Durbin had no such feelings and no such scruples, as was shown by
the sarcastic comment which now left his lips.
"So!" he cried, "we have to do with three criminals instead of two.
Nice family, the Moore-Jeffreys !"
But no one paid any attention to him. Addressing the major, the
district attorney asked when he expected to hear from Denver, adding
that it had now become of the first importance to ascertain the
exact relations existing between the persons under suspicion and the
latest victim of this deadly mechanism.
The major's answer was abrupt. He had been expecting a report for
days. He was expecting one yet. If it came in at any time, night
or day, he was to be immediately notified. Word might be sent him
in an hour, in a minute.
Were his remarks a prophecy? He had hardly ceased speaking when
an officer appeared with a telegram in his hand. This the major
eagerly took and, noting that it was in cipher, read it by means
of the code he carried in his pocket. Translated, it ran thus:
Result of open inquiry in Denver.
Three brothers Pfeiffer; all well thought of, but plain in their
ways and eccentric. One doing business in Denver. Died June,
'97. One perished in Klondike, October, same year; and one, by
name Wallace, died suddenly three months since in Washington.
Pages:
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314