Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/81

Rh he cried. "Why didn't you tell me that before? Inspector Walker, I said a moment ago that I could not be sure which of the other fifteen killed Bronson; but now I say arrest Caylis—Caylis is the murderer!"

Captain Crowley and Sweeny stared at him again, as if believing him demented.

"I would try to explain, Inspector Walker," said Trant, "but believe me, I mean no offense when I say that I think it would be absolutely useless now. But—" he hesitated, as the inspector turned coldly away. "Inspector Walker, you said this morning you knew Kanlan from his birth. How much negro blood is there in him?"

"How did you know that?" cried Walker, staring at Trant in amazement. "He's always passed for white. He's one eighth nigger. But not three people know it. Who told you?"

"The galvanometer," Trant replied, quietly, "the same way it told me that he was innocent and Crowley's test useless. Now, will you rearrest Caylis at once and hold him till I can get the galvanometer on him?"

"I will, young fellow!" Walker promised, still staring at him. "If only for that nigger blood."

But Crowley had one more shot to make. "Say, you," he interrupted, "you threw a bluff about an hour back that the man who killed Bronson got the idea from the News. Sweeny, here, has been having these fellows shadowed since weeks before the murder. Sweeny knows what papers they read." He turned to the detective. "Sweeny, what paper did Kanlan always read?"