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Show LEni FREE PRESS. LEI1L UTAH OUR CHILDREN Milton JL 11 as By ANGLLO PATR1 CHECK UP NOW Copyright UJI. bj MUtoa Proppnr TNV Berrien MIECK up on your school child'. wort uay nis latest report card. If there are sign that be is falling in a subject. If any of bis marks are fait e firmed any part of his account, take op the matter at once. that, lacking witnesses, there was Ing off, Talk first to the child and remember to which word own his rely upon only as to his movements. The apparently that your attitude on this is of first importance. irrelevant detaiU about his date. RanIf you take the tone that the child kin realized, failed to settle his wherehas neglected bis work and disgraced abouts decisively. blruself you won't get very far. Go about If gently. Ask him where be CHAPTER IV thinks the trouble is ind when be 6ays. "Aw, sue never gives me t The Case Against Buckley chance," don't fly up at him and end When Lawrence Palmer entered the the conference in a tense situation. Listen Keep on listening. Let him say living room, the fraternity president joined him, taking his stand by the all he has to say In his own defense Palmer seated himself on and question him further. By and by fireplace. the sofa. Though still unruly, his red be will begin to disclose something of hair was no longer unkempt; sober bis difficulty and that Is what yon and alert, an intelligent smile on bis need. After you have talked to the boy go pleasant face made him a different lad from the wreck of the previous night to see the teacher. Once more yon must go about your task tactfully and "I'm afraid I don't remember meetIn the spirit of helpfulness. The teach- ing you last night, Mr. Rankin," Palmer said frankly, "or talking to Mr. er Is your partner, your working part-- l ner, and unless she Is with yon strongly you are not going to succeed. Tell the teacher yon want to do all you can to keep the child progressing steadily ana ask ner what you can do. Then plan with her. Don't be satisfied until you can answer these ques tions : Why is the child falling behind? What must be done first to make up the failing? How much more work has he to cover before the terra end? Can you see a way clear for him to accomplish It? Can you make schedule ot work that will enable the child to complete his work well wlthlo the time and allow hira some time for review and reorganization? You see you have not only to bring the child up to the standard just now you have to plan to help hira maintain that standard. You cannot do the work for hira but you can so organize with the! his work In teacher that he can carry on for Himself. All you can do, once you have found the difficulty, strengthened It "What Gets Me Is That Everybody laid out the term plan, is to stand on Tells Me I Was Drugged." the sidelines and coach and cheer. H Warwick, either. Gosh, I must have must do the rest. If sickness has kept a child from been pretty bad !" He paused and his smile faded. "What gets me Is that school and cost hira his standing don't try to make it up at one bite. Talk everybody tells me I was drugged and with knockout drops," he added things over with the teacher. Scali wonderlngly. "I can't see how that's down the subject matter to the essen The only fellow with me or tlals. It Is surprising bow much! possible. anywhere near me last night Is a easier this makes the child's work Sometimes a special program will friend of mine ; It's ridiculous to think he'd do something like that." He enable a child to make up lessons, turned to the president for support. This can usually be obtained by ask "Ted knows him too It was Ralph Ing for It at the school Drill will notf He attended our first smokhelp clear up misunderstood lessons, Buckley. er and has visited me since several Get the facts right the understand lug clear before yon begin the drlllJjl times In my room." 0 0 0 "Ralph Buckley?" The detective's I LOST IT even unemotional question did not indicate his thrill on hearing the name. or that he recognized It at all. where Is your cap?" ((TOM, 1 "1 lost It." "Yes," Palmer answered, "he's a freshman In the college department "You lost It? Where?" with whom I'm rather chummy. He "1 don't know." lives in the Harrowgate apartments at "You don't know. Do you suppose! 289 Fortieth street. He comes from that all I have to do Is buy you on Illinois let me see, he mencap after another? Now you go loolil tioned the place once" he wrinkled for that cap until you find It." his brow in deep thought "oh, yes, "1 don't know where to look." Vandalia, 111." "Neither do 1. You lost it You gof Stanton opened his eyes widelv In find It- After a brief Interval Tom comes surprise. "Why, that's Stuart's home, too, Mr. Rankin!" he exclaimed ex back. "Well, did you find it?" I "No. looked everywhere but If citedly. "I told you that last night, sir." isn't there." "1 suppose so. I'll have to buy yoif "Yes, so you did." Rankin's tonp was still calm. "And that is why I'd another cap. That makes five Ihl like to learn something about Buckterm. I don't know what Is going tor He addressed Palmer again. come of you If you don't take care of ley." What do you know of him? How did your things " you two happen to become friends?" Why buy him another one? It won he asked. hurt him to do without his cap. Manf By a few questions, he discovered a boy never wears a cap, except on the extent and duration of the bov's very stormy days Even If he has t association witn Buckley. He had met go to church and Sunday school hatt I'aimer at the social club directed bv less, what of It? He doesn't wear the university for its students, and en hat In church anyway And If he rea gaged him In a few billiard games. ly wanted a cap he wouldn't lose It sf And In February, when the fraternity many times. believe that Is true. If a chll' rushing season began, Palmer pro posed him as a candidate though untruly wants a thing he won't lose it Somewhat sportily In save rarely. He Is conscious of tb successfully. clined himself, he admired Buckley's thing he wants to keep. He loses example In sophistication and fast liv thing he Is not conscious of wanting ing. Otherwise, he knew nothing The way to get him to keep his hat about him except that he spent a great to make him conscious of needing deal and appeared to have funds. That you do by letting him go wit "No doubt you sunnlied hira with a out It That goes for other things that large part of them, Mr. Palmer?" Ran kin observed shrewdly. "You lost loses and forgets. Do not replace quite an amount, didn't you, In these and make him go without until he " card sessions?" places It If possible A child forgets and loses the thin The youth looked uncomfortable at .... . I ,tnl (! the question. "Well. ves. I did." he K .1 lost is The with obvious acknowledged reluctance. pocket poor report fi "How could you guess that? Rut It forgotten. The good one, never. f was just that Ralph had phenomenal When you find that a child Is , fh luck at cards; I never managed to getting certain tnings, losing l""rj hold them. Anyhow," he added almost things, habitually, consider the refj defiantly, "someone has to come out Rnn Stiwlw trhv ho trnnto to lose on the short end. And I'm as willing fnrcpt Thorn la nlwnve a reason. . . to take a chance as the next one." child's mind Is always on his side. K "Of course." helps him to forget and to lose andN Tactfully, the detec tive shifted the subject "You say sirable thoughts. It closes them oit that Buckley came to a smoker at the with a finality that Is as complete opening of your rushing season, this darkness at midnight Find the tff son. winter?" Don't accuse the child ot willfu'&l 'Yes, but that was as far It went 1 acted as his sponsor and wanted him forgetting. He does not willfully f'jn pledged and eventually Initiated. But get or lose the unplensing thing one of the other brothers didn't care Idea. He Is unconscious of his lesif for him and so he was dropped before to forget and to lose. Remove Up the final selection was made. I don't cause of his desire and put sometblife know why; he's a d d decent feldesirable In Its stead. Give him tf iiurlurincs that aill mnke him f'F low." The point was evident!" a sore one with the boy. "I still can't se scions ot his neetl to remember what Ned Patterson had against him." hold on. Hiid he will do boih. -- v CHAPTER III Continued 5 why t . "Oh, U that you're called on me?" he remarked. "Yes, I was a freshman last year In Hannibal, but decided I would rather go to a larger and better known school In this part of the country. Now It seeing I'll have to quit school, without even finishing the term." Rankin was proierly Interested. "Is that soT Mrs. Bixby said somethin about you not being In the best of health, I hope it isn't that." "That's Just the trouble," Randall explained. "A damnable tubercular condition keeps undermining ray I wasn't here In October trength. more than a week and classes had only begun when It got the better of me. My doctor advised me to withdraw for the semester and rest a while at home; and Mr. Warwick granted me a leave of absence on his certificate of Illness. That's why I Just signed up for military training class, Instead of gymnasium. But I feel the whole trouble beginning again and I don't think I'll be able to aee It through." "I was wondering what your uniform signified," the detective stated. "1 didn't know that the university taught military tactics as a study." "It is a substitute for gymnasium work. Naturally, In my condition, it was much easier." Rankin reverted to the object of his tIhIL "What I wanted to ask you, Mr. Randall, is whether you were acquainted with Stuart Jordan at Aberdeen. I am seeking for facts about his past life in hopes of learning something that will help clarify the problem of his death. Anything you know of him might be valuable." "As a matter of fact, I did know him," the student replied. "Only casually, though; he was a sophomore, a class ahead of me. For one term, he happened to serve as proctor of the freshman dormitory In which I lived at Aberdeen. But that was my only contact with him and I don't suppose there would be anything In that which you could possibly use." "Didn't anything ever occur that might throw some light on the crime?" Though reasonably Rankin could hardly have expected more, he was dlsnp-- t pointed. "Nothing that I remember." Randall spoke slowly. "Jordan had some dilfleulty with a classmate of his, Ralph Buckley; I heard of that because It took place in my dormitory. But that couldn't have anything to do with. . . ." The detective's recognition of the same startled him. "Ralph Buckley, did you say?" Rankin demanded sharply. "Do you mean that he was also at Aberdeen?" "Certainly at the same time as Jordan, during the past two years. As I said, they were both sophomores Just when I entered. The trouble between them broke out the middle of last year." The boy paused "How is It you were familiar with Buckley's name when I mentioned it?" he inquired curiously. "I had heard he came from Jordan's home town, Vandnlia, and Intended looking him up. Besides that, he Is a freshman right here at the university." It was Walter Randall's turn to be surprised and be raised his eyebrows expressively. "Here at Philadelphia? That's news to me, sir." "Had you known that Stuart Jordan was here before you got news of his death today?" "Only for the past few weeks," the student replied. "I caught sight of him one day going Into the college bookshop on Woodland avenue. I didn't speak to hira then; I meant to look hira up later, but haven't got around to it." Rankin shook his head In obvious perplexity. "I don't see how Buckley could possibly have studied at Aberdeen for two years," he ruminated. "Ills record from the office of admissions says nothing about any college education before he came to Philadelphia. In fact. It distinctly states .that elnce graduating from high school, two years ago, he worked at home." "I think I can explain that," Randall declared. "He simply gave false Information In the application he filled out for admission here. You see, because of his run-iwith Jordan, he was dismissed dishonorably from Aberdeen. With such a blot on his record, no other school In the country would accept him. To get In another college, he would have to begin all over, as If he came directly from high school. And then he'd have to lie about how he spent the two Intervening years. If the university didn't suspect anything. It would believe his story about working." Tne scheme Randall outlined probably explained the deception correctly, but Rankin made a mental note to Inquire of Mr. Warwick as to Its feasibility. "Now, Mr. Randall," he asked, "what was the cause of this trouble between him and young Jordan?" "If I tell you that." th boy slid reluctantly, "I don't want you to use me to prove anything against Buckley. It can't have any connection with n Stuart's death and I wouldn't care to get him into a jam." His entire natural attitude moved the detective to set his mind at ease. "You will have no responsibility at all" he promised persuasively, "I can learn the same facts from the Aberdeen authorities; and they will have to confirm them, anyhow. So it won't be necessary for you ever to appear in the case." Willi this assurance. Randall began an account of the dead boy's feud with Buckley. Though a small institution, Aberdeen maintained separate sleeping r men; end quarters for Its as at other colleges, It was the system there to place upper classmen as monitors In charge of them. While a first-yea- r student, Jordan had served as class secretary; which was probably why he was selected as a monitor during his second term the past year. He had a proctor's duties to maintain order among the rooms he controlled. Inform the proper medical agency of illness among the boys and advise them when he could. He must also report serious Infractions of school regulations to the official executive committee. In particular, the edict against gambling In the dormitories was very strict. The first discord was caused by Jordan's discovery of Buckley and two of his charges engaged In a crap game for large stakes. Both the students were young men and Inexperienced, with more money and less balance than was good for them; somehow, Buckley had become acquainted with them. At that first encounter, there was no actual quarrel nor any suggestion that Buckley did not play an honest game. When Jordan arrived, the youngsters had already lost two hundred dollars; but he merely requested them to quit the game and not repeat the offense. His classmate had protested so angrily that Randall, on the floor below, heard the commotion; In the end, however, Buckley submitted with bad grace. It was Jordan's second encounter with Buckley that precipitated the fight. Toward the first of April, he learned in some manner that a similar game was In progress; and Interrupting It, he found the two freshmen again heavy losers. This time less lenient, most of his Indignation was directed against Buckley. He ordered him to stay away from the students in his dormitory and threatened to compel him to do so. And then, because he already knew of something a disreputable in his past life In he accused him of cheating with loaded dice. Before he could be Jordan seized them and stopped. proved his claim that they were weighted Inside. Buckley then attacked him, partly In hatred and partly In dismay at being caught; violent blows were exchanged and a battle royal might have ensued had not other occupants on the same floor been at tracted by the uproar and separated the antagonists. Randall had no Idea how Information of the altercation and Its causes reached the college authorities. In all probability, one of the disgruntled victims of Buckley's fraud carried the tale to the executive committee. At any rate, Randall knew definitely that several days later that body began an Investigation. Jordan, the two fresh- first-yea- Van-dali- SYNOPSIS Stricken during initiation into the Mil Beta Sigma iratarnitjr, Stuart Jordan, university student, im almost instantly. Tammy Rani Philadelphia detective, takes chnrge of the in vestigation. An injection of poison is shown to have been the cause ei Jordan's death. Rankin finds ail the dead student's shoes are marked with thumbtacks His only known relative is h:s uncle, Howard Merrick. St. Louis banker, also his guardian. It seems possible that so member of the fraternity, was person, not present at the initiation. Two students from the vicinity of Vandalia. Ill, Jordan's home town, Ralph Buckley and Walter Randan, fig. ure in the investigation. A prominent lawyer, Edward Fletcher, present at the initation, engages Rankin's attention. Chock stubs show that Jordan bad been paying $400 a month to mm unknown person. At the negative reply, Rankin rose and thanked the boy for his assist ance; It was evident that he could give hira no further Information at the moment. The detective did not make the mistake of placing too great a value as yet upon his account. True, It represented his first progress In the case anil revealed a motive for Jordan's death. While it might seem rather weak to the adult point of view, a col lege man would be apt to consider It serious and exaggerate Its gravity And In Buckley, who was evidently something of a rogue, It would rankle and excite a bitterness more malignant than a worse Injury. Particularly If, since coming to the university, the murdered boy should have again clashed with him or Interfered with his pursuits. But to prove that Buck ley had reason to commit the crime was not enough, if he lacked the op portunity. That problem Rankin could not deal with until he learned where the two missing brothers had been dur ing the Initiation. It seemed Impossible ' that Buckley, presumably a stranger to the ritual,' was nevertheless present at the ceremony. Rankin went to the dormitory post office; and introducing himself to Mr. Thorne, In charge of sorting and distributing incoming mails, questioned him as to letters Jordan might have But the postmaster never had got. occasion to notice his particular mall. Still, he said, as the boy owned a letter box, number 397, and a corresponding key, he probably received a great deal of it. He promised faithfully to watch for further communications and apprise Rankin of them. It was three-fifteewhen the detective reached the Mu Beta Sigma house. Anthony Graham opened the door for and Stanton, looking more him, harassed than ever, Joined them In the Before leaving headquarters, hall. Rankin had phoned the fraternity, requesting that Larry Palmer and Ben Crawford await his arrival; the president said that they had been there since two o'clock. Rankin apologized for his tardiness. "It took me longer than I expected to settle other details of the case. . . . Now, Mr. Stanton, if you will allow me to have the living room alone for a short while, I'll speak to them in there. Separately, of course; It Is Immaterial which you send in first." Benjamin Crawford presented him self first the only member of the chapter he had not yet met A dapper features, art youth, with less eyes and blond hair, his efforts to look more mature were amusing. He seated himself nonchalantly on the sofa, adopting a attitude to foster that impression. But neither poise nor the fine mustache he sported could conceal the fact that he was only nineteen, "You know what I want from you, Mr. Crawford," Rankin said. "I don't have to explain, after last night, the Importance of checking the movements of every one In the house. You were absent and I couldn't do It In your case. The question Is, where did you spend your time yesterday evening?" "It's an awful business, isn't It, sir?" Crawford replied without hesitation. I had a date with 'Poor Stunrt. a girl and missed the whole thing." "Weren't you at the Initiation at all? You didn't stay a while and leave before the ceremony was over?" The boy shook his head. "No, I went out at least fifteen minutes before the meeting started. My date was for nine o'clock, way up in Oak lane; as It takes almost an hour to get there, I left the house at eight." "That's all that really matters," Rankin said. "Let me have your friend's name and address; as a matter of form, she will have to confirm your statement. 'But I can't," Ben Crawford re turned. "That's just the trouble. I don't know where to find her or what her name is. You see, It was a blind a pick-up- , date in the first place in fact, 1 was never Introduced to the girl. And then, when I reached the place I was to meet her, she wasn't there." Ills Injured tone showed he considered himself lily used. "She stood me up." Rankin's voice was suddenly sharp. But although she failed to keep her appointment at only nine o'clock, you had not returned to the house here by three-thirt- y this morning. How do you explain the delay, Mr. Crawford?" The student's blase poise remained n d psuedo-sophisticate- d ... in m I',, i Will Have No Responsibility at All," He Promised Persuasively. "You men and others were summoned before It and perforce testified against. Buck ley ; as a result, he was expelled from Aberdeen. "Did It ever come to your ears," Rankin asked when the student concluded his recital, "that Buckley threatened Jordan? He must hnve considered him to blame for his disgrace." Itandall shook his head. "I suppose but I couldn't say about that," he answered. "You see, as far as I'm concerned, the whole affair Is hearsay; I wasn't In the dorm at the time of the argument. I got It all from other feliows afterward and can only tell yon what they told me." "Do you know what became of Buckley between the time he left Aberdeen and turned up here?" he did, ... unruffled. "It's a rather long story sir. I met her first, last Thursday night, out in Oak lane. I was waiting for a street car to take me to the sub way line back Into town; I had been calling on another girL who lives at I left 6100, north of the first station. her at twelve-thirtand went to the corner of Godfrey and York roads for my car. And there was this girl by herself. I don't suppose we would have got acquainted, much as I wanted to, if I hadn't caught her looking di rectly at me. Then, when our eyes met, she smiled as if she wouldn't mind speaking to me, either." Conceit edly, he fingered his mustache tips. "So I opened up a conversation with her." "You Just couldn't help speaking to her," Rankin's lips twitched In the ghost of a smile. "And what hap y pened then?" "Well. I couldn't pass up anything that promising, could I? . . . Anyhow, she wasn't offended and after a while, I suggested that I might see her home, She said It was impossible that night, but If I cared to, we could fix up a date together for early this week. So we arranged to meet at nine o'clock last night at the same spot; I didn't care If I missed the initiation. But she wouldn't tell me who she was or where she lived. I asked if I could phone her In the meantime, but she promised to ring me instead, on Sun day. She said that would prove she Intended to show up. I gave her the frat. phone number and my name . . . not my right name, of course." The boy smiled. "Not yet ; just the one I always use until I'm better acquainted with the date." "And did she actually call up on Sunday?" "Yes, and that's why it is so pecu liar," Crawford answered. "While she didn't tell me about herself, she prom ised faithfully to see me last night. Yet she never turned up; I waited at the corner a half-houbut there wasn't a sign of her anywhere." "She was probably Indulging in some fun at your expense," Rankin commented. "Even so, that accounts for where you were only until nine-thirtlast night." For the first time, the boy's aplomb was shaken and he weighed his reply. "After that I . . ." he began, "well, I suppose I may as well admit I visited another girl friend of mine." He ex "To tell the plained apologetically: truth, I had been counting heavily on the date and when it fell through, I was depressed; I wanted some company to cheer me. Then I phoned this girl for permission to drop in, and she agreed to my visiting her." "When was this?" the detective asked. "What time was it, Mr. Crawford?" "I called her as soon as I got back to town again ; that was ten-teThis girl lived in the opposite direction, in South Philly, and I had to return to town anyway to go to her apartment. s That took of an hour and 1 arrived at half past ten." The young man plucked nervously at his mustache. "But but I can't give you any more information about her," he declared. "You can't?" Rankin demanded bluntly. "Why not? You mean you won't?" I . . ." Crawford "Well floundered. "I don't want to get her into trouble. You see, I . . . 'was with her till morning; I spent the night there." A flush of embarrassment suffused his face. "If that should come out, it would be awkward ; she'd probably lose her job and It wouldn't look any too nice for me, either." "There isn't the slightest danger her name will figure in this affair," Rankin stated emphatically. "My only interest In you, Mr. Crawford, is in tracing your movements last night. As long as this girl can prove you were In her company, I am not a bit con cerned with your conduct, otherwise. Anyhow, if necessary, I could learn her Identity through your fraternity brothers. They could list your friends and then it would only be a matter of elimination." "No, I'd rather tell you myself. Her name is Florence Dalton and she Is a graduate at the university hospital, here. Her place in South Philadelphia is a apartment at 4020 Har mon street ; she occupies It alone." "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." The detective rose. "I think that Is all I want to ask nt the present. Will you please have Mr. Palmer come In next?" After Ben Crawford left the room. his features were a deep study and his eyes held a questioning, dissatisfied look. For, despite the tale he had Just heard, he still remained uncertain whether the thirty-seconperson at the initiation was a fraternity member or an Intruder. He had no reason to doubt the boy or suspect him of lying; nor grounds for connecting him with the crime. he Nevertheless could still hnve attended the ceremony the night before, provided that he managed to escape unnoticed right after Jordan collapsed. That occurred y three-quarter- ... ... two-roo- at fully three-fourth- s of an hour before Crawford's phone call to Miss Dalton at ten-tecon lie-for- J ... 1 1 . p ITO EK CONTUri'llIX) O Bell Syndlrata. WNU Service. |
