Show THE TilE STORY THUS FAR FAK Adam Bruce Druce F Fill I operator Inspector Tope and Mrs I Tope met In the Maine woods where they were vacationing Tope found round a man murdered at auto camp operated by Dee Dec Dewain lie He was believed to be Mr head of ot New England utilities Holdom friend of ot was found round unconscious in a hospital I. Holdom's chauffeur KelI had disappeared but hut was later found round In the Faraway cottage He lie admitted his identity but said he did not know where his wife wire was The car had been found round In quarries and it was boo bo- that her body was in the car lie He said that the dead man was not Dot and that upon Holdom's orders he be had hit him over the head I CHAPTER IX Without a word Tope swung sharply sharp sharp- ly into the Mill into the dining Adam and Cumberland followed him and the two men at the table there looked up Then Whitlock i rose i I Hello Tope he said Tope stared at him I knew Id I'd seen you rou somewhere Where The other hesitated Are you OU on this thing Inspector Tope suddenly nodded as though remembering Youre Youra from a private private private vate agency he guessed Whitlock said reluctantly Well yes What are you after alter Whitlock wary as a dog In a strange yard looked at the others here doubt and caution in his eyes The Inspector said insistently Whitlock this this' gentleman is Mat Cumberland the District You'll have to play pIny ball with us And he added You were here Monda Monday Monday Mon Mon- da day night tracing a 3 stolen car car or or orso so you said Why did you come comeback comeback back We heard that a dead man had been found here 1 What That of it Whitlock was si sI- sI lent Who put you on this The detective said nothing your outfit Hutchins Or Myers Myers agency Whitlock admit admit- ted You boys stay here tonight Tope said curtly Yo Youre re taking a high hand band Whitlock protested Where do you rate anyway But Adam Bruce said quietly Im from the Department of Jus- Jus Jus Jus- tice I back Tope and so does DIstrict District District Dis DIs- Attorney Cumberland if il you want to arguel argue Oh all right Whitlock grudgingly grudgingly grudgingly agreed I guess you carry too many guns Tope Well We'll play I I IBee I Bee Dewain said Ill show you youa I a cabin gentlemen and they foli followed fol fol- fol- fol i lowed towed her away Tope as soon as they were gone turned in haste toward the telephone which was in a closet under the stairs They heard his voice muffled mu- mu lied fled as he put in the calL calLA A little later he emerged his eyes shining but he only said speaking to the District Attorney Well Mat that's about all we can do tonight I You'd better take Kell along to town Then he turned to Ned Quill 1 and without any apologies to the others others others oth oth- ers drew Ned aside Son he asked the trooper do you know Sally Tennant the Tennant-the the daughter daugh daugh- ter of Holdom's gardener I Sure Quill returned HeI He SHe grinned Mighty pretty girL I The old man nodded All right Quill go see this Tennant girl girl to to tonight I night or in the morning Her father said she was In love with Bob Flint Holdom's pilot Ask her when she saw him last anything else shell she'll tell you ou Oke Ned agreed Tope turned back toward the oth oth- ers Mat he said to Cumberland dont forget to have Doctor Medford Medford Med Med- ford check on gas in the dead mans man's lungs and whether he was drugged Now good night Ill I'll meet you atthe atthe at atthe the quarry in the morning Cumberland a assented heavily and turned toward the car When they were gone Tope mopped his browand browand brow browand and sighed and turned to Mrs Tope I 1 had to get rid of Mat he said Having him around Is like pushing a piano He's Hes slow Hes slow heavy Now I can get busy I The phone rang and Adam went in to answer it Mrs Tope asked solicitously Must you do anything more tonight Y Youre You're ure so tired Ill rest tomorrow night he promised and he said with a chuckle chuc chuc- kle ide Yes maam ma'am tomorrow night I aim to sleep about twenty-four twenty hours without winking You go along But before she could go Adam returned returned returned re re- re- re turned from the telephone and Bee came back from showing Whitlock and Beal their cabin all tucked in like good little boys she reported and her eyes were twin twin- kling So So meek and mild I loved the w way wy Y you squelched them Tope chuckled and then he asked Miss Dewain do you know anything about a lodge back in the hills somewhere pla place cc 7 OH yes she said quickly Why Mr Eberlys Eberly's there Tope ex ex- claimed She uttered an exclamation exclamation tion at cit once of relief clIef and of ot surprise surprise sur sur- prise and Tope asked Adam you yOU know where it is Adam shook his head Miss Dewain you tell him Tope requested I want to see Mr Eberly And he added You might give me mc that letter to him from Mr 1 Ill I'll give it to him Bee did so readily enough How do you know hes he's there she asked and Tope said Kell told us And he added his tone all reassurance Now that youve you've tucked Whitlock and Beal In bed do as much for Mrs Tope will you He looked at Mrs Tope Unless you ou want to sleep in the Mill my dear No I prefer my own bed bcd Mrs Tope decided So she and Bee departed and Tope and Bruce were left alone Tope mopped his brow and he be asked Sleepy Adam Adam hazarded Up to see Mr Eberly Tope smiled Well yes But first well we'll get these two detectives take them along t clor To introduce me to their client Bruce asked sharply Client Eberly And Tope said his eyes sober No Adam Miss Mrs Tope woke in the first gray grayn nf n 1 rn nit ihn Ih o- o i f I 4 LL M s' s c What for he be asked In a dazed one In expecting to see the Inspector there abed But the bed was untouched Untouched untouched un un- touched and she thought how weary he would be after a sleepless night and lay awhile wakeful waiting for forthe forthe the sound of the car But it did not come and at length the length the sun had hadnot hadnot hadnot not yet risen she risen she rose and dressed quietly and went out of doors Now a car did come along the road with three or four men In It a moment later it turned in at the drive stopped beside the Mill and its passengers tumbled out They had not yet seen Mrs Tope when Earl Priddy came out of the kitchen door and they swarmed about him instantly Mrs Tope watching with amusement saw Priddy suddenly the hero of the hour important erect facing their questions and then their cameras with a high head and steady eye She came near enough to overhear understood overhear understood that these were reporters that the tragedy tragedy tragedy trag trag- edy was public property now Then Bee appeared and later Ned Quill on his motorcycle roared into the drive outside Before his engine engine engine en en- gine died the newcomers were out outto outto outto to meet him Mrs Tope and Bee watched them from the Mill door till suddenly at some word from Quill they went racing away Quill grinned and came toward the Mill and Mrs Tope asked What did you tell them I found the limousine the young trooper explained Hid up in the woods The number plates are arc gone so they cant can't make anything out of it but theres there's blood on the floor I told em about it to get them out of the way so I could see Tope At a little past ten Tope did return return return re re- turn with Adam and a quiet elderly elder elder- ly man whom Bee greeted warmly Why Mr Eberly she cried and she said in affectionate reproach reproach re re- re- re You gave me an awful scare when I telephoned to Ed Priest and you weren't there therel But Mrs Tope was attentive only to the Inspector His eyes were red and tired He asked Anything new Trooper Quill says they'll raise the car out of the quarry about noon she explained Topes Tope's eyes quickened and he turned to the other man Mr Eberly Eberly Eber Eber- ly you stay here will you he re re- re- re quested When Joe Dane set out to fetch Holdom back to North he took with him Ed Pringle a detective detective de do- attached to Mat Cumberland's Cumberland's Cumberland's Cumber Cumber- lands land's office They came at length to the private hospital to which Holdom Hol Hal dom dam had been taken and presented their credentials to the physician in charge The doctor insisted that Holdom could cud not safely travel till morning So it was a little past eight that Joe and Pringle and the doctor went in to see him Dane bi big with the dignity of a small man spoke Mr Holdom he said my name is Dane Im I'm Assistant District Attorney of Highland Highland Highland High High- land County Mr Cumberland my chief sent me to bring you up there Holdom his head swathed In bandages his eyes swollen and weary weary looked looked at Joe slowly What for he asked in a dazed tone Dane glanced ced at Pringle as though calling the other mans man's attention attention attention at at- to his discretion Mr Cumberland Cum berland will tell you himself he said but could not resist adding 11 you dont don't already know I I dont don't know anything Holdom said But Im I'm due at my office Im afraid that Isn't possible said Joe Dane Importantly Bui Bul if you wish Ill I'll let them know that thai f you will be away for a few days A few days Dane smiled grimly A euphemism euphe euphe- he murmured and felt Pringles Pringle's amused eye upon him and colored hotly But thereafter he held his tongue and Holdom made no new objection and presently they were on the road Pringle driving Dane and the hurt hurtman hurtman hurtman man in irs the seat behind Holdom for a while sat staring straight ahead with dull eyes but presently he went stupidly to sleep his head back his mouth open Sometimes when the car struck a bump his face twisted as though he be winced with pain When toward noon they reached the courthouse in North Dane and Pringle supporting Holdom Holdom Holdom Hol Hol- dom who was weak and unsteady on his feet went up the worn old stairs and Dane flung open the thedoor thedoor thedoor door of Cumberland's private office with some notion of making an entrance entrance entrance en en- trance in style But Cumberland was not here to tobe tobe tobe be impressed and the office was in charge of Janet Cumberland Mats Mat's niece a meek colorless young woman woman woman wom wom- an in whose eyes Uncle Mat was an old and rather stodgy man while Joe Dane was young and handsome She looked up at him with shy delight delight de de- de- de light and Joe tweaked her ear and said loftily Hello Jan Office get along all allright allright allright right without me i Weve Veve missed you Mr Dane she told him Theres been so I much going ort oct They caught Kell you know Hes He's the chauffeur And they found the car in the quarry Oh and Mr Dane I have a telephone telephone telephone tele- tele i I phone message for tor you from Earl Priddy You know down at De- De DeI I vaIns Mill He says sas he has some important evidence I Dane chuckled Earls the biggest biggest biggest big big- gest liar in the county But I might run down to the Mill see l if hes he's got any anything thins Be back soon Ed Ed he told Pringle You keep Holdom here Dane found Priddy peeling onions in the kitch kitchen n under Mrs Priddy's watchful eye At sight of Dane Earl came starting to his feet Joe he cried High time you come cornel I got something to tell you you you- Mrs Priddy thrust her husband forcibly back into his chair You Youcan Youcan Youcan can set right there and tell teU it It she exclaimed I want them onions skinned I INow Now Ma this heres here's private and Earl insisted Joe you make her herLet herLet her her- Let him step outside with me for fora a minute Mrs Priddy Joe sug sug- I know you wouldn't want to obstruct Justice She yielded grudgingly Just because because because be be- cause he seen them people when they fust come here here here- she began Earl his hand through Danes Dane's arm ann was already at the door And it was me see this here Kell sneak I I into Faraway too he boasted and dragged Joe outside Saw what people Joe demand demand- ed That Tha t feller and the woman Friday Friday Friday Fri Fri- day night Earl retorted and told the tale talc of the stolen car and then he gave his version of the capture of Kell and of Topes Tope's midnight departure de- de and Joe asked many man v cues Ques I aint a hand to listen Usten Earl said loftily Only in the line of my dooty But Ike Murrell he snoops around all hours of the night He heard this woman that was in Little LittleBear LittleBear LittleBear Bear Friday night them night them that stole the car and car and she was talking to the feller teller with her begging him not to j I do it whatever it was Ike heard her call him by name Name of Rupe Rupel Joe was Instantly alert Rupe he echoed Say was it Rule Rufe Rufus Rufus Rufus Ru- Ru fus Does Docs Tope Topa know about this Rufus was name They found Isaac and ond Joe questioned questioned questioned ques ques- him rapidly Isaac and Earl between them recited re re- re- re ted cited the tale I hear the car come in Earl explained La Late te after everybody was abed I showed em up to Little LittleBear LittleBear LittleBear Bear and he gave me mc five dollars I know I know Joe said im im- im- im patiently You told me But Murrell Murrell Murrell Mur Mur- MurI I rell what were you doing up there Why I dont don't sleep good Isaac Murrell meekly explained And sometimes I go out and walk around and I heard beard her begging him not to do something or other I heard her say Oh no dont don't Rupe Please dont don't Rupe TO BE LIE CONTINUED |