The Third Degree

, he would have been at once impressed by the dramatic tableau presented-the dead man on the floor, his white shirt front spattered with blood, the cringing, frightened boy crouching in the chair,

for?" thundered th

this man's manner which made him fear that he might, after all, have had something to do with the tragedy. Yet he was posi

o it. Reall

d you know you're lying. Wait till

s wait, both men retaining the same positions, the ca

ould get word to her. Perhaps she would be able to explain things. Then he thought of his father. They had quarreled, it was true, but after all it was his own flesh and blood. At such a critical situation as this, one forgets. His father co

in law. I know my rights. I am the son of o

name?" growle

d Jeff

rd Jeffries,

rd n

es

turned to

ys he's the son of Howar

red something in the captain's

out of doors, eh? Where's that girl you ran away wi

calmly. "I married the girl. She's waiting my retur

piciously for a moment, the

e this man's wife.

six Morn

e. The clock soon struck two. For a whole hour he had been subjected to this g

sperate financial straits. He had come to this man's rooms to make a demand for money. Underwood had refused and there was a quarrel, and he shot him. There was probably a dispute over the woman. Ah, yes, he remembered now. This girl he married was former

all right," muttered the captain to

e undertaker. The two men advanced quickly into the room, and took a look at th

I guess he's d

e've got ou

rned to look a

ed-handed, eh

urt out a reply, when

len

er, the capt

d egg. His father turned him out of doors. There is no question abo

He believed in doi

munity owes a debt to the officers of the law if they succeed in apprehending criminals quic

in grinne

do. Don't w

" said Malo

ner turn

re. The man is dead. Let justice take its c

remove

Carrying the corpse into the inner room,

e your prisoner immediately to the station hous

captain. "I want to put a

roner

degree,' eh? Every one's heard of your star-

aptain. "We wouldn't harm

ckly endorsed hi

, c

go, the c

od night,

ght, Mr.

being bullied, maltreated, deprived of food and sleep for days, in order to force them to tell what the police were anxious to find out. He had heard of secret assaults, of midnight clubbings, of prisoners being choked and brutally kicked by a gang of ruffianly pol

't you listen to

, startled,

terfere," he

borrow money. I fell asleep on that sofa. When I woke up he was dead.

o one could ever reproach him with sympathizing with c

ight, c

ght, Mr.

a twist of his powerful arm, yanked his pri

his. You exceed your powers. I demand t

nned, and point

y A. M. Our good magistrates are all comfy in thei

ouse?" protested Howard. "Take me to the station if

n beckoned

go to the station we want to ask yo

ng in his ear. Howard shivered. Suddenly turning to his p

t u

no resisting that powerful brute's tone of authority. Poi

ere where I ca

nly Maloney turned off every electric light except the lights in the electrolier, the glare of which was intensified by the surrounding darkness. The rest of the room was in shadow. One saw only th

it!" thundered the captain, fixing

AND YOU KNO

oward slowly and firmly, ret

g!" shouted

g," replied H

for a moment and then su

come here?"

to borro

you g

e couldn't gi

ou kill

him," replied Ho

, hour after hour. The captain was tired, but being a giant in physique, he could stand it. He knew that his victim could not. It was only a

shot

id n

re ly

ying-it's

sly, pitilessly, while the patient Malone