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Show ril FREE PRESS, LEHL UTAH ing- in Cea-nuns- - of Mrs- - Wiliiai - OUR Mr. and Mrs. S. Pleasant Grove v" CHILDREN tf3 wViKPt SB By ANGELO PATR1 Bj; MSLTON PEOPPEH KEEPING PROMISES WNU Kerrlea Copyright 132. by Milton Proppar SYNOPSIS initiation lata tke Mu Beta Stuart Jordan, university radaat, dies ilminl instantly. Tommy Rankin, Philadelphia detective, takes ckerge el tne investigation. Aa fasjectiaa af BaUoat U shown ta kave baaa Aa causa af Jordan's eVwtk. Rank la feaaa all tna dead student's shoes ara marked His enly lunm rclativa ia witk thumbtacks. kia ancis, Howard Merrick, St. Lewis bankar, lea kia guardian. It seams possible that soma psrsna. act a member af tka fraternity, era meant at the fail tia boa. Twa students (ram tka vicinity af Vandaiia, IU.. Jordan's kerne tewe, Ralpk Buckley and Waiter Randan, fif . ore ta tka investigation. A prominent lavyar, es Edward Fletcker, present at tka initiation, Rankin's attention. Ckack stubs skew that Jordan bad baaa paying $400 a month ta ease ankaown persoa. A significant (act ia tkat a student, Larry Palmar, Mu Beta Sigma member, was drugged aa tka night at tka initiation. Strickea durin Signa fraternity-- , CHAPTER IV Continued "Patterson?" Rankin's question held a fresh note of Interest. "Was that who objected to him? What was Patterson', particular reason for opposing Buckley?" Stanton shrugged. "I couldn't say, because we don't require an explanation for rejecting a mere prospect By our rules, that objection can be purely arbitrary. Or for that matter, to dismiss a pledgee who has proved unsatisfactory. Only It takes three dissenting voices to remove a pledge pip; and they are recorded by passing around the blackball box." "Blackball box?" Rankin asked curiously. "Then you wouldn't know who la responsible for the adverse votes, where pledgees are concerned?" "That's right, the balloting Is secret. Up to Initiation, any brother can call for the box at any meeting, to reconsider any one of them. Each brother deposits a ball in the box, white if favorable and black if not; no one watches hiro. The count-udecides the fate of the candidate In question." "Do yon know," Rankin asked of Palmer, "whether Buckley had any Idea that It was Patterson who rejected him?" The boy hesitated. "I I guess I told him," he admitted apologetically, and Stanton frowned. "After the pledgees were 'sewed up, i mentioned to Ralph how disappointed I was he hadn't got a bid, and then asked why Ned held a grudge against him. When he said he didn't even know Patterson, I was darned puzzled." "And was he aware that Mr. Patter-o- n acted as Jordan's sponsor, Mr. Palmer?": "I think I told hlra that, too. Because the next thing he wanted to know was whether we had offered Stuart a pin. I answered that we had and spoke ef Ned as having backed him up." It was what the detective had expected to hear. "Then Buckley must have seen Stuart at that first smoker, alnce both were present," he said. "Very likely, sir," Palmer agreed. "But If they met, I didn't notice a thing to suggest they were ever acquainted before; and I was with Ralph most of the evening. In fact, his question about Jordan was the first time he showed any interest In him. And the last as well, that I remember." "How did Buckley react when you Informed him of Mr. Patterson's association with Jordan?" Rankin inquired. "Did he make any comment about it?" "Not a word, sir. Come to think of It. it made him change the subject right away, and he didn't rclse it again." "He never spoke detrimentally of the dead boy or tried to influence your Tote against him as a pledgee?" The query echoed the detective's perplexity, Again Palmer's reply was In the negative, which failed to accord with lie was at a loss his conjectures. to comprehend Buckley's forbearance, when be should have been vengeful, nntil he realized that the young man's position forced him to be silent. He dared not slander his rival, lest it reach Jordan's ears and rebound on him. For the dead boy could set the university authorities to examine his previous record In school and thus discover the deception by which he had gained admission to Philadelphia. It was also probably this fear of disclosure that prompted him to avoid Jordan, if he encountered him at the fraternity smoker.. Pondering the problem, the detective nodded I satis-fle-d understanding, "To return to your movements, Inst night," he continued his interrogation. "Where did you and Buckley go for your drinks?" Larry Palmer ran his hand through his hair. "Well, it isn't all very clear to me," he said uncertainly. "But as far as I can remember, we only visited one place a kind of . . , speakeasy on Spring Garden street I don't now exactly where It was; an ordinary house somewhere between Twenty-fstreets ifth and Twenty-sixtnear. "Yes, I know the place," Rankin Interrupted sternly and critically. "How the devil do you come to be frequentclub?" ing a Joint like The boy recognized the reprimand Implicit In his biting inquiry. "Oh, It wasn't my Idea, sir," he explained quickly. "I never even heard p ... ..." tljft-Morto- of it until Ralph told uie about it He first mentioned it early in February and suggested that e ought to take it In some night. It was different, he before. said, from anything I'd se-And when he spoke of it several times after that my curiosity was aroused and I wanted to go ; I had been to nil the speakies nearer the campus. But somehow, things always turned up to prevent Ralph from making it until last night," Well acquainted with the underworld, Rankin easily Identified the establishment to which Rainier referred, from its location. The Morton club was generally known to the city authorities; actually, it was more than a an elaborate gambling speakeasy house where faro, roulette and a dozen other games of chance were played nightly for high stakes. "It was Buckley, then, who chose yesterday for the excursion to Morton's?" Rankin asked next "I suppose It was," Larry Palmer replied. "He happened to ask me last Wednesday when our Initiation would be held; and when I told him the coming Tuesday, he seemed pretty He fcaid he intended disappointed. visiting this 'dive' of his that evening. At first, I wanted him to postpone going there; I felt I ought to be at the initiation. But as I was quite anxious to see the place, I finally agreed to go along with him yesterday." "You'd have done much better to keep entirely away from It," Rankin commented bruskly. "What time did you get there?" "A little before eight, sir. Ralph seemed to know the man at the door and had no trouble getting past him. He vouched for me and then we went Into the barroom and sat down at a table for a few drinks. It was a large room at the end of a long hall. . . ." "Yes, I'm acquainted with the layout," Rankin Informed the boy. "And after that?" For a moment, Palmer collected his thoughts. "I started to feel strange when I took my second drink," he related. "I had a funny sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach and a ringing In my ears. I tried not to let on to Ralph about It, not wanting to spoil his fun. So I kept talking to him real fast while the ringing got louder nnd louder and the room began to turn around dizzily, until . . . well, I just thought the lights went out." "There isn't the slightest doubt your drink was drugged," the detective declared positively. "Or that Buckley drops into it when slipped knock-ou- t you weren't looking." He raised his hand to silence a question. "But finish your statement for me, Mr. Palmer. At what time did you leave the club?" Greatly upset by the direct accusa tion, the boy shook his head unhap pily. "I can't remember that, sir, any more than I remember speaking to you, later. My last recollection till I found myself in bed this morning, was of talking to Ralph. For a while, It is all a blank; I must have been out completely. In fact, I don't recall ever quitting the speakeasy and working my way back to the house." "You couldn't tell me then, when Buckley also departed from the club?" "No, I lost complete track of him. Mr. Rankin. Only this morning, I thought of him again and wondered But I what had become of him. couldn't even remember whether he had returned here with me last night or not." Rankin mnde no effort to conceal his "And that Is all the disappointment Information you can give me as to what happened?" "Yes, sir." The boy spoke with con viction. "Everything else has slipped my mind altogether." "Except about your keys, Larry," Ted Stanton prompted h!m. "You ought to mention you couldn't find them when you got up today." "What keys are these?" the detec tive asked quickly. "When did they disappear?" "My regular keyring," Palmer re plied, "holding my mail box key, the house key to the front door and others. But I don't see that their loss means anything. I distinctly remember having them on reaching the speakeasy; they were in the same pocket as my loose change and I jingled them when I took out the taxi fare. And this morning, my money was still there but not them. I suppose they must have dropped out of my pocket while I was wandering around" Rankin shook his head in contradic tion. "No, I think not," he stated re"I'm fairly certain that flectively. Buckley took them from you. He could never have got Into the fraternity house without them, later." Bit bv bit, Palmer's story Inevltablv Indicated that his friend was involved In Stuart Jordan's murder. It revealed Buckley as unscrupulous, hesitating at nothing to gain his ends. And to his already potent motive for hating Jordan thnt Walter Randall had dis posed. It showed how the boy had crossed him three times more, fanning the fuel of his long cherished grudge. The murder, then, during the Initia tion, was actuated by a desire for re venge, And to take advantage of the n protection supplied by the After Palmer's account Rankin no longer considered the scene of the crime an Insurmountable obstacle to the presence of a stranger. Instead, it partly removed the barrier against such an intrusion. Students do not go about Indiscriminately drugging one another; It followed that Buckley's deliberate act on the evening of Jordan's death had two direct connections with the crime. First to insure that at least one fraternity brother would be absent from the ceremony. Into whose place he could slip unnoticed. Otherwise, if there should be a quorum of 100 per cent, the Interloper would be speedily discovered. And he had to secure Palmer's keys, to enter the house after the ritual began. Of course, there were still gaps In the evidence that stamped Buckley a murderer. Palmer's story failed to suggest where he might have obtained the poison for the crime; nor was it likely to explain this point Of more direct importance, Rankin could not figure out when Buckley might have hud the opportunity to tamper with his intended victim's shoes, to identify him at the ceremonies. And how had he learned enough about the fraternity's secret ritual to know what kind of robes the majority of the brothers wore, or the fact that he would have access to Jordan's wrists, at a certain moment during it? Also, where had he, a stranger, found out the secret code of knocks and passwords, necessary to getting past the sergeant at arms, at the chapter meet-log- ? genuine settirg. The source of this information was a mystery, unless Palmer had been more indiscreet than he already admitted and talked freely to Buckley about fraternal rites. "You mentioned several occasions, Mr. Palmer," the detective said, "on which Buckley Inquired about the affairs of the fraternity. No doubt, you also discussed this subject at other times in your conversations." The boy looked at him warily. "Well, naturally, Ralph was Interested in our doings," lie agreed slowly, "and we talked about them now and then." "Of course." Rankin chose his words carefully. "What I want to know Is whether he ever asked about your private business , . . those secrets known only to the chapter. YTour signs of recognition at meetings, for instance was he curious about them?" Palmer's hesitation and sidelong glance at Stanton gave him the answer before he spoke. Too Innately honest to dissemble, his vehemence failed to ring true. "If you mean," he began, "whether I Intentionally told him fraternity secrets. . . ." "Go ahead, Larry," Stanton urged. "Tell Mr. Rankin how much you spilled to him." "It was nothing that isn't general information and common to ail fraternities," the boy asserted fervently. iilCsnJP if - rr7V The Sight of Rankin Produced most Ludicrous Results. Al- "I did chat with him, it's true; and ago, I described how our olllcers dressed like monks at the Initiations, In yellow robes and hoods. But Where's the harm In that about three weeks statement? Practically every secret society in the country uses some sort of costume, so it wasn't anything he didn't know before." "Then he did question you about jour ritual and ceremony?" Rankin concluded, nodding. "I . . . yes, he must have," Palmer confessed reluctantly, "though never directly, and 1 took it for just ordinary Inqulsitiveness. When I wasn't under the weather, I was pretty care ful; but every so often, we got to discussing the boys after a couple of drinks." "Was that what you talked of at the demanded Morton club," Rankin shrewdly, "while you drank and before you felt the effects of the drug In the liquor?" The boy frowned In his effort to concentrate. "I believe it was, since you mention It Something about how we ran our initiations." "Try to recall exactly what facts Buckley nsked you about, Mr. rainier." "But I can't sir," Palmer responded uncertainly. "That Is Just the trouble. Like everything else last night, it is all vague and indistinct; I was in a fog the whole time. . . . Maybe Ralph wanted to know about our attendance. . . ." For some moments, Rankin continued In the same strain to refresh the boy's memory of how much he had. however inadvertently, Imparted to But Palmer's Impression of Buckley. once telling his friend the fraternity's rules on attendance was the only tangible Item he elicited. Nevertheless in the end, Rankin was satisfied that Buckley obtained from him the knowledge he needed to enter the chapter room and approach Jordan. The evidence was merely circumstantial, but clearly pointed in that direction, regardless. But this accumulation of incriminating proof was worthless, he realized, if Buckley could not have reached the e the fraternity house by must have arrived He before. night then, the second late comer, according to Lew Kurly, guarding the chamber door, or not at all Obviously, he was at eight-fifteenot present at the roll-caand the first late arrival was This identified as Patterson. element of time had to be established; Rankin dared not take it for granted. Since the boy was ignorant of when Buckley deserted him, the detective must seek that Information at the club, Itself. The doorman or the waiter who served the two students could surely supply It As to Buckley himself, Rankin now decided not to Interview him immediately. Instead, he would postpone that interrogation until he completed the case against him. The detective much preferred his visit to the Morton club to be unofficial. As an officer, he might encounter some difficulty In obtaining the required information; and he hesitated to resort to his authority to compel the club's employees to speak. Whereas, as a guest, introduced by Palmer who already had an entree, he might question them casually on one simple pretext or another. Accordingly, on concluding his inquiry, he requested the boy to accompany him to the gambling house that night, both to gain him admission and to point out the waiter who served him. And Palmer, on comprehending the need of the visit, with him. This agreed to arrangement effected, Rankin cautioned him against letting Buckley learn what had transpired and departed from the fraternity house. When the detective reached the central bureau, his first act was to dispatch a lengthy telegram to the authorities of Aberdeen college. He asked for a verification of Walter Randall's account of Buckley's expulsion from that school; also a complete summary of the incident, such as he had promised Randall he would secure from the West. In addition, he requested Jordan's history at Aberdeen, in relation to his class and school activities, particularly as his freshman class secretary. There was no telling what was important; it occurred to Rankin he might have to visit Hannibal himself If the secret of the crime were hidden there. The message sent, he sought out De tective Sergeant Daniel Gilmore for the first assistance he required In handling the case. Due to its extraordinary nature, Gilmore was one of the few men to whom he would dare entrust It For the enterprise included a measure of risk and demanded caution; it had more than a slight tinge of illegality. Openly at least, Rankin's superiors would have frowned on his proposed method of collecting fresh evidence against Ralph Buckley. "I'm not sure you'll like my proposition, Dan," Rankin said. "It may not agree with your principles; and if you don't think you ought to take it up, just say so. I'd tend to it myself, only there's this trip to the Morton club tonight, and tomorrow the boy's guardian arrives. And this needs prompt action." "That sounds rather serious, Tommy," Gilmore commented curiously. "I hardly suppose though, that I'm more squeamish about resorting to a subterfuge than anyone else. At any rate, I'm free to lend a hand at the moment" Rankin nodded his head. "That Is one reason 1 brought this matter to you. The other Is that I'd hesitate to propose It to most of the force. 'Y'ou see, I want young Buckley's belongings and apartment searched thoroughly without his knowing anything about it." Gilmore puckered his lips In a soundless whistle and eyed the other shrewdly. "So, I am to Inspect Buckley's rooms secretly. What, exactly, do you expect me to find?" "I don't know, Dan, but I am taking a chance there may be something valuable. If he has been wise and de stroyed any Incriminating evidence, you'll draw a blank. On the other hand, there might be some clues the hypodermic he used, or perhaps even some more of the conine. If these things are still hidden In his flat, I want them before he gets rid of them." eight-forty-fiv- ll n 117 HEN one makes a promise to a child one must keep it or logs, tne child's confidence. The loss of a, Gilmore hitched back In his chair child's confidence costs the child dearly and makes no happiness for the one, for a moment, puffing meditatively. who was responsible. "Well, Tommy," he gave his deChristmas was drawing near and, cision, at length, "it's your case and you know the best way to treat it I little Harry was excited. He got into-al- l kinds of mischief. He discovered suppose I could manage It for you." new ways of being troublesome. Sew "Good !" Rankin exclaimed, gratified. "Of course, you'll have to wait until ways of getting Into danger. Altogerb. Buckley Is absent; tomorrow morning er he rode on the consciousness ot during his classes would probably be his family day and night until ni, the safest time. It's doubtful Jf he mother lost all patience and said, could make trouble for us, but watch "Listen to me young man. You've gon Just far enough. Another such exhl-bitiyour step. We don't want any emas this and you get nothing for barrassment that can be avoided." "You needn't worry about my getChristmas. Not a thing. Santa Claua ting into a Jam." Gilmore smiled will not come to a bad boy like yon. faintly at his advice. "All you have to Harry kerned to consider this for do Is to let me have the apartment a time and his mother thought she had address." made an Impression upon bis mind and For a while, the two detectives dis- that ce would behave a little better. cussed various other matters of mu- But she changed her mind about alp tual interest until Rankin left headthat when the cook brought Harry five. As prearInto her presence and charged bin, quarters at eight-fortranged, he met Larry Palmer at West with breaking every egg In the pantry Philadelphia station for their visit to and smearing the place with the mesa. the club together. "Just for fun, I did It" said he. He had instructed Palmer in ad"Very well. You get nothing for vance how to present him. Their ar- Christmas." But when Christmas mornrival automatically rang a buzzer; and ing came all the presents were ready to the staring eyes that appeared at and Harry enjoyed them to the full. the slit In the portal, the boy exNeither he nor his mother mentioned plained : the threat about bad boys and Santa "I'm Larry Palmer. You remember, Claus. Ralph Buckley Introduced me here By and by his birthday approached yesterday evening." He spoke conand be began the same wild antics. vincingly. "I've brought along a "Now look here, young man. If yo friend, Bill Kendall." don't behave yourself you'll get nothRankin stood gazing about with all ing for your birthday." the apparent curiosity of a stranger; Harry forgot all caution. "Huh. Yoa his hat, drawn at a rakish angle, well-nig- h said that about last birthday and I a his hid features. For moment, got all my presents. And you said It the piercing inquisitive eyes studied at Christmas and I got them too. I'll both in silence. Then there came a them 'ust the same." get grunt and the click of a bolt thrust Well, that time his mother held back In its socket. A tall muscular out and he got no presents. A sad Individual with lowering brows swung went to bed that birthday the door wide and permitted them to little boy night, and a sadder mother and faIn. pass There were no customers at the ther. Threats are promises and If yoa make them you have to keep them tables, and Larry Palmer designated or have a very good reason for not one of them, close to the entrance. so one that the child will ac"That Is where Ralph and I sat," he doing true. as cept we Intended looking stated. "Later "Be a good boy Daniel and go to about the place; we might even have the dentist and have that shaky tooth taken a flyer at the wheel upstairs. But first, Ralph suggested a glass or taken out and I'll take you to the circus," said Aunt Minnie. two." "Don't believe, her, Dan. She told The detective took a chair beside it. me that and never took me." said To account for his Interest in BuckHortense looking up from her doll'a ley's movements, he had prepared a credible fiction about Palmer's desire carriage toward her guilty aunt Anyway a surprise Is better than a to prove that after leaving the club, promised treat And threats are bethe had visited a mutual girl friend. Supposedly, Buckley denied doing so; ter left out ofa things. a and his friend, so the waiter would be POOR VISION given to understand, hoped, as a jest to lay bare the misstatement. The detective considered it less suspicious who would help children to approach the waiter first, before THOSEhave clear vision. They must the doorman. see the hild truly. Now there Is none But the instant the waiter emerged among us so wise as to know the from a door behind the steps, he realtruth about a child. None of us has ized the futility of his wish to remain the true ision that sees the truth, incognito. The sight of Rankin pro- the whole truth. The most any of duced almost ludicrous results. The us can expect to see Is a alimpse of man stopped completely; recognition the spirit that Is the child. brought a look of mingled amazement It Is sad that so many veil meaning and apprehension to his sharp eyes teachers and supervisors cultivate a and wizened ferret-lik- e countenance. vision of childhood. They ire warped For an appreciable time, he stood moso intent upon redeeming the child tionless; then hevanished precipitately. from his errors that they fix their visAmusement twinkled In Rankin's ion on that point and see nothing else. eyes. "So that's what has become of The child becomes a child of sin, a Nick Luccla," he remarked cheerfully. thorn n the flesh, a creature to be "I often wondered; it is two years In our punished, corrected, since I saw him last and I've rather own image. And that is not vision at lost track of him. . . . Well, it seems all, but blindness, for a child is good. we will have to finish this business In Have you not known the teacher the usual manner, after all." who all day long kept saying, "How "That was the fellow who served many had you wrong?" and when inus," Palmer said, a new respect in his formed of the enormity of the error, tone. "Y'ou gave him quite a shock, shook her head and wrote down a sir." Have you not failure In red Ink? "It isn't any wonder," the detective known the supervisor who examined a Informed him. "Nick was one of the class to find out what the children most clever pickpockets and petty did not know? If he finds they know thieves in the East ; he got away with one thing he drops that and goer on murder until I was instrumental In searching until he finds the weak spot r stretch. In their sending him up for a knowledge. Then he dwells That was five years ago, and he has there measuring the extent of their evidently been laying low." Have you not known parIgnorance. The waiter returned, talking volublj ents who kept reminding the children to a heavily built, man, of the mistakes they had mnde. rewhose crafty look and florid face Ranall their poor marks, impressive citing kin at once knew as the club propriely lecturing about their lack of effort, tor's. The recognition was mutual. their low aim? It was but yesterday 1 For all Gussie Morton's affability in that I heard a parent say to a fine greeting the detective, the encounter boy, "Yes, I know ym have an aver100 manifestly disturbed him. age over 95. I know yo have a "How are you, Tommy?" he greeted in three majors. I know all that What him. "It's a pleasure to see you." And I want to know is why you couldnl In some vexation, "How In the world get a high mark In nusic?" did you get by Cassldy at the door?" "Maybe it Is because I'm not a mRankin shook hands without cor- usician. I can't be everything, yon diality. "Hello, Gussie," he returned. know, mother." "It wasn't difficult ; I came In with my "You could get an honor mark in Comfriend; this is Mr. Palmer." every subject of the curr'cnlum If you pleting the introductions, he went on: put your mind to it I don't want any "How is business these days?" tow grades. Nothing below an A Is any "Not like old times," Gussie replied. good. Work up that music." "Things have changed since the lid Consider that Do you imagine for was clamped on." He paused a seca moment that this exacting lady had ond. "But what can I do for you, old made such grades in her school days? fellow? Y'ou never were very sociable Yon know she did not Had she been and haven't dropped In just to learn as Intelligent as all tha; she would I how we were getting along." have cultivated a vision that enabled "Yes, I'm here for a reason," the her to see strength where it was. see ?re detective admitted. "As a matter of beauty and power where they fact, I wanted to talk to Nick." He clearly in operation Instead of finding lifted a reassuring hand at Morton's the one weak place and dwelling on It The right vision sees the effort the dismay and the more animated ex of In consternation child has made ; sees the struggle and the waitpression er's features. "Oh, my Interest Isn't the triumph shining through the low ratine: sees the steady upward growth professional, at least as far as Nick In concerned; I merely have some of the child who Is feeling his questions to ask, which I think he can through th tangled maze of school answer, about a chap who was here lessons and adult standards and queer last night." regulations. y two-yea- well-dresse- d (TO BE CONTINUED.) Bell Syndicate WNU Service. |