te's house at night on other occasions and the man in this instance
was of about his size and appearance."

I said no more, but thought it looked a little black for poor Winters,
whom the police were evidently still hunting.

After I left them I walked slowly uptown, reflecting upon the situation
in the light of the Inspector's view of the case.

I was not disposed to altogether condemn police methods, for they were
generally successful, if illogical, but I saw that in this case they
were pursuing their usual course of first determining who ought to be
the criminal and then securing the evidence to convict him; instead of,
as seemed to me proper, developing first the evidence and reserving
conclusions till it discovered the offender.

I thought the police method unfortunate, to say the least, for with the
best intentions the exercise of unprejudiced judgment and the fair use
of evidence is made difficult where the case is "worked up" upon a
preconceived theory that a particular individual has committed the
crime. It is extraordinary how in many such cases evidence is secured,
and in good faith, that seems to bear out their theory and many little
things that in themselves have no importance, when presented in the
light of the theory furnish circumstantial evidence in its support.
These same little things are often hard to explain away too, because
they had no purpose at the time and have no explanation; for each act of
a man deliberately done and with a purpose, there are a hundred that
have no conception, no purpose, and hardly consciousness.

Truly I saw a hard time ahead for poor Winters, who, without friends,
money, or character, would have little chance against the machinery of
the law; and with the warm impulse of youth I was inclined to become my
old friend's champion while yet knowing almost nothing of the facts. I
had condemned the police for premature judgment of the case and now,
influenced by sympathy, I was near doing the same myself, unconscious of
the inconsistency of my mental attitude. I would be more deliberate
to-day; time has taught me the wisdom of going slow, but I hope it has
yet to teach me indifference to the troubles of others.

I had walked some distance thus absorbed in thought when I was suddenly
recalled to my surroundings by finding myself on Nineteenth Street
opposite White's house--following unconsciously the bent of my thoughts,
I had taken that route home. I was about to hurry on,