“The members of the gang were entirely ignorant of the way that they were committed, that is, with one exception; that was Billy Young. He knew everything that was either going on or that was to ‘come off.’”
“What you say may be true,” said the inspector, “but Young is dead, and so all power of corroborating what you say is gone.”
“Yes, and if it were not for the fact that he is dead you would not be listening to what you are being told now. There isn’t a man in the gang—and there are some very brave fellows among them—that would have the nerve to tell you anything about the workings of the gang if Billy Young was alive.”
“You are not afraid of Jack Weeden, then?”
“No; I would meet him anywhere or any place.”
“Will what you are going to tell me implicate Jack Weeden?”
“It will. He is really the mysterious assassin.”
“Who is the old blind beggar that hangs around the road near where the murders were committed?”
“That is Jack Weeden, the man that keeps the automobile repair shop; the two people are one and the same.”
“I was right,” said Nick. “Now, let me ask you another question. Who is this man Wright, the man that keeps a crockery store?”