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Gilder。。。。 Now； then； Burke； let's have this thing quickly。〃
The Inspector's explanation was concise：
〃Joe Garson； Chicago Red； and Dacey； along with Griggs； broke into Edward Gilder's house； last night！ I knew the trick was going to be pulled off； and so I planted Cassidy and a couple of other men just outside the room where the haul was to be made。 Then； I went away； and after something like half an hour I came back to make the arrests myself。〃 A look of intense disgust spread itself over the Inspector's massive face。 〃Well；〃 he concluded sheepishly； 〃when I broke into the room I found young Gilder along with that Turner woman he married； and they were just talking together。〃
〃No trace of the others？〃 Demarest questioned crisply。
At the inquiry； Burke's face crimsoned angrily； then again set in grim lines。
〃I found Griggs lying on the floordead！〃 Once again the disgust showed in his expression。 〃The Turner woman says young Gilder shot Griggs because he broke into the house。 Ain't that the limit？〃
〃What does the boy say？〃 the District Attorney demanded。
Burke shook his head dispiritedly。
〃Nothing；〃 he answered。 〃She told him not to talk； and so； of course； he won't； he's such a fool over her。〃
〃And what does she say？〃 Demarest asked。 He found himself rather amused by the exceeding chagrin of the Inspector over this affair。
Burke's voice grew savage as he snapped a reply。
〃Refuses to talk till she sees a lawyer。 But a touch of cheerfulness appeared in his tones as he proceeded。 〃We've got Chicago Red and Dacey； and we'll have Garson before the day's over。 And； oh； yes； they've picked up a young girl at the Turner woman's place。 And we've got one real cluefor once！〃 The speaker's expression was suddenly triumphant。 He opened a drawer of the desk； and took out Garson's pistol； to which the silencer was still attached。
〃You never saw a gun like that before； eh？〃 he exclaimed。
Demarest admitted the fact after a curious examination。
〃I'll bet you never did！〃 Burke cried； with satisfaction。 〃That thing on the end is a Maxim silencer。 There are thousands of them in use on rifles； but they've never been able to use them on revolvers before。 This is a specially made gun；〃 he went on admiringly； as he took it back and slipped it into a pocket of his coat。 〃That thing is absolutely noiseless。 I've tried it。 Well； you see； it'll be an easy thingeasiest thing in the world！to trace that silencer attachment。 Cassidy's working on that end of the thing now。〃
For a few minutes longer； the two men discussed the details of the crime； theorizing over the baffling event。 Then； presently； Cassidy entered the office； and made report of his investigations concerning the pistol with the silencer attachment。
〃I got the factory at Hartford on the wire；〃 he explained； 〃and they gave me Mr。 Maxim himself； the inventor of the silencer。 He said this was surely a special gun； which was made for the use of Henry Sylvester； one of the professors at Yale。 He wanted it for demonstration purposes。 Mr。 Maxim said the things have never been put on the market； and that they never will be。〃
〃For humane reasons；〃 Demarest commented； nodding approbation。
〃Good thing； too！〃 Burke conceded。 〃They'd make murder too devilish easy； and it's easy enough now。。。。 Well； Cassidy？〃
〃I got hold of this man； Sylvester；〃 Cassidy went on。 〃I had him on the 'phone； too。 He says that his house was robbed about eight weeks ago； and among other things the silencer was stolen。〃 Cassidy paused； and chuckled drily。 〃He adds the startling information that the New Haven police have not been able to recover any of the stolen property。 Them rube cops are immense！〃
Demarest smiled slyly； as the detective； at a nod from his superior； went toward the door。
〃No；〃 he said； maliciously； 〃only the New York police recover stolen goods。〃
〃Good…night！〃 quoth Cassidy； turning at the door； in admission of his discomfiture over the thrust； while Burke himself grinned wryly in appreciation of the gibe。
Demarest grew grave again； as he put the question that was troubling him most。
〃Is there any chance that young Gilder did shoot Griggs？〃
〃You can search me！〃 the Inspector answered； disconsolately。 〃My men were just outside the door of the room where Eddie Griggs was shot to death； and none of 'em heard a sound。 It's that infernal silencer thing。 Of course； I know that all the gang was in the house。〃
〃But tell me just how you know that fact；〃 Demarest objected very crisply。 〃Did you see them go in？〃
〃No； I didn't；〃 the Inspector admitted； tartly。 〃But Griggs〃
Demarest permitted himself a sneer born of legal knowledge。
〃Griggs is dead； Burke。 You're up against it。 You can't prove that Garson； or Chicago Red； or Dacey； ever entered that house。〃
The Inspector scowled over this positive statement。
〃But Griggs said they were going to；〃 he argued。
〃I know；〃 Demarest agreed； with an exasperating air of shrewdness； 〃but Griggs is dead。 You see； Burke； you couldn't in a trial even repeat what he told you。 It's not permissible evidence。〃
〃Oh； the law！〃 the Inspector snorted； with much choler。 〃Well； then；〃 he went on belligerently； 〃I'll charge young Gilder with murder； and call the Turner woman as a witness。〃
The District Attorney laughed aloud over this project。
〃You can't question her on the witness…stand；〃 he explained patronizingly to the badgered police official。 〃The law doesn't allow you to make a wife testify against her husband。 And； what's more； you can't arrest her； and then force her to go into the witness…stand； either。 No； Burke；〃 he concluded emphatically； 〃your only chance of getting the murderer of Griggs is by a confession。〃
〃Then； I'll charge them both with the murder；〃 the Inspector growled vindictively。 〃And； by God； they'll both go to trial unless somebody comes through。〃 He brought his huge fist down on the desk with violence； and his voice was forbidding。 〃If it's my last act on earth；〃 he declared； 〃I'm going to get the man who shot Eddie Griggs。〃
Demarest was seriously disturbed by the situation that had developed。 He was under great personal obligations to Edward Gilder； whose influence in fact had been the prime cause of his success in attaining to the important official position he now held； and he would have gone far to serve the magnate in any difficulty that might arise。 He had been perfectly willing to employ all the resources of his office to relieve the son from the entanglement with a woman of unsavory notoriety。 Now； thanks to the miscarried plotting of Burke to the like end； what before had been merely a vicious state of affairs was become one of the utmost dreadfulness。 The worst of crimes had been committed in the house of Edward Gilder himself； and his son acknowledged himself as the murderer。 The District Attorney felt a genuine sorrow in thinking of the anguish this event must have brought on the father。 He had； as well； sympathy enough for the son。 His acquaintance with the young man convinced him that the boy had not done the deed of bloody violence。 In that fact was a mingling of comfort and of anxiety。 It had been better； doubtless； if indeed Dick had shot Griggs； had indicted a just penalty on a housebreaker。 But the District Attorney was not inclined to credit the confession。 Burke's account of the plot in which the stool…pigeon had been the agent offered too many complications。 Altogether； the aspect of the case served to indicate that Dick could not have been the slayer。。。。 Demarest shook his head dejectedly。
〃Burke；〃 he said； 〃I want the boy to go free。 I don't believe for a minute that Dick Gilder ever killed this pet stool…pigeon of yours。 And； so； you must understand this： I want him to go free； of course。〃
Burke frowned refusal at this suggestion。 Here was a matter in which his rights must not be invaded。 He； too； would have gone far to serve a man of Edward Gilder's standing； but in this instance his professional pride was in revolt。 He had been defied； trapped； made a victim of the gang who had killed his most valued informer。
〃The youngster'll go free when he tells what he knows；〃 he said angrily； 〃and not a minute before。〃 His expression lightened a little。 〃Perhaps the old gentleman can make him talk。 I can't。 He's under that woman's thumb； of course； and she's told him he mustn't say a word。 So； he don't。〃 A grin of half…embarrassed appreciation moved the heavy jaws as he glanced at the District Attorney。 〃You see；〃 he explained； 〃I can't make him talk； but I might if circumstances were different。 On account of his being the old man's son； I'm a little cramped in my style。〃
It was； in truth； one thing to browbeat and assault a convict like Dacey or Chicago Red； but quite another to employ the like violence against a youth of Dick Gilder's position in the world。 Demarest understood perfectly； but he was inclined to be sceptical over the Inspector's theory that Dick possessed actual cognizance as to the killing of Griggs。
〃You think that young Gilder really knows？〃 he questioned； doubtfully。
〃I don't think anythingyet！〃 Burke retorted。 〃All I know is this： Eddie Griggs； the mo