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Show P" TU TS T-' on. tAe Decjd Mcesus Chest i m&cJf ft ill. I volunteered to mal;e a dangerous danger-ous trip to get a doctor. I don't know what happened. I got out, but I couldn't get back. I was too sick myself. I don't know what the others did." "You were Inclined to think that Mr. Turner was sincere when he said his bequest to you was In gratitude?" "It was unexpected, but I had no reason to think it was in enmity." 'It would seem that he planned a massacre and evidently not in gratitude. grati-tude. He must have been pretty sure of the character of some of you." "Well, I want out of it. Ills money can't compensate me for life on these terms. I tell you I'm not an assassin, and I can't protect myself." 'I intend to meet and talk to your two friends," said Stanton, "it may add to your sense of security. Frankly, Frank-ly, Mr. Roberts, I do not know whether you removed the red lights or did not. My guess is that you didn't. My guess is that one of the other two did. Whoever it was had a d nable brutality. He did not care who went off the road. He took a chance he would get the man he wanted. Who's the greater brute of the two?" "Acton Blair, Pd say. But Ashley is trickier. He might be crueler, although al-though he's physically weaker." "It must be apparent to all three of you," said the lieutenant, "that a fourth death will be highly suspicious. We have actors and motives rather plainly before us. I shall advise all three of you to take your increased dividends and trust to luck we can't find the man who took away those lights." For the first time Roberts, standing on Mr. Darling's hearth-rug, smiled. "Don't be simple, Lieutenant," he said. "Murder needn't be legal murder, mur-der, not if you knew Ashley or Blair or the others. Look at the way Brown died. You'd have some difficulty prov- as I can. I thought I could resign. I see I can't. Tut you.'ve heard the last of me. i'ou'U not need to send any more checks. I haven't a great deal, but it's enough. I'm on the wing in a few days, and the person who ever finds me or knows me will he welcome to use his knowledge. Good day to you gentlemen." "Pompey," said Mr. Darling, "assist Mr. Roberts." "Yes, sir" said Tompey. Ronald Roberts had been a Church of England vicar with a small living. An Easter service with twenty dull communicants brought him to a decision de-cision to hereticate, if that were still a way of looking at it, and to become a non-conformist, evangelistic worker in the London slum where his considerable consid-erable power of vivid expressionism might attract attention, possibly an heiress or a tolerable woman witU money. In doing so he was a dramatic dra-matic success of pale and earnest estheticism, but the heiress did not appear. However, Mr. Roberts made some acquaintances outside his mission mis-sion and became Art Twitchley, a character char-acter later wanted by Scotland Yard. In emigrating the ex-cleric and evan-gelist evan-gelist reverted to his proper person as Ronald Roberts, but he did not resume re-sume his priestly function or title. He had not been an Oxford man, and this lack enabled him to disguise the otherwise other-wise fatal quality of English accent in American crime. CHAPTER VII The Three Quick and the Three Dead "You've heard me say I'm not a detective," said the lieutenant aa the door closed on Roberts, "or haven't I thought to mention it? This case seems to recognize my hat size. My mystery plot is to detect three known j characters killing one another for an explained motive at a place easily discoverable. dis-coverable. It will probably be too much for me." "I find an immoral enjoyment in Incidents In-cidents which should be shocking to a person of ethical Integrity," said Mr. Darling. "What do you think of Mr. Roberts' fears? After all, aren't they a little egocentric?" "He Isn't as yellow " Stanton broke off In his sentence, leaving "as I pretend to believe him" unsaid. Roberts Rob-erts was re-entering the room. "Ashley and Blair are coming In at your front gate, Mr. Darling," he said nervously. "Indeed," said Mr. Darling. Roberts went to stand on the rug. "You'll hear their knock at your door in a minute," he said. "They did not see me. They are at your door." Roberts' voice was muted. Mr. Darling's door-knocker sounded three times. "Pompey," Mr. Darling called, "admit "ad-mit the gentlemen and have them come directly In." There was a moment while Pompey opened the door and the callers laid aside their overcoats. Then Ashley and Blair entered. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," said Mr. Darling. "Mr. Roberts you know, of course. You may not know Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Stanton, of the Chicago police." Both men stopped instantly and looked first at Roberts and then at Stanton. It was as if they saw a trap. Then the smaller of the two, a fellow with lively eyes and a square chin, chuckled, and the larger, he was much larger, stepped forward. "Hello, Roberts," he said and turned toward Stanton. "I'm Blair, Lieutenant Lieuten-ant and this is Ashley." The smaller man It was rather in bulk than in stature smiled and bowed. Stanton, having arisen to shake hands, sat down again. He said nothing. He perceived that Blair and Ashley were caught a little off their balance, and he intended that for a while they should guess at the constable. con-stable. .Blair had addressed Mr. Darling. "Came up to see you," he said, "and I see Roberts did. Hello again, Ron. You see, Mr. Darling, It's getting so we're noticed. Why, d n It, we're getting get-ting to be public characters. What's all this? I'm going to sue some one for libel." "You do that, Acton," said Ashley, "and then take it to the bank and see what Mr. Morgan will give you on it." (TO BE CONTINUED.) FROM THE BEGINNING During a "holdup" at the Dutch Mill, Chlrao night club, a patron, pa-tron, Dunn Clayton, is killed. Lieutenant of Police Stanton questions a club visitor, "Buck" Trembly. In Clayton's pocket Stanton found a not signed "ALaJsie," making an appointment appoint-ment with the dead man at the Dutch Mill. Stanton Is inclined ' to suspect Trembly of the murder. mur-der. At a Wisconsin winter camp a boisterous crowd includes Preston Pres-ton Brown. An apparent stranger arrives. Later, two men, driving-, come on the scene. The stranger leaves in his car, and the two men follow, passing him. A viaduct via-duct is out. and one of the two men removes the danger signals. The stranger, In his car, goes over the embankment. lie is dead when found. Brown is dead. In his papers Clayton's name is found and Stanton connects the deaths. He goes to Wisconsin, and finds the dead man is Trembly. Trem-bly. Trembly had caused Brown's death, apparently an accident. A Vermont lawyer, John Whittle-sex, Whittle-sex, reading of the. case, recalls the names in connection with an odd will made by a man named Turner, bequeathing the interest on ?G, 000,000 to six men, Blair. Ashley, Roberts, Brown, Trembly, and Clayton. The income, at the death of each beneficiary, is to be divided among the rest. Turner's Turn-er's son, on the deaths of the six beneficiaries, is to inherit all. Turner dies shortly after making th-e will. Whittlesex suspects foul play in the three deaths, and writes to the Chicago police. Stanton interviews Asa Darling, one of the executors of the will. Darling tells him he believes Turner wanted and expected the six beneficiaries of the will to kill one another, they having in the past Injured him. The will is his method of revenge. Turner's Turn-er's son Is contented and happy with his small income. Roberts, one of the three survivors of the six cared for by Turner's will, visits Darling. He reveals the fact that Blair and Ashley, supposed sup-posed to be abroad, are in this country. CHAPTER VI Continued 8 "Probably?" tbe lieutenant asked. "Couldn't you know?" "Frankly, I kept to my cabin after I saw Ashley. I assumed Elair was with him. I didn't trust them. If I wanted to commit murder a ship's the place I'd choose." "You'd be an awful fool if you did," said the lieutenant, "but why did murder occur to you? You didn't know anything of Clayton, Brown and Trembly then." "I'll refer you to the Turner will," said Roberts, "and then to anyone who has had a chance to know Blair and Ashley. The whole thing was only a question of who and when. Turner wrote that plot. Europe wasn't big enough for the three of us. That's why I was coming back. Blair was with Ashley on the boat. I saw them both on Fifth avenue yesterday. And look here, Mr. Darling, I'm declaring myself out of this. I don't want any more of your d -n checks. I don't want anything to do with the d n will. I'm not going to be hunted down." "Mr. Roberts," said the lieutenant, "as you may have surmised, I am in doubt. I have some convictions and some of them concern you, but there are many doubts. We know Arthur Trembly shot Dunn Clayton or had him shot. We know Arthur Trembly threw Preston Brown on a knife blade. We know Arthur Trembly ran off tbe road and was killed. Hut we don't know, you see, who took away the red lights. If you and Mr. Blair and Mr. Ashley had been in Europe at the time and had remained there you might have left us speculating as to what agencies you could have employed, em-ployed, hut we could not have placed any one of you on the road by the lights. But it appears that you were all three in this country. When did you arrive. Mr. Roberts?" Roberts looked at his questioner as if he suspected his answer would not be satisfactory. "I landed October 7," he said. "And your boat?" "The Empress of Australia." "Oh," a reflective exclamation from the lieutenant. "Did I misunderstand you, Ron. when you said you landed in New York and that Mr. Ashley was on the boat with you?" "That was a slip, an inadvertence. We were on a Canadian boat. I came direct from Montreal to New York." "You landed at Montreal and not Quebec?" "Naturally, for the connection for New York." "Odd. The Empress of Australia does not go above Quebec. Another Inadvertence probably. The ship's list will prove you were on the boat. Your hotel registration in New York will prove you went there. Conse-iuen;y Conse-iuen;y you didn't go from Quebec to ilie Ea':!e River region of Wisconsin. You v.- " not there October 3 because mi ili; n; land until Oeleber We've got to give the three of you that break, Ron. All we need Is a verification of it on the ship's list and the hotel register." "You'll not find It. I didn't use my name in coming over." "You d n little louse! Will you come clean? Pompey, bring me three feet of garden hose." The lieutenant arose to meet Roberts Rob-erts face to face, and Stanton's bulk and conviction dwarfed tbe other's physical and moral nature. "Come clean, before I handle you. Come on, now. Pompey, get me the hose." Mr. Darling arose in horror. "Stop !" he cried. "What is this in my house?" Stanton turned to him and smiled. "Your Roman centurion, Professor. Your lieutenant of Chicago police. Come through, Ron, or I'll put your remains out in the street. You'll have to pardon me, Mr. Darling, but this rat requires it. I want the truth from him. I'm going to have it. I may have to prepare him for it. Look at him. A rough word and he's hot so hard boiled." Roberts had quailed but was recovering, recov-ering, and he was to recover enough dignity in another minute to make use of bis outraged position in Mr. Darling's home. "I wasn't prepared for this treatment," treat-ment," ne said. "It startled me, it was so entirely unexpected." "It startled me," said Mr. Darling. "I had more confidence in Lieutenant Stanton." "Sorry, Mr. Darling, but It was necessary nec-essary to startle Mr. Roberts. I must remind hirn that I can and will throw him into a cell. Now I want the truth. When did you land?" Roberts was silent a moment, looking look-ing down at the rug. " "I think I made a mistake in trying to conceal anything," he said finally. "It's only as to the time. I came over September 15 and landed in New York. "Was it tbe truth that Ashley and Blair were on the same boat?" Stanton Stan-ton asked. "Yes: that is, I saw Ashley as I said. I kept to my cabin, but I saw Blair with Ashley a few days after landing." "Not just yesterday, then?" "No, it was five or sis weeks ago." "So. The entire six of you were here two weeks before the first of these killings." "That's true, but now listen, Mr. Copper. I'm not an assassin. I've been covering, but it's been to protect myself. That's all. I don't mind hazard and danger. , I've had them in my day. But I can't stand being stalked like game. I haven't got the nerves to be expecting a shot from the brush or the alley. So I've been going to pieces in a way. D n them, if they would shoot it out I'd take them on, but I'm not equal to this assassination. That's all there is to it, Lieutenant. I can't stand it. I'm not hot enough. I can't kill first. So I've got to wait for it. I can't do it. You can say I'm yellow. I guess I am, if this is the game. I could have killed both Ashley and Blair. There wasn't much chance of its being difficult diffi-cult or dangerous. I could have got Ashley any time at night, out on the deck, even in his room. Who in h 1 would have suspected me? I could have got Blair in New York. What's another murder in New York? But I can't do it. I want to throw them off me. That's why I came here. I give up my share. I'll get along." "But, Mr. Roberts," said Lieutenant Stanton, "you can't give up to their satisfaction. So long as you live there is an impediment to the redistribution of the estate in the hands of the sole surviving beneficiary. And that, I think, is the object being pursued." "I think you're right," said Roberts. "I've tried to think it otherwise, but I can't. I may he yellow, but I can't go through with it." "Of course you're yellow," said the lieutenant. Roberts turned on him. "No copper can tell me that. I've been more places which asked for guts than any copper ever saw." "One of them made Thomas Turner your enemy," said Stanton. "You might tell us that piece of yellowness." "Lieutenant," Mr. Darling protested, "this has been interesting but " "I know what your objections would be, Mr. Darling, but isn't our pattern defining itself? You may know why Mr. Turner made this will. I can guess. Mr. Roberts here knows. Roberts, Rob-erts, do you want to tell us?" "I presume Turner thought he had been injured. He was wrong as to me." "How were you six associate! with Mr. Turner?" the lieutenant asked. "And where?" "Once, for me," said Roberts. "1 don't know abt ut the others. The seven of us wei e in a Peruvian jungle. jun-gle. Turner was taken desperately "You D n Little Louse! Will You Come Clean?" ing anything there, I think, even if Trembly hadn't been killed almost immediately im-mediately afterward. Suppose a man is stalked by an automobile. Easy, isn't It?" "Ibanez did that one," said the lieutenant. lieu-tenant. "No one knows how often it has been used." "It's too simple. They'll not try that." "You leave yourself rather out of it," the lieutenant suggested. "Good lord, do you suppose I'd be here talking as I am if I wanted to play this game?" "Yes, that's exactly what I'd suppose. sup-pose. You're getting your plausible alibi in advance, aren't you? But my guesses don't have to be plausible. So I guess you're on the square in being a quitter. But I'll have a talk with your friends. Do you want protection?" pro-tection?" "Don't be ridiculous," said 'Roberts. "How could I get it?" "Mr. Roberts," said Mr. Darling, "I'm sorry for your agitation. I'm almost sorry my friend, Turner, had this side to his nature. I probably should have refused to countenance it. I should have declined to participate in it. I was incredulous, and he was determined." Roberts, who constantly had fingered his watchchain, took out his watch. "I'll be getting back to the city," he said. "I'll protect myself as well |