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Show LEHI FREE PRESS, LEHL UTAH r - : Sally Sez 1.4 1 "A. IL jxuiton s T 7? Copyright. 1)32. by MUtoo Propper WXU Serrico f CHAPTER IV Continued 7 Morton relaxed, tils relief patent In big more genuine amiability. -Well, Nick will be glad to help yon if he can. Tommy. Just who is this guy you want to know about?" "The friend who came here with Mr. Palmer yesterday evening at eight Itan-ki- n o'clock, for a couple of drinks," elaborated. "His name U Buckley. Ue left first, alone; and Mr. Pal- mer was too much under the weather to remember what time he went. Aa Nick served them, I thought he could tell me." The proprietor glanced about the large chamber. "Perhaps we had better talk this over where It's more private," he suggested. Rankin acquiesced, and Morton led thein back Into the long corridor, entering one of the rooms lining It; he shut the door and all took chairs but the waiter. The fairly audible murmur of voices came from the adjoining chamber, though the words spoken were Indistinguishable. Morton modulated his voice. "We'll have to talk quietly." He shrugged toward the wall. "The partitions aren't as thick as they should be; and some of the boys are having a little game next door." lie turned to the waiter. "Do you remember Mr. Palmer and his friend being here last Bight, NIckr The waiter's positive and verbose reply was accompanied by numerous gestures. "I sure do, boss ; dese Meester Buckhere before," be said, In ley, he's-l, bis broken English. "An Meester he's-- a da boy what I tol' you dese-morning give me all dat troub' last-night" He made a grimace of distaste at the student "When hls-friend go off, he's-- a sleep an I no bot'er him till muybe 'leven 'clock and ,1s lots-- busy. Den I wake him up, but he's-- drink too much for going way hlsself ; so Signor Cassldy an' me, we gotta carry him an' put-- him out da door, almost." "Had you noticed either Mr. Palmer or his friend particularly, before thatr Rankin asked the next question himself. "That Is, beside waiting on them?" Nick pondered It seriously. "Well, In every five-I come-minute, maybe dey want somet'lng else," he responded. "An' I see dese-- a Buckley talking to Meester Palmierl an' bending close, lak he's-- a whispering. He's-got arm 'round hes-- shoulder. Dese no say nut'ing." boy here, he's-Undoubtedly, Rankin reflected, Nick had observed Buckley searching his already dmgged victim for his keys ; ho screened the act by a pretense of an Intimate colloquy. "And then, Nick, what happened?" the waiter answered. "Noting," "Dey look-- a busy an' I go into baek-room again. An' in flve-- a minute, I come in an' Meester Palmier! he's-all alone, sleeping. Dese Buckley, he's-gone, no say nut'ing." "Five minutes later, you say?" Rankin queried. "Then he went between and "Dat's-right, Meester Rankin," Nick affirmed. "He's-- no more here, twenty-flve-- a minute past." The detective nodded his satisfaction, for the twenty minutes between five and was ample to allow Buckley to reach the fraternity house. lie had easily time to call at his rooms for a costume similar to those worn at the Initiation and still enter the chapter room as the second late coiner. When Rankin established that the waiter had told all he knew, he thanked him and dismissed him. It may have been because Nick left the door open that the conversation on the other side of the wall suddenly became audible. Or perhaps the occupants behind it spoke more loudly than before. But, as the waiter quit the room, the harsh sound of deep tones lifted In anger, came through the separating partitions; and the words held an unmistakable menace. "D n It, kid, you can't pull that Ptult on me again ! I want that money In a hnrry; you lost It in a straight open game of blackjack with me and Lew Meyer. If you come here to gamble and get burnt, you've got to pay for It understand? This Is no child's a Pal-mler- a a a a a a a a a a a a a a y eight-twent- a a eight-twent- y And you can trust me this time, too. If you'll wait . . ." Rankin glanced significantly across the table at the proprietor. "There might be serious trouble," he ob served. "Tou ought to step in an.1 Better see what It's about, Gussie. not let It go too far." "It's Carl Walton in there with some body," Morton growled; he rose, his face red with displeasure. As he left the room, the detective felt Larry Palmer's band grasp his arm. The boy's eyes blazed in a countenance gone suddenly as white as chalk. "Mr. Rankin," he whispered hoarsely, "that second fellow . . . the one It's this chap is . . . threatening. Ned Ned Patterson!" - Rankin was as startled as the boy. Are you sure of that?" "Patterson? he demanded. "Yes, I recognize his voice," Palmer answered tensely. In an Instant Rankin had followed the proprietor Into the adjoining chamber. Palmer at bis heels. The boy's perception had been accurate. A chair was upset ; and in a blue haze of cigarette smoke, Jordan's sponsor stood stiffly behind It, as though on guard, his dark sallow features half defiant and half alarmed. Ills weak chin quivered slightly. At the sight of Rankin, Walton In terrupted the lecture Morton had begun about his behavior ; his Ire changed looked Patterson Into annoyance. chagrined as Palmer entered after. The detective greeted the gambler with a serenity his Intimates would have recognized as ominous and deceptive. "How are you, Carl? We have mutual friends, it seems; I also happen to know Mr. Patterson. And I hardly approve of where he spends his time or the company he keeps. Probably Patterson Isn't aware of your reputation as one of the slickest sleight-of-hanperformers who ever handled a deck of cards. Inexperienced students make easy victims; you've evidently taken him over." He turned to Patterson. "For how much was It?" a little about fifty-fiv- e "Only dollars, this time." The boy spoke as If he relished the Interference no more than the gambler. "And every cent won honestly. Rankin," Walton declared. "You can't prove anything different If he Isn't a welcher, he'll pay his debt." The detective shrugged. "Well, maybe he will another time, though not If he is wise; I can't keep track of what he does in the future. But right now, until you get cooled off. I think he had better leave the club with me." "Oh, I wasn't going to hurt him. Tommy," the gambler claimed hastily. "I only wanted to throw a scare into him." Larry Palmer broke In, backing Rankin's suggestion. "Come along, Ned; let's go back to the fraternity," he said. "This Is no place for either of us." But Instead of assenting, his schoolmate was palpably and Inexplicably reluctant to Join him. "No, I'll be along later, Larry. There won't be any more trouble, I'm d ... ,( eight-forty-flv- e playl" A younger voice replied, more highly pitched and hesitant, but also dis- tinct "But I don't have it tonight," It said Insistently. "I Just wasn't able to get It! 1 swear I'll bring it to yon to morrow, though." "Nothing doing, kid!" The first speaker's wrath Increased noticeably. "You promised that before; I let yon off Monday If you agreed to have the money In my hands yesterday at the .latest And last night, yon didn't even Show npl Well, get this, kid," his Tolce rang with a cold fury: "no more ' chances; you aren't going to get away with any more stalling!" The desperate tones of the younger ,man echoed a note of apprehension, if ot fear. "Honestly. I'm not trying to do that Only I need a little more time. I've lwayc paid you before,, haven't I? oft mm "And Hardly Approve of Where Spends His Time or the Company He Keeps." I H sure; and don't suppose If I stay a short while longer. It will. . . "You'll do nothing of the kind, Patterson!" Rankin was curt, his level tones carrying a distinct command. "If, after this experience, vou are foolish enough to return here some other day, that's your lookout. But tonight yon go when I do. I'm taking charge and won't be responsible for letting you stay." There was no gainsaying the compulsion of his order. As Tatterson morosely and unwillingly followed Palmer Into the hall, Rankin paused behind the two boys for a final word with the proprietor. "I have a little advice for you, Gussle. Yon won't find It a healthy policy to develop a clientele among the university students. Remember, the vice squad only wants a decent I versity, as it was from him I heard iiat tiaij happened." "And 1 then accompanied Mr. MerStricken during initiation inta the Ma Beta rick to the morgue." the supervisor Sigma fraternity, Stuart Jordan, university student, die almost instantly. Tammy Rankin, added, "to pay our last respects to the Philadelphia detective, takes charge of the Inwe have come of shewn Aa is to boy. That la where injection vestigation. poison from." have beea the cause el Jordan's death. Ranltin finds all the dead student's shoes are marked A look of pain tempered Mr. Merwith thumbtacks. His only known relative is stern features. "It is my derick's b'a uncle, Howard Merrick. St. Leu is banker, sire, Mr. Rankin, to have Stuart's realso his guardian. It seems possible that some mains sent home as soon as possible. person, not a member oi the fraternity, was present at the initiation. Two students frara I don't want him buried among stranthe vicinity of Vandalia. 111., Jordan's bom gers; he'd prefer, himself, to rest betown. Ralph Buckley and Waher Randall, figside his parents. No doubt that can ure in the investigation. A prominent lawyer, Edward Fletcher, present at the initiation, be arranged." Rankin's attention. Check stubs show "At your convenience. . . . And that Jordan had beea paying (400 a month to now, Mr. Merrick," Rankin went on, some unknown person. A significant fact discovered is that a student, Larry Palmer, Mn "distressing as the subject must be, I Beta Sigma member, was drugged on the night will ask you to bear with my questions of the initiation and his keys, including a key the boy, his life and family. about of the fraternity house, stoiea from him. Only in this way can we hope to solve Ralph Buckley had been Palmer's companion of the evening. the mystery of his death; and I am First counting on your let me understand your position. You excuse for coming down on you like a are the boy's guardian, I believe?" ton of bricks." "That's right," the visitor answered When Rankin left the gambling soberly. "Mr. Jordan's will appointed house at eleven o'clock, with the two me guardian and executor as well. My fraternity brothers, an extremely worbank Is the trustee of the property, ried and uncomfortable which comes to him under Its terms proprietor watched him depart when be reaches . . ." he pursed his tightened lips and corrected himself, "when he would have reached twenty-two- . CHAPTER V Stuart's late mother was my sister and only immediate relative; and, The Jordan Estate as Mr. Jordan also had no near kin, he At nine the next morning the secplaced the boy's interests In my hands." ond after the murder Rankin pre"I see," Rankin mused slowly, "you sented himself at the Philadelphia are in the banking business in VanWestern bank. To the cashier, Mr. dalia?" Perry, he explained his interest In Jor"I am the president of the First dan's account. But the cashier could bank. It Is a position my Exchange not aid In tracing the Identity of the father held before me for many years." recipient of the dead boy's mysteri"How long has It been since Mr. and ous monthly checks for four hundred Mrs. Jordan died, Mr. Merrick?" dollars. Canceled checks, he related, "My sister passed away In the winwere returned to their makers quarterlter of 1922," the guardian Informed y. Jordan's most recent payment Rankin. "She was barely thirty-six- , that of March second had not yet and Stuart a boy of twelve. Mr. Jorbeen cashed, it appeared. dan followed her five years later. He By ten o'clock, the detective was was forty-five.- " back at headquarters. There he turned For a brief period, the detective was over to Detective Lester Gordon the "That makes your nephew1 thoughtful task of finding the taxi Buckley must twenty-on- e years old now," he comhave taken from the Morton club, to mented presently. "He was an only reach the Mu Beta Sigma house by child?" Tuesday evening. With"Yes. In fact, we are the only memout the taxi driver's testimony, he had bers of our family remaining. I am a nevertheless ample evidence to Justify bachelor and have no dependents." an arrest ; and once Aberdeen college Rankin glanced toward Mr. Ware replied to his inquiries there, and wick, silent but attentive, before conreported, he Intended swearing tinuing. out a warrant. But this gave Rankin "Please tell me about Stuart's parno excuse for neglecting so obvious a ents," he requested, "something about link in his case as the driver's deposiwho they were and their life totion. gether. I'd like to get an Idea of his The detective also Instructed Goryouth and the character of his home don to visit Croft hall at his first opinfluences." portunity, to complete the investigaWith his prompting, Mr. Merrick tion he had left unfinished there. Also, supplied a lucid summary of the enthere was the cleaning woman to be vironment in which young Jordan grew interviewed. up. His father, Edward Jordan had e "Be particularly thorough when you been a man, the son of a mechanic In Vandalia ; and he worked question her, Lester," Rankin admonished. "Someone marked all of Jorstrenuously to give Stuart the college dan's shoes with thumb-tacks- ; and it education he had lacked. As a rising was done recently within a few days young architect, his marriage at twenty-sebefore his murder. I want to know ven, to Alice Merrick caused when anyone might have a chance to prophetic comment in the town. For get at them; also whether she saw she was the daughter of its foremost banker and a great beauty, with opany person about his rooms, acting the least bit suspicious. And Jordan's portunity for a more brilliant match. desk looks as If it had been searched. But the union proved harmonious. UnFind out from the charwoman If she til his mother died, Stunrt's home life observed anything in connection with had been normal enough without parthat Probably his shoes and desk ticular change ; and after, he was sent, were both tampered with at the same as Rankin had already learned, to a time, by the same person." private school. "All right. Tommy, I've got that all Meanwhile, Edward Jordan had straight." Rankin's colleague nodded. reached the peak of his profession. His architectural work was recognized Another angle of the problem Rankin decided to handle himself as soon the country over for its symmetry and as he could. This was the Interview modernity. So that he became quite with, the graduate nurse, Ben Crawwealthy, accumulating property well ford's companion of Tuesday night, to worth over a quarter of a million get her confirmation of his account of dollars. This, coupled with what Mrs. Jordan left her husband in her own himself. After Gordon left, he conferred with right, brought the value of the estate close to half a million. the coroner and Superintendent of Po"And most of it," Rankin asked at lice Wainright about the Inquest on this point in the guardian's account, Jordan. It was to be held that after"Stuart would have Inherited on his noon, a purely routine affair It was birthday?" decided, and little of Importance would twenty-seconMr. Merrick's reply held a shadow transpire. of doubt. "Well, yes . . ." he hesiOn his return to the central bureau tated as If undecided how to explain. after the consultation, an officer Informed him that two gentlemen had "That Is, It would probably become his. But not for certain; the bequest called about the crime at the frahold a restriction and whether he reternity house. "Oue of them said he was from the ceived it all or only an income from It on himself. To obuniversity, sir," he told Rankin. "I depended entirely he said you would be back shortly. I tain the property at twenty-two- , thought It would be all right for them had to deserve it. That is, he could not disobey my reasonable orders or to wait In Captain Thomas' oflice." was As it close upon eleven o'clock, do anything while under that age of which, in effect, I would disapprove. the detective surmised that his visAt least, that was the gist of the conitors must be Mr. Warwick, with Jorthe will constituted me the dition; dan's guard'an who had Just arrived. final Judge of his deportment until my O. "That wat K., Simpson," he retrusteeship ended." turned briskly. "I'll see them imme"Can you specify the terms more diately." Rankin asked search-Ingly- . particularly?" In the office, the supervisor greeted him and presented his companion, a "As nearly as I remember," the tall, well built, middle-ageman, as banker complied carefully, "Stuart was Howard Merrick. The lengthy contour to receive an Income of ninety-flvof his face was the only likeness to hundred dollars a year up to his Jordan that Rankin could discern, Inond birthday. Any income earned dicative of their relationship. over that amount went back Into the He motioned both his callers to bulk of the estate. Then, at twenty-two- , chairs. "The Journey east must have the principal of It would be paid been rather a strain," he addressed over to him, but subject to this limitaMr. Merrick sympathetically, and sat tion: that before that time, he bedown himself. "Did you Just arrive, haved In no way which, In my opinion, directly from Vandalia this morning?" was Improper or indicated such a lack "I have been here almost two hours, of moral restraint or stability of charnow," the visitor replied, "after travelacter as to make him unworthy of the ing twenty hours. Naturally, I went If he violated the clause, he legacy. directly to Mr. Warwick at the uni lost the principal though he still SYNOPSIS eight-forty-fi- Gil-mor- self-mad- d d o twenty-sec- retained the Income. If I considered him undeserving, I could deprive him of his inheritance by notifying certain officers of my bank to that effect. Of course, I had to act in good faith and not arbitrarily, or he could appeal to the courts to prove I had abused my trust." "Then these preclude stipulations him from becoming the owner of his father's fortune until his birthday this year?" Merrick shook his head. "On the contrary," he contradicted Rankin, "they devised it to Stuart Immediately, and it belonged to him as soon as Mr. Jordan died. They only postponed his receipt of it, until he led a decorous life up to twenty-two.- " "And after he reached twenty-two- , his right was free of all restrictions?" Rankin asked. "That's right ; my power as a trustee came to an end." The detective bit his lip. "I see. Air. h JEnEs fVAl When we're clinging-- aa fast near the end af ear rope. seems that it's creased and we hartal mack hope. Bat ws And very often that hardship mob ends. If ws ret dowa to earth In ths midst f our friends. LET'S PATRONIZE HOME INDUSTRY It ASK TOUR DRUGGIST FOR APES Witch Hazel Cream (SKIN LOTION) AN INTERMOUNTAIN PRODUCT THIS WEEK'S PRIZE STORY Oor local grocer is a yonng fellow, ant hi stare is small and crowded. Bat ha la laying the foundation te a bigger and better business, because his shelves are filled with Intermountain Made Products. I always experience a thrill of pride when I enter his place and see the variety of Intermountain Hade Products I can select rem, for I know aiy money Is welt spent and doing- - a double duty. EMILY SPENCER, Gtsyj Idaho. EVERYTHING FOR THE BUILDER "And You Are the Merrick?" Mr. Helr-at-La- And just how soon, Mr. Merrick, would Stuart have become twenty-two?"In less than two months. His " birth- LUMBER SASH DO0K3 MOULDINGS GLASS OIL PAINT PLUMBING FIXTURES VALVES PIPE Ketchum Builders' Supply 781 W. Salt Lake City 4th So. believe, is In May the sixth." "Who gets the estate now that the boy died before attaining the age of day, I twenty-two?- " "Obviously his heirs," Mr. Merrick pointed out. "His death makes his ownership absolute; since he can no longer misbehave, it removes the single contingency by which he might lose it Therefore, It passes to his heirs-at-laor if he has also made a will, to the beneficiaries named In it." The detective's eyes narrowed and he spoke in even deliberate tones. Mr. "And you are the Merrick? If, as you say, he had no other relatives?" "Yes, as it happens, I am Stuart's nearest of kin." The admission was casual. "It is rather unlikely that at his age, he made a will disposing of It elsewhere." "Have you any connection with the fraternity your nephew was about to Join?" If the guardian discerned the trend of Rankin's speculations, he gave no sign of perturbation. "No, Mr. Rankin, nor any other fraternity," he responded coolly. "In my college days at the State university in Iowa, I was never affiliated with one. But then they were not so prevalent as today." "Are you acquainted with a physician named Arnold Prince?" Rankin asked. Mr. Merrick knit his brows In concentration. "Dr. Arnold Prince? No, I have never heard of him. Who Is he?" "A member of Mu Beta Sigma from the chapter at Hawthorne university at Fort Wayne. He seems to have known something of Stuart The chapter here Informs me that he notified It of his presence at Philadelphia ; as a loyal alumnus, he recommended Stuart as a prospective candidate. I hoped you could tell me where he gained his knowledge; I thought perhaps he was a friend of your family." The banker's features brightened, as at a sudden recollection. He nodded. "What you've Just said reminds me that I did meet Doctor Prince once; that might explain the source of his Information. He is a St Louis man, isn't he? He called at my bank some time ago, purely on a matter of business; he requested to see me personally about a loan he hoped to float through us. The venture must have fallen through, for after that interview I heard nothing further of It and he never called again. However, during our conversation, he happened to mention that he had attended Hawthorne; and naturally, I told him I had a nephew studying this year at I met him only that Philadelphia. once; and that meeting was wholly fortuitous." "Do you remember when Doctor Prince consulted you about this loan proposition?" "Last year In the fall," Mr. Merrick replied. "The early fall, somewhere about the middle of September." I Si 1 heir-at-la- (TO BE CONTINUID. 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