Page:Under three flags; a story of mystery (IA underthreeflagss00tayliala).pdf/66

 one in Raymond. Thus far we have evidence affecting four men—Derrick Ames, Cyrus Felton, Ralph Felton, and Ernest Stanley. If two of the four were implicated it could have been only the Feltons, father and son. I do not say that any of the four is the guilty man. But a chain of evidence must be forged about the slayer of Roger Hathaway, and in order that this chain shall be complete, minus not a single link, it becomes necessary for us to establish the innocence of these four men, if they are innocent, as well as the presumptive guilt of a fifth party, if a fifth party committed the crime."

"In other words, we are hampered by a superabundance of clews."

"Exactly. I will pardon your interruption, but no more of them, unless they are good ones. Now, your attention."

"Roger Hathaway was killed in his office in the bank on the evening of Memorial Day, some time between 7:45 and 8:30 o'clock. No definite minute or five minutes can be fixed. Two of our characters were, we know, and the other two may have been, at the bank between 7:45 and 8:30. To begin with Ames. Sam Brockway tells me that he saw Ames enter the bank after Hathaway had handed a note to the boy, Jimmie Howe. Brockway did not stay to see Ames come out; when the latter did emerge he was unseen. It is not unreasonable to assume that Ames killed Hathaway as the climax of a bitter quarrel over the latter's daughter, and that, to facilitate his escape, he helped himself to the bank's funds. But it is unreasonable to assume that subsequently he induced the daughter to elope with him. That is the weak link in that chain."

"But suppose that the elopement was already under way; that everything had been arranged for, hour of departure, route and conveyance," debates Ashley. "Would not Ames argue that solitary flight, and a failure to carry out the prearranged plans must weigh heavily against him? An elopement is an excellent excuse for leaving town hurriedly, you know."

"Possible," returns the detective. "Now, the letter