Show w r u F T THE E STORY THUS FAR Adam Bruce Druce ruce FBI operator Inspector Tope and Mrs Topo Tope met In the Maine woods Tope found a man murdered who was at first identified as head of ot New England England Eng Eng- land utilities Mrs Ken Kell was found murdered murdered mur mur- dered In car and Ken Kell committed committed com suicide Joo Joe Dane assistant DA D.A. accused Tope of or bungling hungling the case casc so took charge Tope arranged for tor Eberly to keep a fishing date with the man who was said to be While they were In the canoe upset the thc canoe Topo and Bruce In a motor boat went out and brought the men to shore Led Led- forge told about his twin brother and how bon he be thought Holdom had bad done the mur mur- ders CHAPTER XV lV He spoke so simply that his accusation accusation ac nc- ac- ac cusa tion lacked locked reality cried I cant can't believe youre you're serIous serious serious seri serI- ous Why yes Tope assured him Im serious The door from the hall haIl opened and they all looked that wa way saw Bee Dewain For a moment no one spoke and Bee said Go on please May I listen Tope answered her Were just trying to make Mr admit that he was the man mm in in Little Bear last Friday night he explained and turned to again If U you weren't he challenged how did you know it was a dog blanket that they wrapped him up In I 1 said blanket but I 1 never mentioned a dog Why Ive I've been in Holdom's garage garage ga gay rage many times When you said blanket I 1 thought of the police dog sleeping on his blanket in the corner there Well Wen maybe mabe Tope agreed but before he could speak again Joe Dane took a hand Here was it seemed to him not only his cue but Bee Dewain for an audience to witness his triumph over Tope He strode a little forward and spoke briskly Come Tope he said with a mocking kindness I guess youve you've gone as far asfar far as you can haven't you Maybe youve you've got at the truth all allright allright allright right but Tope It isn't enough for forme forme forme me to know the truth I 1 have to tobe tobe be able to prove it I 1 have to get something that will pass as evidence in court Tope looked at him thoughtfully u-That's u so son he agreed You do have to try the case dont don't you Joe nodded So while youve you've been reading dream-books dream and telling fortunes by the cards he derisively derisive derisive- ly explained Ive been collecting a few facts just facts just plain facts And of course one particular fact One good fact that cant can't be shaken is all we need Isn't it Adam Bruce demanded Joe do you have to be a fool twice In one day But Tope touched Adams Adam's arm hushed him Now Adam he protested protested pro pro- tested you let Joe set off his fireworks fireworks fire fire- works It wouldn't surprise me a abit abit abit bit if il he had something Joes Joe's a smart young man Then he ought to know better better- Joe said resentfully Now wait watt waita watta a minute minu e Bruce After all this case is my job This old man hasn't an ounce of evidence but I have I can prove that Rufus here was in Little Bear that night Friday night he said exultantly Rufus was all right Tope as as- I know that too But you cant can't prove it Why that depends I Maybe not Well I t Ican can said Joe proudly While youve you've been chasing will o wisps the-wisps Ive I've found a witness Ive I've got a man who heard Mrs Kell KeIl in inthe inthe inthe the cottage that night call Led Led- forge here by name n I Tope exclaimed Well if f you have that's something sure Dane laughed exultantly You bet it Is he cried Its worth all your guess work Called him by name did she Tope reflected Joe cried in a hot triumph Yes she did And he explained carefully carefully care care- fully tully I think she was begging him not to leave poor Christopher there thereto to die But at any rate she said Oh no please dont don't Rufe Rule Dont Don't Rufe Rule please Rule Rufe eh ch Tope echoed Sure Rufus Rufus And that's proof enough to convince any Jury with jury with the rest of what weve we've got that got that Rufus was In Little Bear that night Tope rubbed his mouth with his hand he wagged his head Why Joe he said Rufus was In Little Bear that night all right Or right handy But the woman Mrs Kell KeIf she wasn't talking to him and i if she had been he wouldn't have heard her Rufus was out In inthe the car under the rumble scat seat sick and unconscious with the drugs in inI r I him No Rufus couldn't hear her herl Joe stammered What are you youg t talking g a about bou t This man here isn't Rufus Led Led- forge son said Tope This what This what s-what what was his brothers brother's name this name this here is Christopher And while they were all aU for a moment moment mo mo- ment merit silent Bee Dewain Dewain-as Dewain as though she had heard what she came to hear quietly bear quietly slipped away Bee had departed but no other moved Only laughed appealing appealing appealing ap ap- pealing to young Joe Dane to big Mat Overland r Who Is this this aged aged jackass he protested protested Oi 01 r best friends couldn't distinguish between us so you may ha have ve to take my word for it yetI yet I assure I am Ruf Rufus not riot you s poor Ch Christopher t op h cr t. t w- w c J 0 Who was your jour dentist Tope inquired Doctor Loud Doctor smiled No Loud was I 1 went to toa toa toa a New York man There was a mocking triumph in him Oh I 1 assure you we covered all points Inspector In Just the same Tope insisted youre joure bound to be Christopher Rufus Rufus Rufus Ru Ru- fus wouldn't have any good reason to kill Christopher but Christopher figuring he could step Into his brothers brother's shoes take over the money and the power that his brother had accumulated hed he'd hed he'd have plenty of reason to kill Rufus Yes youre you're Christopher It dont don't make sense any other way started to speak but Tope said implacably why you tried to drown Mr Eberly Because Because Because Be Be- cause he told you that you didn't look like Rufus I figured you'd try to kill him if he did suspect and when you invited him to go fishing and andI I 1 found out he couldn't swim I guessed how you'd do it You had tried to find out two weeks ago whether hed he'd notice anything tried anything tried to see him but he was away You were checking up ahead of time with him and Mrs Kell to see i if they'd realize you weren't Rufus Must have had this idea In mind before before be be- fore ore Rufus got sick and gave you the chance to pull it ot off You fooled her then so you jOU took a chance on being able to fool Eberly And he explained So I 1 told him to pretend to see a difference In you today and he did and you tried to drown him Ridiculous He imagined that And Mrs Kell KeU Tope added relentlessly relentlessly relentlessly re re- re- re in Little Bear the other night finally r realized you weren't Rufus That was why you killed her said harshly Man Ian youre you're Tope cut in Well i if you jOU weren't there how did you happen to think of Kells Kell's shoes with the plates heel on them I mentioned footprints but not Kell Fell nor his heel licked dry lips Just a guess I It would be natural for Holdom Holdom Holdom Hol Hol- dom to put on some one else's shoes and Kells Kell's were available Mr he confessed I laid some traps for you awhile ago when I was telling you the story I 1 didn't tell you that the sweater was gray You stepped Into that one I didn't say the wires were ignition wires or that it was electricIans electricIans' electricians electricians' electricians electricians' elec elec- tape or that it was the dogs dog's blanket You dodged the wires and the tape but you stepped right Into the dog one I didn't mention that your brother was drugged but you jOU did I 1 didn't say anything about Kells Kell's shoes but you did I 1 didn't say your brothers brother's body was in the rumble but you did He added calmly And there was one more the worst of alL all- You put I your neck right into that one Led Led- I I forge You knew it the minute you did it Youre crazy cried hoarsely I mean Tope explained that I 1 didn't tell you Mrs Kell was stran Oh she was all right But how did you know Tope as he spoke turned toward the door Now before terribly terribly terribly ter ter- I shaken could reply the old man said Oh hello maam ma'am They all swung that way Here were Mrs Tope and Bee and between between be bey tween tureen them they supported Miss The little old woman white as a wraith came uncertainly y yinto into the room She looked from one oneto oneto oneto to another till her eyes fastened on her brothers brother's face and then she spoke Christopher she whispered Christopher She tottered weakly took one step toward her and she seemed to collapse upon a grea great t divan there beside her Mrs Tope cased eased her as she fell fen the old woman woman wom worn an lay with eyes closed breathing heavily strode briskly toward her Careful gentlemen he said warningly My sisters sister's heart cannot cannot can can- not withstand a heavy shock lIe He came to where she lay Iny and his hand caught up her wrist his fingers pressed the pulse he stood intent and listening Then without a word he took from his vest pocket a small vial poured half a dozen pellets into his hand selected one ene replaced the others Some one get water he whispered whis Here Alice Allee swallow this His hand touched her cheek Her lips opened received the small pel pel- let She seem seemed elf to swallow And Tope said softly behind Doctor will she die Oh no assured him and then he Whirled to face the other other other oth oth- er man and his check cheek w was s ashen Im not a doctor he cried desperately des des- You took her pulse like one said Tope He a added ded And you answered answered answered an an- to the name of one And your sister is like me She thinks youre you're Christopher And Christopher's ChrIstopher's Christopher's Christo ChrIsto- pher's a doctor Usten listen lis Us- said rapidly No ten I must explain gentlemen my sister has hallucinations Has been for years a little witted dim-witted and she's frightfully upset now She always always always al al- al- al ways worshiped Rufus Tope looked past at the woman on the couch So its it's Rufus that's dead not Christopher stammered No no not nol I meant Christopher Christopher- But Miss spoke behind him Her voice was faint yet strong If IOU Rufus is dead you killed him Christopher whirled on her In incredulous incredulous incredulous ulous surprise he appealed to them all How can she hear Without her phone ear She is deaf as a apost apost apost post I can read your lips Ups Christopher Christopher Christopher Christo Christo- pher said Miss I have done so for years have thus known many secret ugly things about you You mustn't talk Alice Alicel Led Led- forge cried Your But Tope said calmly Oh sh she wont won't die Doctor Christopher She di didn't nt swallow the pill you gave her If U you could have killed Eberly and your sister you might have taken your brothers brother's place with no one to prove you weren't Rufus But Eberly's Eberlys Eberlys Eberly's Eberlys Eberly's Eber- Eber lys ly's alive and so is she And he spoke to Mrs Tope Give Mr Cumberland that pill Miss Led Led- forge didn't swallow my dear Hell He'll want to have It analyzed to see RIts RIt's if R i its it's the right medicine to give a weak old woman when she has a aheart aheart heart heart attack Mrs Tope obediently dropped the white pellet into Mat Cumberland's great hand But laughed he said briskly Of course it Is He lifted lilted that small bottle from his pocket again poured the pills out into his palmI palm I kept a supply always ready he said helped her before They're all the same Like this one one one- And he selected one and suddenly sudden sudden- ly lifted it toward his mouth But Adam Bruce long since forewarned was ready His smashing blow stretched prone and sense sense- less The pills went flying all across the floor THE END BUD |