A woman has made a charge of attempted murder to me
against my brother-in-law, Hamilton Cutler. On account of our
relationship, I want you to make the arrest. If there were any
slip, and he got away, it might be said I arranged it. You will
find him at the Winona apartments on the Southern Boulevard, in the
private hospital of a Doctor Samuel Muir. Arrest them both. The
girl who makes the charge is at Kessler's Cafe, on the Boston Post
Road, just inside the city line. Arrest her too. She tried to
blackmail me. I'll appear against her."
Wharton rose and addressed himself to Mrs. Earle.
"I'm, sorry," he said, "but I had to do it. You might have known I
could not hush it up. I am the only man who can't hush it up. The
people of New York elected me to enforce the laws." Wharton's voice
was raised to a loud pitch. It seemed unnecessarily loud. It was
almost as though he were addressing another and more distant
audience. "And," he continued, his voice still soaring, "even if my
own family suffer, even if I suffer, even if I lose political
promotion, those laws I will enforce!" In the more conventional
tone of every-day politeness, he added: "May I speak to you
outside, Mrs. Earle?"
But, as in silence that lady descended the stairs, the district
attorney seemed to have forgotten what it was he wished to say.
It was not until he had seen his chauffeur arouse himself from
apparently deep slumber and crank the car that he addressed her.
Pages:
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39