CHAPTER VII
EVIDENCE
Many times in his life, Sidney Prale had been greatly surprised,astonished, shocked. But never had he experienced such a feeling as hedid at this bald announcement of a police detective.
The statement was like a blow between the eyes. Prale stared at the twodetectives for an instant, his face flushed, and then he began to laugh.
"It isn't a laughing matter, Mr. Prale," one of the detectives told him.
"Pardon me, but it is so utterly preposterous," Prale replied. "I failto see how I can be accused of such a crime. I am not a cut-throat, andRufus Shepley was a man I met on shipboard casually, and have seen himonly once since."
"You can do your talking at headquarters, Mr. Prale," the officer said."I'll have to ask you to come along with us. I'll leave my partner hereto look through your rooms."
"The sooner I get to headquarters, the sooner this thing will bestraightened out," Prale said. "Murk, you will remain here in the roomsuntil you hear from me. Let the officer look at anything he wishes toinspect."
"Yes, sir," said Murk, glaring at the two detectives.
Prale faced the detective who had been speaking to him.
"Be with you as soon as I get my hat and coat," he said. "It'll not benecessary, I hope, to put handcuffs on me."
"We can go to headquarters in a taxi, and I guess I can handle you ifyou try any tricks," the detective replied.
"There are going to be no tricks tried," Prale said.
"Nevertheless, I think I'll keep a close eye on you."
"Do so, by all means!" Prale retorted.
"Ain't there anything I can do, sir?" Murk asked.
"Nothing except to remain in the rooms until you hear from me," Praletold him. "If I should--er--be detained, I'll probably send for you."
"Very well, sir."
One of the detectives left the suite with Prale and walked down the hallto the elevator. The second officer remained behind to go throughPrale's things in an effort to find evidence.
Prale said nothing regarding the crime as they journeyed in the taxicabto police headquarters. His mind was busy, though. This appeared to be aculmination of the annoyances to which he had been subjected.
At headquarters he was ushered into a room where a captain of detectivesawaited him.
"Don't have to talk unless you want to, Mr. Prale, but it probably willbe better for you to do so, and have an end of it," the captain said."Why did you kill Rufus Shepley?"
"That's a fool question. I didn't kill him. I had no idea he was deaduntil the officer arrested me for his murder. I scarcely know the man,captain. I made his acquaintance aboard a ship coming from CentralAmerica, and I met him but once after leaving the ship. He told me hisbusiness and gave me his card, and that is all. I'm ready to answer anyquestions you may ask. This is some terrible mistake. I want to talkabout it--have an end of it, as you say."
"Very well, Prale," the captain said.
"Mr. Prale, if you please. I have not been convicted yet and am entitledto some courtesy, it seems to me."
"All right, if you're going to be nasty about it," the captain said."But you won't gain anything by taking a high-and-mighty attitude withme."
"I simply object to being addressed in the tone you used," Pralereplied. "I am no crook. Let's get down to business. Ask me anyquestions you like, and I'd like to ask a few myself."
"That is fair enough," the captain said, a shrewd expression coming intohis face.
"Suppose you take it for granted, for a few minutes, that I am innocent,and tell me when Rufus Shepley was killed, and where, and just how."
"Very well, Mr. Prale. A hotel attendant found the body at an early hourthis morning. It was in Mr. Shepley's room. The man was fully dressed.The physicians say that he was killed about eleven o'clock last night."
"I understand; go on, please."
"He had been stabbed through the heart," said the captain. "Death hadbeen instantaneous."
"But why suspect me of the crime?" Prale asked.
"This was found beside the body," the captain replied.
From the desk before him he picked up a fountain pen. It was anelaborate pen, chased with gold, and on one side of it was a tiny goldplate, upon which Prale's name had been engraved.
"You recognize it?" the captain asked.
"Certainly; it is mine."
"Oh, you admit that, do you?"
"Naturally. But I fail to see how it came to be beside the body of RufusShepley."
"A man who has committed a murder generally is in a hurry to get away,"said the captain. "It is easy to drop a fountain pen from a pocket,especially if a man is bending over."
"I don't even know where Shepley's rooms were located," Prale said. "Ididn't know the pen was missing until this minute----"
"Possibly not," replied the captain of detectives.
"And I am quite sure I do not know how it came to be beside the body,but of one thing I am certain--I did not drop it there."
"Naturally, you would say that."
"And where is the motive?" Prale demanded. "Suppose you tell me what youhave against me, and then I'll proceed to tear your shabby evidence topieces."
"We have this particular case so well in hand that I can afford to dothat," the captain said. "Attend me closely and you'll see the futilityof denying your guilt."
"I am waiting to hear the evidence," Prale said.
"Very well. In the first place, you have recently spent some years inCentral America."
"Ten years in Honduras," said Prale.
"You made a fortune down there. We have communicated with theauthorities there and have learned many things about you. We havelearned that you have a hot temper and know how to handle men. You havebeen known to beat natives terribly----"
"Rot! I was kinder than nine out of ten men of affairs. I have punisheda few natives caught stealing, for instance."
"Recently, Mr. Prale, you cashed in on all your properties down thereand announced that you were about to leave the country."
"That is correct," said Prale. "I made the million I went down there tomake. Honduras is all right in some ways, but a man likes to live withhis own kind. My home was in New York, and so, naturally, I decided toreturn here."
"Did you not tell some of your friends and acquaintances, before youleft, that you were returning to New York for a certain purpose."
"I suppose that I did. My purpose was no secret. I had my pile andwanted to enjoy life a bit and perhaps I wanted to show off a bit, too.That was only natural, I suppose. I am proud of my success."
"Did you not hint that the purpose was something sinister--that you weregoing to have revenge, or something like that?"
"Certainly not."
"Very well; let us get on," said the captain of detectives. "You saythat you first met Rufus Shepley aboard the _Manatee_?"
"Never saw him in my life until I met him in the smoking room on theship, and never had heard his name before."
"That is peculiar. Mr. Shepley was a man of large affairs."
"But I had been in Honduras for ten years, out of touch with men ofaffairs in the United States," Prale replied. "I did the most of mybusiness with firms in South America."
"Just how did you happen to meet Mr. Shepley?"
"In the smoking room. We spoke, as passengers are liable to speak toeach other on a boat or a train. We talked of ordinary things andexchanged cards."
"Did you happen to _play_ cards?"
"One evening, for a short time. But the game did not amount to anything,and we quit early. Are you trying to insinuate that I killed the man asthe outcome of a gambling quarrel?"
"Nothing of the sort," said the captain, "Let us get on. You had notrouble with Mr. Shepley on the ship--no trouble of any sort?"
"Not the slightest. We parted good friends just before the ship docked.I went to my stateroom for my things and I suppose that he did thesame."
"When did you see him next?" the captain asked.
/> "Last evening, in the lobby of a hotel on Broadway," said Prale.
"What happened then?"
"Ah, I see where you are trying to get the motive," Prale said. "But Ithink that you will agree with me, before we are done, that it is a slimthing upon which to hang a serious charge of murder. I saw Mr. Shepleysitting in the lobby and went up and spoke to him. We had been friendlyon the ship, I was feeling lonesome, and was glad to find somebody withwhom I could talk. Besides, he had expressed a desire to see me again."
"Well, what happened?"
"Something I am at a loss to understand. He berated me for daring toaddress him. He acted like a maniac. I rebuked him for his manner, andthe hotel detective advised us to leave the place until we cooled off,or something like that."
"Who left first?" the captain asked.
"I did. I was angry because there was a crowd around and I hated thescene that had been caused. I went through the main entrance and steppedto the curb."
"Shepley follow you?"
"Almost immediately."
"And you went up to him and threatened him, didn't you?"
Prale thought a moment. "I told him that I didn't know why he hadinsulted me, but I didn't want him to do it again."
"What else?" the captain demanded.
"I believe I said that I ought to settle with him for what he had saidalready."
"And then----"
"And then I went on down the street. The hotel detective, I think, heardme speak to Mr. Shepley."
"Yes, I know that he did," said the captain. "And the hotel detectivealso says that you were white with anger, and that you went off downBroadway like a man with murder in his mind. Do you care to say anythingmore?"
"Of course," said Prale. "I went down to Madison Square, and there I satdown on a bench."
"Meet anybody there?"
"I did. I met an old friend, Jim Farland, who used to be on yourdetective force, and who now runs a private agency."
"I know Farland well, and I'll send for him."
"I talked with Jim for some time," Prale went on. "I told him, Ibelieve, that I seemed to have enemies working in the dark. I told himabout the scene with Shepley."
"Um! What did Farland have to say?"
"Nothing, except that he couldn't understand why Shepley had acted so.We talked the matter over for a while and then we separated."
"Very well. And where did you go next?"
"I walked up Fifth Avenue," said Prale. "It was after nine o'clock bythat time."
"Go straight to your hotel?"
"I did not," Prale said.
"Care to tell me where you went and what you did?"
"I have no objections. I walked up the Avenue, and met my cousin, GeorgeLerton, the broker."
"Meet him accidentally?"
"He overtook me--called to me."
"How long did you talk to him?"
"For only a few minutes," said Prale. "You must understand that, whileGeorge Lerton is my cousin, we are not exceptionally friendly, and neverhave been. We worked for the same firm ten years ago, and after I wentto Honduras, George made some money and got into business for himself;at least he told me so last night."
"So you merely shook hands and renewed your acquaintance?" the captainasked.
"There was something peculiar about the meeting," Prale replied.
"In what way?"
"Lerton urged me to leave New York and remain away. He said that I hadpowerful enemies."
"What about that?"
"It is what has been puzzling me. So far as I know, I haven't a powerfulenemy on earth. I suppose I have a few business foes in Central America;a man can't make a million without acquiring some enemies at the sametime. But I don't know of a single influential person who is my enemy."
"Didn't Lerton explain to you?"
"He refused to do so," said Prale, "and I told him to go his way andthat I'd go mine."
"Doesn't that story seem a bit weak to you, Mr. Prale?"
"It may, but it is a true story. Get Lerton and question him if youwish. I couldn't make him talk--maybe you can. I'd like to know thenames of these enemies of mine, if I really have them."
"Anything else lead you to believe you might have enemies?"
"Yes. I have received several anonymous notes, some on board ship andsome since landing, that say something about retribution about to bevisited upon me."
"Why?"
"I don't know, captain. I never did anything in my life to merit suchretribution. I am sure of that."
"What time was it when you parted from Lerton?"
"It must have been about nine thirty or a quarter to ten."
"Go to your hotel then?"
"No; I turned east and went to the river."
"Wasn't that a peculiar thing to do at that hour of the night?"
"It may seem so to you," said Prale, "and I scarcely can tell why I didit. I suppose it was because I wanted to think over what George Lertonhad told me, and down in Honduras I always used to walk along the beachwhen I was thinking."
"Well?"
"I went out on a dock and sat down in the darkness to think."
"How long did you remain there?"
"For more than half an hour; and I had an experience. Another man cameon the dock. He was going to jump into the river, but I convinced himthat suicide was folly, and said I'd give him a job."
"Did you?"
"I did," said Prale. "I took him downtown and bought him some clothes,and then took him to a barber shop, and afterward to the hotel. Iregistered him as my valet. I call him Murk. I can prove by him that Icould not have killed Rufus Shepley about eleven o'clock, because I wasin Murk's company at that time."
"What time did you get back to your hotel with him?"
"It was a few minutes of midnight. We spent considerable time buying theclothes and visiting the barber shop."
"Um!" the captain said. "We'll have to question a few of these people.It seems peculiar to me that a millionaire would pick up a tramp andturn him into a trusted servant."
"Perhaps it was peculiar. I can read men, I believe, and I decided thatMurk needed only a chance, and he would make good. He was broke andfriendless, and I was a millionaire and almost as friendless. That's theonly way I can explain it."
"I'm going to send you to another office under guard, Mr. Prale," thecaptain said. "I'll have these people here in a short time, and we'llquestion them. Just tell me where you bought the clothes for this man,and what barber shop you visited."
Sidney Prale did so, and the captain of detectives made notes regardingthe addresses.
"That will be all for the present, Mr. Prale," he said. "I don't want tocause any innocent man annoyance, but I can tell you this much--thingslook very bad for you!"
The Brand of Silence Page 7