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Show ! Conclusive Evidence ! A SHORT SHORT STORY ! By Richard Hill Wilkinson ' "ivnth was instantaneous!" ! MlHiioiil Nxtuuinor Ryan eomplo-,1 eomplo-,1 liis examination of tho body. ''Vlu' "crinio was a gruesome aV-. aV-. The dead man slill sat in his 'iU i'lair' tlu woiR',lt 1,1 nim Il'mnvn biu'k so that the chair had L,yci in its pivot, giving the im- , ,,Vssion that its occupant had ' 'Uimu'd an attitude of lazy indif-wyih'O. indif-wyih'O. The square base of a desk 1 'limile was grotesquely affixed to J,, man's forehead, close to the 1-t'l temple. The spindle point had ' jwnotnited the head, piercing the urain. , - l lio dead man s name was Jac-ws Jac-ws Francis, a prominent real estate es-tate broker. Caleb Earle, a mora-h.r mora-h.r of the Francis organization, had discovered the body early that 1 morning. . Rvan reassembled his kit and a moment later departed. Detective Bradley expelled a breath of re- '''iiistead of replying, Instpector joe Warren turned his attention to the desk. After a moment he looked up. "Jim, go out there and tell Caleb Earle I want to see Bradley returned, accompanied DV a small wizened individual with thinning grey hair and gold- rimmed rim-med spectacles. Warren asked: -You're Caleb Earle?" "Yes." "You were sort of partner to Mr. Francis, were you not?" Caleb Earle shook his head. "No, I merely worked here. I've been with Jacques ever since he started in business. 20 years ago. I always hoped he would take me in. but he never seemed to get around to it." Warren nodded, asked: "It must have been quite a shock when you discovered him this morning?" "It was! For a moment I thought I'd faint." "Was anyone else in the ofifce 5manner that wouldn't have been possible, had death been instantaneous instan-taneous as Examiner Ryan stated." when you arrived?" , "No. I always get here a few minutes before nine to start things going. I noticed the door to this office was ajar and looked inside, thinking perhaps Mr. Francis had uuiue uown early. I "And after that you did what?" I don't exactly konw. I stood there for a minute or two, just staring. Then I turned, grabbed grab-bed a telephone and called the police." "Was it possible," Warren asked, "for any one to enter Mr. Francis' Fran-cis' office any other way but through the outer office?" "No. There's only the one door." "Splendid"' Warren suddenly whirled and here was an accusing gleam in his eyes. "This is going to be easier than I thought. Jim, call up Mr. Francis' home and find out what time he left his house this morning. Find out also about how long it would take him to get to his office. Then call Caleb Earle's home and ask the same questions'" Warren turned to face Caleb Earle. The little man's face had gone a shade whiter. "Why why are you doing that? You don't think for a single instant you don't think Jacques was murdered!" murder-ed!" "There's no thinking about it," Warren snapepd. "I know it! And in a moment or two I'll know whether or not to accuse you of the crime, Mr. Earle!" "Me!" The little man fairly shrieked the word. "Me!" he repeated. re-peated. "Why should you suspect me of such a thing?" "Various reasons. ..Possibly you got tired of waiting for Francis to take you in as partner. Possibly you entered his office early this morning to make a final plea, and when he refused you, you were seized by a fit of anger and struck at him in an impulsive frenzy." "But but striking him wouldn't do that!" The little man gestured gestur-ed repugnantly toward the desk. "Which is your only alibi, Mr. Earle," Warren said less sharply. "It might have been an accident. Possibly was. Nevertheless, I think you're responsible for his death." Bradfey, who had been telephoning, telephon-ing, came across the room and read from a slip of paper. "Francis left his home about 8:30, which would place him at the office about 15 minutes later. Earle departed de-parted about the same time. It would probably have taken him 20 minutes to get here." Caleb Earle sank into a chair, miserable fear written on his face. Warren came and stood over him. "It looks as if I'd have to take you along, Mr. Earle." His voice had almost a benign quality. "That accident plea might get you off." The little man seemed dazed, seemed not to hear. He sat there, staring vacantly. And Detective Bradley asked curiously: "Where was the joker, Joe ? What got you started on the little guy?" Warren, still staring down at Caleb Earle, replied: "Why, it was merely a matter of checking up. If Earle and Francis arrived here about the same time and no one else was in the ofifce, Earle must have brought about the killing. For you see, if Francis had had a stroke or something and fallen forward on the spindle, as we at first suspected, we would have i found him in that position, and not lying back in his chair in a |