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Show THE MAY DAY MYSTERY By OCTAVUS ROY COMEN Cil')Tlstlt t'v iVtmua lioy iVhou, WNU 8rvlc, CHAPTER XII Continued 19 "Aw, come now, Son. Yon promisor to toll me tlu whole truth, and It don't hardly sivin llko you're ilil iK It. You tl ml the body of the man your sister sis-ter Is entry ahout. lie's hoen killed. Ort his tinker Is a diamond ring that on he traced buck to your sister easy. It means mixing her up In a pretty nasty affair. So yon take the ring off Thayer's ringer n nil keep quiet ahout It. Ain't that the way It was?" "No." said I.arry firmly. "It wasn't. 1 never noticed Thayer's fingers nt all. I can't say what I wouhl have done If I'll seen the ring. Hut 1 didn't see It. ami that's the truth." "Well " llanvey heaved a vast sigh. "Somebody did because it's gone." "1 iluln't touch It." repeated I.arry. "1 hop you believe me." "1 reckon 1 ilo. Ami I'm much obliged for coming here. Though I enn't say It has cleared things up a whole lot." They chatted for n few minutes longer and I.arry and the girl left. Reagan closed the door behind them and faced his ponderous companion. "You believe Thayer was dead when Welch got to the mom. llanvey?" "Looks pretty straight to me." "Yon don't think Miss Peyton killed him, do you?" "(lee! I'd sure hate to think anything any-thing like that ahout such a swell kid as her." "Did Welch take his sister's ring off Thayer's finger?" "Now you've got me stumped. I'm durned If I know." "What do you think?" "My thinks ain't worth nothing. John. What do you think?" "He did not. The man who copped that ring was Max Vernon. And why? Because he was crazy about Ivy Welch and knew her ring. Gosh! Jim even a guy like yon must be ready to admit now that Max Vernon killed Thayer." "Why should I admit that. John?" asked llanvey mildly. "Because he killed him. that's why. There ain't any argument about It." "Why ain't there?" "Oh. h 1 ! We've got Vernon a hundred different ways. It's as clear " "As mud." "Well, suppose you tell me just one thing that ain't clear?" Reagan was quite positive in his manner. Hanvey Han-vey smiled broadly through a cloud of rancid smoke. "The first thing I can't straighten out in my mind. John. Is the knife that we found in Vernon's room; the one that we're sure Thayer was stabbed with." "What about it?" Reagan's cheeks were red. "I overlooked it on my first search, that's all." "Think so. John? You ain't such a bum searcher as all that, are you?" "Any man can miss something. I overlooked that knife, that's all. And knowing it was his. and finding it in his closet, is enough to convict him." "No." argued Hanvey gently. "It's enough to acquit him. John." "What the" "Now listen. Brother, and don't get all het up. According to your own pet theory. Max Vernon carried that knife into Thayer's room and stabbed him during a row. Then he carried it back to his room and had sense enough to polish the fingerprints off the handle because, remember, there wasn't a print on it He then changed his blood-stained clothes. And then, by golly, yon ask me to believe that a bird who was careful as all that went ont and forgot the knife! Holy suffering suf-fering mackerel! John that just ain't reasonable. It don't click. Teh. It's the knife that worries me. and It would worry you. too. if you'd get off that one-track railroad you're riding. The knife is Max Vernon's only chance. If it wasn't for that I'd bet he killed Thayer." Reagan was pop-eyed as the idea slowly percolated. "Then then you think that knife was planted In Max Vernon's room?" Jim regarded the end of his cigar speculatively. "I sort of have a hunch that way, John. Think It over." He hoisted himself from his chair and waddled to the door. "Let's ride over to the college. If you don't mini I want to see a lot of folks." "Who?" "Well. I ain't talked with those two kids who saw everything from the porch Farnnm and Gleason, ain't they? And I'd like to talk with the dean again, and maybe the president of that fraternity. And most of all I'd like to have a few words with Ivy Welch." CHAPTER XIII That night Jim brought misery to the soul of John Reagan by forcing him into a motion picture theater. The screen story rather well done was saccharine, and Reagan was amazed to see Hanvey dab at his eyes occasionally with a cheap, cotton handkerchief. The fat man did not relax during the entire picture: he exulted with the hero and did everything every-thing but hiss the villain. When It was over he emitted a large sigh. "Cosh, John! Wasn't It wonderful !" "Honey!" snapped the hard-boiled Ewan. Jim turned sorrowful eyes upon him. "Ain't you got any sentiment, John? Not any at all?" "Maybe you have, Jim. I just don't make you out lit nil. You're good I can See that. Hut darned If you don't take the most roundabout methods meth-ods , . . anyway, now, ahout this case "No, John -not tonight. I don't llko to talk ahout murder when I've just seen a beautiful picture like that one In yonder." lie Imprisoned lloagan's arm. "Let's go." "Where?" "I'or a chocolate Ice cream soda." "Good tl d !" exclaimed Itcagan. Hut ho went. The following morning llanvey was dressed when Poagan arrived, ami at the suggestion they went to the Jail and were admitted to Max Vernon's cell, llanvey addressed Mm In a voice more stern than licagan had yet heard. "I'm talking straight from the shoulder, shoul-der, Vernon." said J 1 in firmly, though not unkindly.'. "You're In the holiest kind of hot water. It'd be so easy to convict you of Pat Thayer's murder that a kid could do It. I'm going to get some dellnlte action today. Heap quick, see? I'm giving you this last chance. Tell the whole truth from he-ginning he-ginning to end nothing held hack. If you don't do that we'll put you over the Jumps for the murder of Pat Thayer. Think It over. Kid, and tell me how It looks." T didn't kill Thayer." "No? Well, maybe not. P.ut you were mixed up In the robbery of the Marland National hank!" The boy's face blanched, and out of the silence came Jim's voice again infinitely gentle. "Robbery ain't half as rotton a charge as murder. Max." Vernon stopped his pacing and turned hack to llanvey. "You win." he said dully. "You'll tell the truth? All of It? Every hit?" "Yes." "All right. Son. Shoot !" "I I'll try to make it brief. Mr. Hanvey. I've been a d d fool hut not a murderer. "Pat Thayer and 1 have been friends since he first came to Marland us a Junior last year. I didn't suspect that his Interest was not In nie. but In my money. "Over a period of almost two scholastic years he has been trimming me. This year. It happened that I went crazy about a girl. It doesn't matter what her name Is " "You mean Ivy Welch?" "Yes. Ivy. I'm awful fond of her. And this spring Thayer took me for my last cent. I had lost about forty thousand dollars In two years to him. He had my note for five thousand dollars. I didn't have a dime to pay him. and I couldn't borrow. Then, w-hen Thayer knew I was stripped, he did everything in the world to show that he had contempt for me. "On May first I had a date with Ivy. She stood me up. I wasn't happy anyway, any-way, and that made me feel worse. Then when I saw her coming up the hill with Pat Thayer I sort of went crazy. We had a quarrel Thayer and L When I left him I was In a cold sweat. If you want to know Just how I felt. I guess I was mad enough to kill him. Maybe I'd have done It If I'd thought about it hut I didn't. You see. Tm telling you all the truth. Every bit of It. Mr. Hanvey." "1 got to the fraternity house and went straight up to my room. I changed my clothes and I shaved. Then I decided to take a suit I had had on to the tailor. I didn't leave my room until I walked downstairs. I had the suit rolled up In a bundle and had it under my arm. Then I was going down Archer street to Oak. where the tailor is. I got to the corner about half-past two o'clock. "There Is a traffic light on the corner. cor-ner. Mr. Hanvey. and It flashed red just as I got there. I stopped for It. and It seemed almost as soon as I stopped that shooting started Inside the bank. I was scared to death. Then all of a sndden the door opened and a little man ran out. ne was carrying a satchel. "This man he was the robber jumped in the back of my car and flopped on the floor. I was pretty near paralyzed, I was so scared." "Yes? What happened. Max?" "That feller In the back of my car stuck a revolver right against my npek. Tve Just robbed that hank.' he said, 'and I'm d n desperate. Now drive and drive fast.' And I drove fast." He stopped talking. "Hadn't you ever seen this man before?" be-fore?" "No. Not until he ran out of the bank and Jumped Into my car." "And all you have told me Is the strict truth?" "Y'es." The boy hesitated. "But It Isn't all the truth. Mr. Hanvey. I'll go on with the story If you don't mind." "Please do. Son." murmured Jim. "I guess It seems funny." continued the young man. "that I'd help a robber rob-ber escape, hut I could feel that gun stuck against the back of my neck. . . . He said he was hiding In the back so he wouldn't be seen and I was to act natural. He said If I signaled anybody any-body or tried to pull any fancy stuff, he'd kill me. He told me to drive around the city and stop nt a place by the Little Indian river. It's about twenty minutes' drive beyond the city j limits. I got ont Into the open country coun-try again and speeded up. and not another word from the hack of the car. When I got to the turn-off place by the Little Indian. I stopped the car and cut off the motor. "Is this the place you wanted?' I asked. He didn't answer, and I spolce to him again. And be didn't nnswer this Urn-, either. "1 didn't know what to make of It, and I was seared to turn around for four he'd shoot me. After a while, when he still didn't speak, I looked around." Vernon was talking swiftly and his face was twitching with evoltomotit. "lie was lying nil huddled up In the bottom of the car ami the first thing 1 saw was a lot of blood. I knew he was unconscious and that I was safe. I was so scared that I suppose I noted more bravely than I would have done otherwise. I went to the hack of thft car and took his gun, which was lying on the floor of the cur, and 1 saw that lit was dead." The hoy ceased Npeaklng abruptly. Ills checks were while, and occasionally occasional-ly he closed his eyes as though to shut out the grisly picture. "There wasn't any question that he was dead. I got more courage. I felt for his pulse and It had stopped. Then a new Idea hit mo all of a sudden. I wondered what would happen If somebody some-body found me parked In the woods with the dead body of a man. "I opened the satchel. It win crammed and Jammed with money. Paper money. I don't know why I ever thought of such a thing, Mr. llanvey ; but right then I did." "What, Son?" "Of keeping that money. I was broke and worried. I I don't think I'm had. Mr. Hanvey. Han-vey. I've never In my life done a crooked thing, and I thought I never would. Put it seemed as though this money was Just miraculously given to me. I should have returned to the hank and told them . . . anyway, I'm telling the truth, and the truth Is that I didn't." lie paused, then went on bravely. "1 kept the money. I Intended In-tended to keep It always. The man In the hack of the car was dead. He had been killed robbing a bank. I was afraid of being found with him, anyway. any-way. I I weighted Ills body with some towing rope I had In the car and two big stones ami threw It In the river. The floor rug was stained with blood. I threw that In, too. The clothe I had Intended to take to the tailor were also covered with blood, and ttu-y were thrown In the river. "1 hardly knew what I felt like then. Mr. llatney. 1 was scared and nervous and yet I was elated. It seemed like my troubles hail ended. I didn't like to remember what I had done with the body . . . hut I consoled con-soled myself with the fact that he was merely a rubber. I knew I had done wrong, but It didn't seem as though It was very wrong. I told myself my-self that I had taken the money from a dead body . . . that Is. I tried to think that It wasn't the bank's money anyway. They had already lost It. And 1 even remembered that banks are Insured against that sort of thing." "They are," said Hanvey. "I sort of represent the Insurers." "1 guess yon know the rest. I got to Steel City and looked at a new car. I felt as though I'd be nervous driving my old one. on account of what had happened. Then the next morning I bought the car and paid the difference in cash. I kept a few hundred dollars dol-lars In my pocket and then hired a safe deposit box In the nnme of William Wil-liam T. Aragon. I figured the money would be safe there. Then I came back to Marland and they arrested me." His voice trailed off. "That's the truth." he said with a note of desperate des-perate appeal In his voice. "I swear to Cod It Is." Jim's bulbous head Inclined slowly. "You had a pretty tough time, didn't you. Son? How much did you take out of the stolen money?" "About sixteen hundred dollars. Including In-cluding what I paid on the car." "And all the rest Is in the Aragon box ?" "Yes, sir. Every cent." "How much Is It altogether?" "I don't know, sir. I was scared to count It even In the hotel. I thought somebody might be looking through a keyhole, or something like that." "Sure. . . ." Jim detached his golden toothpick from the hawser which held It, He eyes it speculatively and seemed to speak to it rather than to Max Vernon. "Son," he said, "I sort of think you've talked mighty straight with me. I'm not a regular dick, you know. I'm down here on this bank business and It sure makes me feel good to get that sort of straightened ont. Now I'll make a deal with you: Suppose we say that I'm to return to the Marland bank all the money that's left. They'll take your note for the missing sixteen hundred and you're to get a Job and work hard to pay It back. Maybe they'll take your new car and call It square. And In return for that. Max Vernon I'll turn you loose. What say?" "Mr. Hanvey I You mean. . . ." The lad's face was radiant with happiness. hap-piness. John Reagan's voice broke In coldly. "Just a minute, Hanvey. That's all very well about the robbery stuff . . . but what ahout the murder of Tat Thayer?" Jim Hanvey chuckled softly. "Shuh I John I could have told you long ago that Max Vernon didn't kill Thayer. Only reason I didn't turn him loose on that charge was because my job down here was first of all to get at the bottom of the bank robbery. Now that I've done that I don't see any use holding an innocent man." lie turned smilingly to Vernon. "As soon as I actually get the cash. Son. and fix things up with the Marland bank, we'll send you out to make a good, useful citizen of yourself." Vernon's chubby face was glowing, Reagan sat shaking his head. "What I'd like to know." he growled "is who the devil killed Thayer?" (TO BE CONTINUED. |
