The Blue Sphinx

CHAPTER XXII THE EVIDENCE

HARRISON KNODE was seated in his parlor. Opposite him were two acquaintances. They had accompanied the crusading editor to his home after attending the hearing at Strafford Malden’s.

“I think Grewling will hold his job,” predicted Knode, as he tendered cigars to his friends. “He looked pretty confident when he left. After all, I’d like to see him stay in as police chief.”

Surprised looks from the guests. This statement was unexpected, in the light of constant criticism that Knode had directed against the police chief.

“You wonder why, don’t you?” questioned Knode. “Well, I’ll tell you. Mayor Rush wants Grewling out. That’s why I want him to stay in.

“Those two never worked together. Rush is a halfway reformer. He’s just too conservative in action, that’s all. Grewling is a holdover from the old administration. That’s his trouble.

“If Grewling stays in despite the mayor’s opposition, each will try to outdo the other. We’ll have some fun here in Latuna. Plenty of meat for my editorials. But we’ll have action with the fun.

“If either one of those two has been pulling something — and I’ve insinuated that all along — the other will uncover it. There’s been too much of the Alphonse and Gaston with that pair; each kowtowing to the other—”

Knode broke off. The front door had opened. Some one was entering. Heavy footsteps; others behind them. Then, into a curtained doorway stepped the figure of Police Chief Lawrence Grewling.

“HELLO, Chief Grewling!” exclaimed Knode, in surprise. “What’s up? Have they come to a decision up at Malden’s?”

“No,” returned the chief, grimly. “There’s more than that, Knode. Robbery at the museum!”

“Robbery? What did they take?”

“They blew the vault. Cleaned out the entire Soyer collection.”

Knode stood aghast. Then his journalistic instinct seized him. He turned to his friends.

“Remember what I said, coming down from Malden’s?” he questioned. “I said those blasts didn’t sound like they were from the quarry.”

The other men nodded. Grewling spoke.

“They handed tear gas to the officers on duty,” he stated. “Then left them bound and gagged in the curator’s office. Blew their way into the vault from the back. Then blasted up into the Sphinx Room. Why they did that, I can’t figure.”

“Into the Sphinx Room,” exclaimed Knode. “What happened to the Blue Sphinx?”

“It cracked up. It’s lying there in chunks.”

“What a story!”

“Wait a minute,” declared Grewling. “There’s more you haven’t heard. The thieves had a fight among themselves. That’s why they didn’t kill off my men, as near as I can see—”

“Was it Konk Zitz and his crowd?”

“Yes. But it wasn’t Konk Zitz at the head of it. Workmen from the quarry came over after the shooting and released my men. I’ve got three witnesses who saw the real leader.”

“Who was he?”

“Bart Drury!”

Knode stared. Then he laughed and shook his head. Taking his cigar from his lips, he asked:

“What is this, Grewling? A joke?”

“Not a bit of it!” retorted the police chief. “You don’t think I came over here to be friendly, did you? That’s not all I’ve got on Drury.” He turned toward the door and called. “Say, Jurling, come in here!”

A man entered. It was the detective whom the crooks had dubbed “Mushmug.” The dick stood solemnly inside the door. Grewling spoke again. “Tell Knode what you heard at the Phoenix.”

“WELL,” announced Jurling, otherwise Mushmug, “I was a-talkin’ to a fellow they called Dopey. He says to me that Harrison Knode has got a lot of dockaments he ain’t showin’ nobody. Facks about lots of people; one of ‘em his own reporter — this guy Drury. Dopey says Drury told that to Konk Zitz. Said the dockaments was in Mr. Knode’s safe.”

“You hear that, Knode?” quizzed Grewling. “Looks like your reporter has a criminal record. What do you know about it?”

“I have certain papers in my safe,” admitted Knode. “I regarded them as private and shall continue to do so.”

“Any about Drury?”

“Yes. Mostly recommendations.”

“I want to see them.”

“Very well. I shall bring them from the safe.”

“Suppose I go along.”

Knode smiled and shook his head. He stepped to a door that opened into the rear room. With a gesture toward a chair, he went into the room where the safe was located.

Grewling stood stolid for a full minute. Then, before Knode’s friends knew what he was about, the police chief strode across the room and burst open the door.

Harrison Knode was opening the door of the safe. He leaped to his feet as he saw Grewling. The police chief leveled a revolver.

“Stand back!” he ordered. “In the name of the law!”

Knode obeyed; then, defiantly, he challenged:

“This is illegal, Grewling!”

“Hold him, men!” ordered the police chief.

Mushmug and another dick pounced upon Knode before he could shut the door of the safe. Grewling beckoned to the editor’s friends. They followed the chief to the safe.

“I want witnesses,” he declared. “We’re going to find the real facts concerning this fellow Bart Drury. That’s why I’m here. I want you men to see that I put back whatever I take from this safe—”

Grewling paused and his eyes opened wide. He pointed to the safe; as the others saw the object he indicated, the chief stepped forward and brought it into full view.

The object was a long-barreled revolver, fitted with the peculiar structure of an old-fashioned silencer.

“The gun that got Rubal and Hollis!” shouted Grewling. “The experts said those bullets came from a gun like this! How did this come here, Knode!”

“I NEVER saw it before!” gasped the editor.

“No?” Grewling handed the gun to Mushmug, and dug in the safe. He brought out a stack of papers.

“Rubal’s letters,” he stated. “And here’s a floor plan of the museum. Looks like Rubal’s writing on it. Yes — that’s what it is. Hard writing to read. We’ll do that later.”

Passing the new evidence to Mushmug, the police chief turned solemnly to Knode. In a voice of authority, he announced. “Harrison Knode, I arrest you in the name of the law!”

“You can’t do this!” stormed Knode, trying to break away from the officers who held him. “This is all illegal, I tell you—”

“Take him out,” growled Grewling.

“City hall, chief?” questioned a cop.

“No,” replied Grewling. “Up to Malden’s. That’s where the mayor is. Come along, the rest of you.”

NEWS of unexpected visitors came to Strafford Malden when Toya appeared in the conservatory. Malden and three other men were seated in conference with Quirby Rush. Toya was polite in his interruption.

“Honorable Police Chief,” he declared. “Come to see Honorable Mayor.”

“Tell him I shall see him after the conference,” ordered Rush.

“It is important, Honorable Mayor,” reported Toya. “It is about robbery at museum. Honorable Prisoner has been brought here—”

“What’s that? A robbery? A prisoner? Tell Grewling to enter at once!”

The servant departed. Two minutes later, Grewling arrived with Knode. The editor had become peaceable. He smiled sullenly as he met the eyes of Mayor Rush. Meeting a glare, Knode turned toward Malden, who looked puzzled.

“Produce the evidence,” ordered Grewling.

Mushmug laid documents on a table. Then the gun with the silencer.

Mayor Rush uttered a surprised exclamation when he saw the weapon. He looked toward Grewling.

“Here are the facts,” announced the police chief. “That crowd from the Phoenix Hotel got busy tonight. Gassed my men at the museum and blew the vault. They took everything.”

Gasps from committee members. Grewling proceeded:

“Bart Drury was working with them. He was recognized. So I went up to Knode’s. Wanted facts on Drury. Knode opened his safe; I covered him and found this stuff.”

“You hear that?” put in Knode. “He admits forcible entry, without a search warrant.”

“It was justified,” declared Mayor Rush, sternly. “Don’t you think so, gentlemen?”

“Hardly.” Strafford Malden spoke for the committee. “Yet, since the act has been performed, we must accept the evidence, I suppose. Yet, you acted beyond your authority, Grewling.”

“He did,” sneered Knode. “I tell you, I know nothing of that stuff! Some one must have planted it in my safe. No one can prove anything against me!”

“No?” questioned Grewling. “Take a look at this, Knode. I got it this afternoon, while you were at your office. I had your housekeeper down at city hall, Knode.”

“My housekeeper? Bridget?”

“Yes. And she signed this affidavit stating that you went to the Latuna Museum the night that Rubal and Hollis were murdered. You were the man who had that appointment with Rubal!

“You made one slip, Knode” — Grewling turned triumphantly to face Rush and Malden; then he swung back toward the editor — “just one slip. I walked in the other day while you were talking with your reporters.

“I caught something that was said. I didn’t think about it until later. Then, to-day, worried about this hearing of mine, I quizzed your housekeeper. She blabbed. Here’s her sworn statement.”

KNODE looked about. A newcomer had entered; Howard Dunham, editor of the Gazette. He had joined the ranks of Knode’s enemies. Even Knode’s friends looked solemn. They believed him guilty.

“I did have an appointment with Rubal,” admitted Knode. “He was going to talk. To tell me why he had stalled with those new museum plans. Bridget, my housekeeper, thought I went out. But I didn’t—”

No one was believing. Knode’s protest sounded feeble. The editor made a last attempt.

“If Drury would only show up,” he said. “Maybe that would clear me. He could support my word—”

“Drury?” questioned Mayor Rush, sarcastically. “He’s the man we’re looking for. He’s a crook. In league with those criminals who had established themselves here in Latuna. He has gone with them. He would never dare come here—”

Rush stopped. There was commotion at the doorway that led from house to conservatory. Cops turned about and stared as Bart Drury stepped into view, pushing the protesting Toya from his path.

Grimy and tattered, Bart Drury faced the group. Behind him was Clyde Burke. Witnesses to the museum raid, they were here to reveal the facts. Here, by order of The Shadow.