"It's a very bad business."
"What does he say?" Gilder questioned. There was something
pitiful in the distress of this man, usually so strong and so
certain of his course. Now, he was hesitant in his movements,
and his mellow voice came more weakly than its wont. There was a
pathetic pleading in the dulled eyes with which he regarded the
Inspector.
"Nothing!" Burke answered. "That's why I sent for you. I
suppose Mr. Demarest has made the situation plain to you."
Gilder nodded, his face miserable.
"Yes," he has explained it to me," he said in a lifeless voice.
"It's a terrible position for my boy. But you'll release him at
once, won't you?" Though he strove to put confidence into his
words, his painful doubt was manifest.
"I can't," Burke replied, reluctantly, but bluntly. "You ought
not to expect it, Mr. Gilder."
"But," came the protest, delivered with much more spirit, "you
know very well that he didn't do it!"
Burke shook his head emphatically in denial of the allegation.
"I don't know anything about it--yet," he contradicted.
Pages:
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385