The Rubber Band

Clivers reached to his breast pocket and pulled out an envelope, and I got it and handed it to Wolfe. Wolfe opened the flap and extracted some pieces of paper, and unfolded them, with the usual nicety of his fingers, "I have here," he said, "a document dated Silver City, Nevada, June second, 1895, in which George Rowley agrees to make a certain future compensation for services rendered. It is signed by him, and attested by Michael Walsh and Rubber Coleman as witnesses. I also have another, same date, headed PLEDGE OF THE RUBBER BAND, containing an agreement signed by various persons. I also have one dated London, England, August eleventh, 1906, which is a receipt for two hundred thousand, seven hundred sixty-one pounds, signed by Rubber Coleman, Gilbert Fox, Harlan Scovil, Turtleback, Victor Lindquist, and Michael Walsh. After the Turtleback, in parentheses, appears the name William Mollen. I also have a check Јor the same amount, dated September nineteenth, drawn to the order of James N. Coleman and endorsed by him for payment."

Wolfe looked around at them. "The point here is, gentlemen, that none of those men except Coleman ever saw that receipt. He forged the names of all the others." He whirled suddenly to Perry, and his voice was a whip."Well, sir? Is that slander?"

Perry held himself. But his voice was squeezed in his throat. "It is. They signed it."

"Ha! They signed it? So at last we have it that you're Rubber Coleman?"

"Certainly I'm Coleman. They signed it, and they got their share."

"Oh, no." Wolfe pointed a finger at him and held it there. "You've made a bad mistake, sir; you didn't kill enough men. Victor Lindquist is still alive and in possession of all his faculties. I talked to him yesterday on the telephone, and I warned him against any tricks that might be tried. His testimony, with the corroboration we already have, will be ample for an English court. Slander? Pfui!" He turned to the others. "So you see, it isn't really so important to convict Mr. Perry of murder. He is now past sixty. I don't know the English penalty for forgery, but certainly he will be well over seventy when he emerges from jail, discredited, broken, a pitiable relic-"