Show r 1 s 's sr 1 V r- r JJ 1 r. r J. J S. S J. J r. t C aro II Yn 1 1 Z t BYNEA SERVICE me i o. V 1927 WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE Death strikes Garrett Folsom while swimming at Ocean Town fown N. N J. J It Is thought at first that he heIs heis is a stroke vIctim but investigation shows he has been tabbed stabbed to death under the water Folsom's companions were Roger Neville a business partner partner part part- ner Mrs Helen Barnaby and Carmelita Carmelita Car Car- melita Vald n just before his death had been standing next to Ned Barron known as the copper copper cop cop- S per king Icing Anastasia Folsom eccentric and of the dead man arrives and takes command At the Inquest It is learned learne that the death was a an Oriental knIfe and it had been bought on the boardwalk It is also learned that ne Croydon Sears who was in Barrons Barron's party is a fancier of curious knives Anastasia Anastasia Anas- Anas tasia Riggs an architect architect archi- archi to work on the case casp Dan Pelton Pelton Pel- Pel ton the lead clead mans man's nephew arrives and is Intrigued by the curious French dolls doBs in Folsom's room lie He believes his uncle had been blackmailing several people and he and Riggs discover suspicious documents docu- docu ments in 1 Folsom's effects with the initials of Croydon Sears Scars Riggs gets hold of Sears Sears' son Robin and reminds him of hIS promise to assist in the case NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER steered their steps to the shop where the antique auctions were held Come on Robin Sears said drawing away Wait Vait n a minute cant can't you 1 want to see what they've on today Oil Oh all right and Robin lit a and showed no interest Inthe in the window exhibit V I say Robs theres there's hijacks I ks-I ks mean like the tho man was killed with l I dont don't want vant to look 1001 at it conic come along rite V No 10 I want to look 1001 at It If you dont Humor me I cant can't think what you see to look at In a mess of of old junk Valuable antiques YOU you mean Funny lunny about that dagger wasn't it Sold the very night your father was in here Wish Vish it had been while he was here With his keen I notice e of anything of the sort fort he might have remembered what the theman theman man looked like who bought It But he didn't the boy almost groaned Then he went on on earn earn- estl estly You see Tile dad came out hug before that jigger was Put Jut up I and he was up and down the boardwalk boardwalk board board- walk all all the rest of the time till 1111 he went vent home to bed Yes I know I was only He might have given us a steer Not he Dad has an eye for good pieces but that tin wouldn't hold him for tor a a. minute Oh come now It wasn't so bad Yes it was Dad said no o aft r- r ward He knew all abo about t It But then he knows all such things as you and I know jazz music 1 waive the palm to you in that matter Robin Where were IOU ou that night Dancing ith Angel In the Ma- Ma Ia- Ia Oh Riggs that girl Irl dances ances like aLike a- a Like a thistledown a wave ware of tile the sea a winged gossamer fury aOh u- u I Oh shut uP girls dont don't dance like that nowadays She 3 hk like I oh well like most nIl all of eras ent do Only its it's nicer to dance with her herth th than n the others What time did you turn in My Iy word Is this nn an inquiry meeting Long about 1 1 I 1 guess Not much later anyway Were We're not the real thing in night club work you see Madeline wouldn't stand it She's conservative cor- cor first last and all the time II fine woman WIl Voll youre you're r much good Robbie nobble as s a helper on the great problem No o. o I say Tite why dont don't you OU chuck it You'll never ne get at the truth and why do you ou want to Why do I want to Tite RIggs stared V You heard rd ht me l I sure did Well Veil I want Vint to os os- tor forthe th sake ot of justice And that's a bIg part of my reason But also because I lore e the game i. i Hounding down a man Yes if hes he's a murderer It If said Robin Sears Threatening clouds had sent many scurrying Indoors and the lounge of the Hotel was liI like e a great geat cauldron of color sound and fragrance Under the tall palms sat groups of laughing chatterIng young people among the massed flowers stood smiling happy pleasure seekers here and there sat those who quietly listened to the music drifting in from the next room whee e there was dancing I Tea tables were all about and I though a few bored weary faces might be seen for or the most part oil all was life lIe light and laug Tite Riggs Higgs and young Sears made their way to a table where Robins Robin's searching eye had at once spied An- An Fair Blessed boy she called out we have missed you at hooie hOln we have missed you Where you been What a speech When yoU tired fired me yourself Said you had to stay with This was an unfortunate remark and Robin should have known better better bet bet- ter than to make it Barren Darron turned on him with quick resentment Nothing of the sort she said Angel InsIsted she didn't want to togo togo go out this afternoon It looked like rain she said Did look like rait ralta too Angel saId gaily determined nut not to stir SUI up UI a discussion We Ve botn bota wanted to rest Now Im I'm fit It again and dYing to dance Come along Rob Rob- bin The two went ot off toward the dancing room and Tite Riggs dropped Into the chair the girl va- va V 1 with Maddy she he turned back to say to him She wants to togo go home and the V bat bad nty crowd she has with her wont won't agres agre Help us us out Mr Riggs Get her a anew now new sheik or buy her a loll doll or something V The paIr went off laughing and Riggs gazed after the lovely visIon How did they know enough to name girl Angel he said And Angel Fair of all things Yes it suits her just and Made Made- line Une Barron looked affectionately after her friend They couldn't help the Fair of course it was clever to add the other n as she was christened All the same they must have known she Was to be called Angel She looks like a doll And by that I mean no disparagement The dolls of today are often more lifelike than some human beings Riggs Higgs had no thought in his mind save Rave an intent to arouse amuse or divert Madeline who certainly did look what Robin had called w edy Beautiful as ever perfectly dressed as always she had a new look In her eyes a sort of restlessness restless restless- ness that he had never seen there before And then to his amazement amazement she spoke with real pettishness Dont harp on lolls dolls The world seems mad on tile the subject Dont you yo like them That settles set set- ties it Suppose I try Angels Angel's other bit of advice and find you rou somebodY somebody some some- bodY new to flirt with Hello Pelton Pel- Pel ton come over here Laughing at Madeline's l sudden Rudden start Higgs motioned Dan Pelton who chanced to be passing to a chah at their tea table and nodded to a awalter walter waiter S The man was an utter stranger to her She braced up UI and smiled cordially cor- cor dl lly when he was presented And then the Tim saw sawa a queer look come Into Pelton's ey eyes s It passed In a moment so IO quickly quick quick- my ly that RiggS doy It had been there at all but e thought afterward afterward after after- ward there was certainly a surprise sur- sur prise of some that brought about that expression Pelton appeared to better eUer advantage advantage tage than Riggs had hitherto seen him and Madeline revIved under his compliments and almost gay again She was beautiful in an almost opposite way from Angel Ned Barrons Barron's wife wite was dark olive skinned and brown eyed lI lIar r hair showed the newest thIng In bobs and her clothes were inconspicuous Incon incon- so perfectly did liL she domi- domi pate them by liar her own Personality Vivacious yet quiet luring yet oven reserved V Somehow Riggs found himself comparing her to Valdon Valdon Val Val- don whom he also admired But Titus Riggs' Riggs of en was entirely lIe regarded them themas as pictures meritorious merito- merito rious or otherwise us as they pleased his eye and his taste Carmelita was tar far more mOle live Uve far more mOle self conscious but bUL Madeline was of a higher type of attractiveness and RIg Riggs s 's almost gasped as he turned to find her smiling at Dan Pelton as asif asit it if with a new interest in lIfe Good heavens thou thought ht the apprehensive apprehensive ap- ap bachelor she mustn't fall in love with him then laughed at himself for tor the fleeting whim for Cor the devotion of the Barrons Barrons Bar Bar- rons was the jest ot of their merry friends V 5 V But I dont don't get it he went on with his ruminations finding his participation in the talk was not no necessary Theres Borne thin wrong with something Madeline there than homesickness and It cant can't be that a new shelf sheik to flirt with is going to cure It To be continued Is Madeline Barron concealing something about this murder business business busi- busi ness Riggs is frankly puzzled |