I can't go through the front slim must be crazy sending me to a hotel where the Bulls could find me without looking why had slim picked out a hotel it didn't seem natural again long took a chance a

hotel is just the place they wouldn't look for you it's too public I'll take you up the back way and have everybody asking why no you don't no one will see you but the porter and he knows me I live there if he could get the man to his room he might find a way that menacing tone behind him had driven out any thought of attempting to hail an officer well see that you keep to the dark streets I don't like this much and the convict's tone carried dread they were in the outskirts of Edgewood

and the man on the back seat pulled the cap down over his eyes and huddled into a corner his eyes never left long hands as they gri the steering wheel he wasn't quite sure of this driver even though he talked so smoothly and long gave up hope of being stopped by a policeman that first caution about driving had been sufficient he was going carefully now through side streets and up alleys he drove and he twisted and turned by devious ways long could not shake off the thought of slim baits following close behind finally he brought

the car to a stop in an instant the convict was leaning over him and Long's vision of the revolver at his back was a reality what are you doing he demanded a nameless iron door showed under the glare of a light iron doors meant barred windows to the man who had done murder to escape them and there was murder in his voice now this is the back door of the Edgewood hotel and long struggled to keep his voice steady wait until I get the porter don't you leave me just knock until he comes so long

knocked and prayed that no questions would be asked by whoever opened it eventually the knock was answered and a negro stuck his head out the convict settled back in his seat but long could still feel in memory the ominous thrust of the revolver muzzle Watcher want the porter demanded howdy Mr long I didn't recognize you is there anything the matter nothing Julius just a friend of mine in an accident and I want to take him upstairs the backway to my room come right on in it's suddenly too bad is you hurt much and Julius looked

with amazement at the dust covered blood streak man who accompanied long but the Negro went without an answer as he took them up in the freight elevator the corridors were empty as long LED the way to his room slim said not to telephone but to come for him long said when they were inside you wash up and I'll go get him look at here I don't like this slim ain't acting right he figured it out as the best way I'm risking my neck helping you now you will have to fight it out with slim I'd

take you out but slim said he would bring your clothes when I got you here you can't wear mine the convict didn't reply as he felt the constriction of the Dust coat across his Burly shoulders make yourself comfortable I'll bring slim back with me long started for the door well see you make it snappy and the convict threw himself onto the bed he stretched himself luxuriously this was something like he was almost free now Slim would have the rest of it all arranged he burrowed his way down into the softness of the bed how tired

he was that guy who brought him here wasn't so bad after all he would tell him so when he came back back he thought at first he'd made a mistake but old slim knew what he was doing and now Slim was coming nothing further to worry about a knock on the door roused him from a doze sleepily he rose to his feet slim was here and soon he could go to bed for a week he crossed the room hastily and opened the door with mouth aape he stared into a revolver in the hands of a

detective chapter 3 back in the Bayfield cut off slim baits raised the hood of his car drawn into the bushes at the side of the road and cursed every connection had been Tom loose from the fuse board end of the light that Lies by peton marzon the man who was two by Harold Ward The Black Mask magazine April 1922 chapter 1 to the governor and members of the Board of Pardons some six years ago according to the Daily Press Captain John Conners of the detective Bureau of the New York City Police Department was killed in

a wreck of the Oskaloosa limited between Chicago Illinois in Clinton Iowa his body horribly mangled and disfigured beyond recognition was shipped home where it was buried with all the honors due a man of his position in view of the fact that his was the only body not positively identified together with the further fact that he was a personal friend of the conductor one James barley who testified at the inquest that he had talked with Connors not over 5 minutes before the wreck his family and friends accepted the remains without question I alone know the true

story of John Connor I am making this statement in the hope that a great wrong may be writed chapter 2 Captain John Connors had been in the West in search of a gang of forgers who had made New York their headquarters failing to locate his men he was on his way home when a telegram intercepted him at Denver asking him to keep an eye open for one Simon leam wanted in New York for murder laam known throughout the country as a gunman and gangster had according to the telegram committed a crime of unusual atrocity killing

two policemen in Cold Blood and making his Escape unscathed he was believed to have gone to Denver where he was known to have friends Connor being well acquainted with him was asked to stop over in the Colorado City to assist the police in their search two days spent in Denver convinced him that there was nothing to be gained by a longer stay the second day out of the western Metropolis he was passing through the Train on his way to the observation car when he suddenly located his Quarry slumped down in a seat in the smoking

compartment in spite of the fact that laam had disguised himself to the best of his ability by growing a stubby beard and donning smoked glasses Connors had no trouble in recognizing him laam was alone in the compartment at the time before he had time to make a move Conor had him covered up with your hands laam he commanded the gunman obeyed the order who do I think I am damier he snared Connor smiled I don't think I know he answered you are he was interrupted by a crash his revolver flew from his hand as he

pitched forward into the arms of the man he had arrested an instant later both men were hurried across the car and buried under a massive debris then hell broke loose the wck train was enveloped in Flames clouds of scalding steam drove The Rescuers Back Time After Time the air was filled with the shrieks of the wounded and the groans of the dying men worked like demons to save those who were buried beneath the burning wreckage Connors and laam hidden under the debris of two cars were among the last to be found the body of the

policeman was little more than a charred mass of Flesh under him yet protected to a certain extent by his form was Simon laam he too had suffered terrible injuries yet within his shell still lingered the Breath of Life as they dragged the form of the murderer from beneath the wreckage even the hardened Physicians and volunteer nurses gasped with astonishment that he still lived his face had been parboiled by the scalding steam until the flesh hung in strips his body from which the clothes had been burned was a solid mass of burns SED in Cotton saturated

with oil they rushed him to the hospital a week passed he remained unidentified after a month he took a slight turn for the better finally he was able to speak a few words Physicians and nurses gathered around his bed and asked him to identify himself he answered them listlessly seemingly as a child repeats a lesson he was Simon laam gunman gangster murderer he was wanted in New York he told them for the killing of two policemen Captain Connors had been about to arrest him when the wreck intervened they expected him to die it was an

impossibility said the Physicians for a man in his condition to continue living they believe that he realized it and was making a deathbed confession they summoned a priest to the Holy Father father he repeated the same story and then he got well as well as a man can get who has passed through hell the New York police were notified when he left the hospital it was with handcuffs on his wrists yet he made no resistance his Spirit was broken he reiterated his confession denying nothing admitting everything the state furnished him with an attorney acting on

the lawyer's advice he threw himself on the mercy of the Court a kind-hearted judge taking his physical condition into consideration sentenced him to life imprisonment rather than the chair chapter 3 Simon leam became a model prisoner he went about his appointed tasks in a solemn mechanical sort of way a broken down old man scarcely out of his teens a man whose face was seamed with Myriad scars twisted and contorted out of shape by muscular contraction his short cropped hair was Snow White his form bent and feeble in his eyes was a far away look the

look of a dog that has lost its Master eventually he was made a trusty he performed his work with a civility that surprised those who had known him in former years everyone remembers the prison break of some weeks ago 500 men the dregs of civilization armed with a miscellaneous collection of weapons garnered from God knows where threw themselves against the little group of gods in the big dining hall for 2 hours the battle waged to and fro eventually the officials better armed better disciplined one out yet the victory was not gained without considerable loss as

is always the case many of the prisoners aligned themselves on the side of Law and Order among them was Simon leam the lifer when the trouble broke loose laam was standing midway between the row of prisoners and the little knot of guards as the missiles flew through the air he was caught between two fires something a dish or Bowl struck him squarely on the head he dropped to the floor unconscious for 5 minutes the battle waged across his body then he recovered Consciousness and plunged Into The Fray with almost maniacal strength aiding the guards wherever

possible when the fair was ended and the mutineers were finally herded back into their cells he was bleeding from a dozen wounds here is the peculiar feature immediately after the fight laam the model prisoner became a prison Outlaw he refused to obey prison discipline insisted on hobnobbing with the guards and attempted to escape whenever occasion offered itself he was taken before the warden the latter who had taken a great interest in the case of the former gunman especially since his services at the time of the break tried argument laam insisted to the warden that he

was being unjustly held he asserted that he was not Simon leam The Outlaw but Captain John Connor the policeman the warden a man not prone to forget favors finally ordered him taken from the cell where he had been confined after his outbreak and placed in the insane Ward under observation he is there now here are the facts as I deduce them I am positive that I am right Captain Connors was in the act of arresting laam when the wreck occurred he had as I have said drawn his revolver and with it covered the murderer who

do I think I am damier the gangster demanded I don't think I know Connor answered you are before he could finish his sentence the cars were piled together he was thrown forward and received a terrific blow on the head then and there all memory disappeared but in his subconscious mind were the thoughts that had been flashing through his brain while lie was making the arrest his subconscious memory retained nothing but the impressions of Simon laam he had known laam for years his history was to the policeman an open book he was about to utter Lam's

name when the blow came that erased all memory so while the conscious mind of Captain John Connor was obliterated there remained in the tiny cells in the back of his head the recollection of the man who stood before him at that last instant laam was killed his body mutilated beyond all recognition was buried as Captain John Connor Connor disfigured and mutilated speaking only the thoughts that as I've have said were in his mind at that last instant thoughts that had only to do with Simon laam accepted the role of Simon laam lived it accepted the

punishment of Simon leam yet somewhere in those tiny cells of subconsciousness remained the policeman he could not be the Renegade that laam had been because it was not in his makeup even though in his own mind he was laam why because his training had all been on the side of Law and Order then came the prison break that flying dish striking him on the head removed in some way the pressure against his brain immediately the role of Simon laam was forgotten and he started in again where he had left off 6 years before he was

again Captain Connor's policeman and guardian of the law as Captain John Connors he plunged into the fight against the convicts I am positive gentlemen that I am right I ask that you allow me to return home to my family and friends for your Excellency and gentleman of the Board of Pardons I am Captain John Conor I trust that you will accept my word I have no other proof end of the man who was two by Harold Ward