h patriotic motives. Some people will be uncharitable enough to
believe that they intended to commit robbery."

[Illustration]

The clothes were temporarily laid aside at this point and the contents
of the leather satchel were over-hauled. Mrs. Conklin at once identified
it by several marks, as one the physician had carried for several years.
From its recesses the doctor's prescription book was first produced,
then his call book, and then a street guide that Mrs. Conklin had
purchased over two years before. After this came still another book with
a list of drugs and medicines, and explanations of their uses. All the
pages were badly soiled. A tiny knife was fished out from the bottom of
the satchel. It was a pretty toy, one which Dr. Cronin had received as a
present from a little girl. Tears started to Mrs. Conklin's eyes.

"Let me have that," she said, and she reached for the knife.

It was silently passed over.

A tiny thermometer, such as surgeons carry to test the temperature of
patients was now brought out, and then in rapid succession a roll of
plasters, a small pocket instrument case, a handkerchief, a double
stethescope, a lot of minor surgical instruments, including a keen
bladed scalpel and a box of hypodermic syringes. This latter attracted
considerable attention, on account of its beauty. It had been a present
from W. M. Bagnall, one of the most intimate friends of the physician,
and on it he had placed this inscription:

PRESENTED BY

WILLIAM M. BAGNALL

TO

DR. P. HARRY CRONIN.

[Illustration: BAGNALL'S PRESENT TO THE DOCTOR.]

All of this, however, except the last line, had been erased. There were
two letters and a postal card in the satchel, each bearing the down-town
address of the physician, together with a comb and a piece of paper, so
saturated with blood that it was difficult to tell whether or not it had
contained writing. The wooden box contained several silver extension
splints, which are used in case of fractured limbs. The other valise,
the cover of which had been eaten away, was apparently about eighteen
inches long, quite large enough to have contained a bundle of clothes.
When found by Reese, the overcoat and trousers were clinging to the ribs
of it, which was taken as evidence that it had contained the whole
bundle when it was dumped into the sewer. Salesman Hatfield, when sent
for, said unhesitatingly that he had no doubt but that the valise was
th