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Knapp was urging that Clayte's bond, when they'd collected, would shade the loss; Whipple reminding them that they'd have to spend a good deal maybe a great deal on the recovery of the suitcase; money that Worth Gilbert would have to spend instead if they sold to him; and finally an ugly mutter from somewhere that maybe young Gilbert wouldn't have to spend so very much to recover that suitcase maybe he wouldn't!
She was waiting for us in front of the Haight Street boarding house that served her for a home, and we tucked her between us on the roadster's wide seat. At the St. Dunstan we found my man, left there since the hour of the alarm the day before, and everybody belonging to the management surly and glum. The clerk handed me Clayte's key across the morning papers spread out on his desk.
We found her once more adjusting turban and veil before the mirror of Clayte's dresser. She faced around, and announced, smiling steadily across at me, "Your man Clayte left this room while Mrs. Griggsby was kneeling almost on its threshold left it by that window over there. He got to the roof by means of a rope and grappling hook.
"As far as you see it," I amended. "For instance, you insist on keeping the gang all under Clayte's hat or you did at first. Now you're refusing to believe, as both Worth and I believe, that Steve Skeels is Clayte himself. I should think you'd jump at the idea. Here's your Wonder Man." She leaned back in her chair and laughed.
"Get busy and dig out any women clerks of the bank, stenographers, scrub-women there, or whatever, and ask them particularly as to the exact shade of Clayte's hair and eyes. Get Mrs. Griggsby again at the St. Dunstan. I want at least three women who can give these points exactly. Exactly, understand?" He did, and I thanked Miss Wallace for her suggestion.
I can't deal with things that are merely likely. It has to be a fact or nothing for my use. I know that there wasn't any second man because of the nicks Clayte's grappling hook has left in the cornice up there." "Nicks!" I said, and stood like a bound boy at a husking, without a word to say for myself.
As a temporary expedient to keep the bank sufficiently under cover and still allow Boyne the publicity he needs replace this money pro rata among yourselves. That wouldn't clean any of you. Announce a small defalcation, such as Clayte's bond would cover, so you could collect there; use all the machinery of the police. Then when Clayte's found, the money recovered, you reimburse yourselves."
"It's too big and too well done to have been planned by a dull, commonplace crook." "Right you are," I agreed, with restored good humor. "A keen brain planned this, but not Clayte's. There had to be an instrument and that was Clayte also, likely, one or more to help in the getaway." The getaway! That brought us back with a thump to the present moment.
It gave Clayte's eyes as a pale gray-blue, and his hair as dull brown, eliminating at least all brown-eyed men. Worth asserted warmly, "That girl's going to be useful to us, Boyne." I couldn't well disagree with him, after using her hint.
He settled back with a protesting air of being about to leave us, and finished squeakily, "Didn't need to prove that he had Clayte's suitcase." "Good Lord, Mr. Dykeman! You're not lending yourself to accuse a man like Worth Gilbert of so grave a crime as murder, just because you found his ideas irregular maybe reckless in a matter of money?" "Don't answer, Dykeman!" Cummings jumped in.
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