ssed to the shooting."

At that moment the front door opened and Annie Jeffries came in escorted
by an officer. She was pale and frightened, and looked timidly at the
group of strange and serious-looking men present. Then her eyes went
round the room in search of her husband. She saw him seemingly asleep in
an armchair, his wrists manacled in front of him. With a frightened
exclamation she sprang forward, but Officer Delaney intercepted her.
Captain Clinton turned around angrily at the interruption:

"Keep the woman quiet till she's wanted!" he growled.

Annie sat timidly on a chair in the background and the captain turned
again to the doctor.

"What's that you were saying, doctor?"

"You tell me the man confessed?"

Crossing the room to where Howard sat, Dr. Bernstein looked closely at
him. Apparently the prisoner was asleep. His eyes were closed and his
head drooped forward on his chest. He was ghastly pale.

The captain grinned.

"Yes, sir, confessed--in the presence of three witnesses. Eh, sergeant?"

"Yes, sir," replied Maloney.

"You heard him, too, didn't you, Delaney?"

"Yes, captain."

Squaring his huge shoulders, the captain said with a self-satisfied
chuckle:

"It took us five hours to get him to own up, but we got it out of him at
last."

The doctor was still busy with his examination.

"He seems to be asleep. Worn out, I guess. Five hours, yes--that's your
method, captain." Shaking his head, he went on: "I don't believe in
these all-night examinations and your 'third degree' mental torture. It
is barbarous. When a man is nervous and frightened his brain gets so
benumbed at the end of two or three hours' questioning on the same
subject that he's liable to say anything, or even believe anything. Of
course you know, captain, that after a certain time the law of
suggestion commences to operate and----"

The captain turned to his sergeant and laughed:

"The law of suggestion? Ha, ha! That's a good one! You know, doctor,
them theories of yours may make a hit with college students and amateur
professors, but they don't go with us. You can't make a man say 'yes'
when he wants to say 'no'."

Dr. Bernstein smiled.

"I don't agree with you," he said. "You can make him say anything, or
believe anything--or do anything if he is unable to resist your will."

The captain burst into a hearty peal of laughter.

"Ha, ha! What's the use of chinnin'? We've got him to rights. I tell
you, doctor, no n