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Show THE WEDDING MARCH MUKDEN Monte Barrett O Pv'pvrUM. ISM, t7 th iu :! kui ill C. WM SOI -vie. SYNOPSIS 'Alttiiff In th minister's study. Jim Krn Wtiti, about to be married to Pons Carnu'ily, la ainM'-M to death. Cullla Shiploy, on of the bridesmaids, Is obviously ob-viously In a at. ice of anxiety. lVter Cardigan, novelist, and amateur dt'teo-t dt'teo-t ive of -some note, with Sercam K tl-d.iy. tl-d.iy. of th New York police, begin the crfloiA) Investigation. Kranklm. while a :i i hk, had many visitors, amonir them his mistress, an aotres, Vhoo Choo" Train; his Intended wife's father. Ambrose Oarmody; her brother. Kylie. mill is, w ell- known politician, n d an unkno w n woman in a blue frock, who had Quarreled openly with Vranklln. Rylte O.irmody admits try-Ins try-Ins to stop the wedding, after beins Inf : -me J by Webster Spears that Kr.ir.klm was still friendly with Choo Choo, despite his approach ins; marriage. mar-riage. K ild ay secures the de.id man's kes. Oa-llts Shipley is somewhat con-trtid.ctory con-trtid.ctory in her answers to questions, tut the investigators learn nothing of Importance. An Interview with Panlel fcullii is also fruitless, Webster Spears admits informing Hyl'.e Carmody of Franklin"! relations with Choo Choo. for Doris Carmody's sake, in the hope cf pre vent ins; the weddins- He and Poris had had a boy-and-pirl love affair. af-fair. Fletcher, franklin's man-servant, la reticent. CHAPTER IV Continued 9 "Then how docs It happen tou knew him." "He gave me his came. sir. Sir. Car-inody Car-inody seemed rather er flustered, you might say. sir. He told me who he was and said that It was Important that he see Mr. Franklin at once." '"I see." Kilday loaned against the table, arms folded across his chest. -Who else was here"' "Mr. Dunbar. He told me about the about Mr. Franklin's death." -Mr. Dunbar?" The detective weighed the came. "Milo Dunbar?" -Yes, sir. lie was Mr. Franklin's partner." "When was he here?" 'This evenins. About six o'clock. I think. He told me " 'Yes, yes. I know.' the Serjeant Interrupted. In-terrupted. T.ut what did he want? He didn't come here just to tell you what had happened." Fletcher shrug-ed. Tie was looking look-ing for Mr. Franklin's will. He said he was sure it was here, somewhere." "Oh! And did he find it?" "No, sir. There didn't seem to be any papers here of that nature." "All right. Who ele was here?" Kilday's manner was brusk. Fletcher smoothed the thinning hair fiat across his forehead with a careful care-ful hand. "I believe that was all, sir," he said. "How about the telephone? Were there any messages'" ""Yes, sir. Mr. Daniel Eullls called several times, and left his number." "When was that?" "At Tarious times, all day. sir. He began calling early this morning, and called repeatedly, from then on." "When Mr. Franklin came In, during dur-ing the afternoon, did yon give him Mr. Eullis' messages?' "Tes. sir. I told him he had called." "What did Mr. Franklin say then?" Fletcher shook his head dubiously. "Sir. Franklin didn't want to talk to Mr. Eullis," he said. "He turned to Mr. Royce and said, '1 guess I know "what he wants,' and Mr. Royce said, 'Let him sweat, Jim.' " "Then Mr. Franklin never called Mr. Eullis?" "No. sir." "Did Mr. Eullis phone again, after Franklin and Royce had left for the church?" Kilday's interest was obviously ob-viously aroused. "Yes, sir. Several times. I finally told him that Mr. Franklin couldn't be reached today. That he had already al-ready gone to the church, to be married. mar-ried. He didn't call after that." The sergeant puffed his cigar In silence. Under his breath, Peter whistled whis-tled tunelessly. Eullis had tried all day to see Jim Franklin, who knew what he wanted, but refused to talk to him. That wa3 obvious, from the conversation con-versation Fletcher had overheard between be-tween Franklin and Nick Royce. But whether he wanted to or not, Franklin Frank-lin had seen Eullis at the church. Not exactly a new lead, but an interesting inter-esting sidelight to an old one. Royce knew why Eullis had been so anxious to see Franklin. Kilday resumed the questioning. "Who else was here today, Fletcher?" Once more the man brushed his forehead thoughtfully, "That's all, ir," he replied finally. "Y'ou're sure?" The sergeant evidently evi-dently didn't like the way the man hesitated over his replies. His manner man-ner was too guarded. "I'm quite sure that was all," Fletcher replied. His round eyes blinked at the detective solemnly. "I have been here all day." "How about Choo Choo- Train?" Peter questioned for the first time. His voice was purposely harsh. He hoped to Jar an admission from the man. "She wasn't here today." "Hut jroii "know Mis Tint 11. don't you, l'l.-t.li.-i?" The man nodded, reluctantly, I'eter thought. Then he Volunteered, "She plumed this morning, mid Mr, l'l'iuiUlu told her he would see her." Again I'eter thought of the woman In blue. "Did any other woman tele phono this morning V" Hotelier nppoiuvd to ponder, then shook his head, "See here, Kioto her," the novollst'N tone was oonvorsul loiiul now, "I Imagine Im-agine volt know ipilte n bit about Choo Choo Train, didn't you?'' The man only blinked. "Can't yon answer me? What did you know about this woman?' "1 think she was very fond of Mr. Franklin," Fletcher said slowly, "but I can't nay (hut I know much about her. She's an actress, I believe." "I moan, did she eouie here fre quently? Have you seen much of her here? Did she have a key to this apartment ?" Peter's questions crowd ed one another Impatiently. The servant's manner crew more de liberate than ever. "She has been here a time or two, sir, when 1 wits here. As to your other questions, I'm afraid I can't answer them, l'er haps Miss Train " "No, never mind Miss Train." Fetor brushed the suostion aside hrnskly. "What other women were In the luihlt of coming here?" Fletcher's oxohrows raised doubt fully. "Women?" "There were others, weren't there?" The man shrugged. "Of course, from time to time. Hut I nm a sor vant," he smiled dopreoatlngly. -.Mr. Franklin never took me Into his con fldence." I'eter felt that the man knew more than he was admitting, hut felt equally equal-ly sure that It would be dltllcult to W'l Jos v . ".TO "Find Anything of Franklln'i Will Yet, Mr. Dunbar?" wring any damaging admission from him on the subject of women. For this he yielded him a reluctant admiration, admir-ation, but it did not lesson his Impatience. Impa-tience. "Where did Mr. Franklin file his correspondence?" cor-respondence?" Kilday resumed the questioning. "I'erhaps we can learn something there." Fletcher led the way to a desk In the next room, which both the detective detec-tive and the novelist searched, without with-out success. I'.ills, they found, one from a florist which Interested Kilday. until he perceived that the flowers hail gone to Doris Carmody. There was also one personal note, penciled by Nick Royce. reminding Franklin of a luncheon engagement. Nothing else of a personal nature. "Did Mr. Dunbar End anything at all?" "Only what you see here, sir." "Where else would we be apt to find his letters, Fletcher?" Teter faced the servant "Dm afraid these are the only personal per-sonal papers he kept, sir." "H'm. We'll have a look," said Kilday. Kil-day. Hut though they searched the apartment apart-ment thoroughly, room by room, Fletcher apparently had told the truth. Nowhere could they find any trace of persona! correspondence which miht yield them a clue to the Identity of the mysterious woman In blue who had quarreled with Franklin in Doctor Abernathy's study, at or near the time of the murder. When they left, Teter had a feeling that Fletcher, somehow or another, had outwitted them. Yet he was sure there had been no personal correspondence cor-respondence filed in that apartment. Kilday glanced at his watch. It was ten o'clock. "Still too early to turn In," he said. "Suppose we go have a talk with Dunbar. He might be able to help us with this woman In blue. The least he can do is Identify another key for us. One of these probably prob-ably opens Franklin's office." By looking In the telephone directory direc-tory at a corner drug store, they discovered dis-covered the slain man's partner lived nearby. The attorney did not keep them waiting. "I'm glad you've come," he said In greeting, "if I can be of any help." "You can, Mr. Dunbar. We're trying try-ing to locate the mysterious woman in blue, who visited Jim Franklin In Doctor Abernathy's study at about the time of the murder. You were there when the doctor described her. Does she fit any woman of your acquaintance?" acquaint-ance?" Dunbar smiled faintly. "I'm afraid there are too many women who wear blue, Serjeant. Can you describe her more fully?" "riifiirtiiinitely," Kilday admitted, "Doctor Alioriialhy In the only mm who saw' her, mid Ihat'H as much " we hae to go on. I low ever, lis Flank-lill's Flank-lill's parlner, I thought you might he able to help us. At least, you might he able to glo us a list ol his wo n acqtinliiiaiuvs, which would bo of great value In the invest lent Ion." "I'm Sony," mid Dunbar looked in though he ti i i'ii lit It, "hut I'm afraid I will he of Utile help liloiig that line. You see," he explained, "Jim's Inter ests ii i i 1 1 mine were entirely illtTi-roiit. We did not move In the same circles. As you probably know, he was quite u politician ami n great mler. That was his strong point. My forte was law. It didn't make a bad combination. combina-tion. Jim's wide association and popularity pop-ularity intruded many clients to the firm. My Job was to handle the business, busi-ness, after ho got It. oh. of course." tho attorney shrugged, "Jim wasn't a bail lawyer, and he handled some cases. l!ut In the main, that end of the business was under my direction. The result was that In the past few eitrs we have drifted farther and farther apart, socially. "Of course, we were still warm friends, but our friendship did not extend beyond olllce hours. For that reason, I am scarcely In a position to help you, w hen It comes to his women acquaintances." I'eter found It rather difficult to put the next question to this ralni, st ratght eyed man. "You were aware, Mr. Dunbar, that there were certain Irregularities In Franklin's relation ships with women?" The attorney nodded slowly. "It was too had," he said. "One great weakness In an otherwise strong character." char-acter." "Hut you don't know any of these women?" Dunbar hesitated. "Yes. I knew of this actress the one they call Choo Choo Train. I believe that affair wns common knowledge. J I in ninde no secret of It. She this woman phoned him at tho office this morning." morn-ing." I'eter showed his Interest. "Jim told me of It," Dunbar explained. ex-plained. "It seems that she wns determined de-termined to attend the wedding. It was quite a social event, you know. Kvldently this womnn hnd certain ntn-bltions ntn-bltions along that linn." He smiled faintly. "Did Franklin tell you how he felt about that?" Kilday querle I. "Oh, yes. Of course he would not permit It. That was why ho phoned. They quarreled about it. I believe J.m told me about It becnuse It wor ri.-d him." "Then he hadn't broken oT with this woman?" I'eter made no effort to stifle his surprise. Dunbar shook his head. "I think not. I believe his quarrel with Choo Choo Train, over a wedding Invitation, was the first Intimation he had that It was going to be difficult to play the dual role of lover and bridegroom." "Rut Choo Choo was not the woman In blue." It was not a question. I'eter was merely thinking aloud. "That means there Is bound to be another woman. She's the one we must find. Are you unable to give us even a hint as to her Identity, Mr. Dunbar?" "I'm sorry." the lawyer admitted. "I can't. Of course, I know there have been other women. Quite a number j of them, In fact. Hut I'm afraid I can't be of any help In finding them." Kilday appeared engrossed in the J cigar he was lighting, and his voice t was casual as he a-ked, "Find any- i thing of Franklin's will yet, Mr. Dunbar?" Dun-bar?" "Not yet I have been to his apartment, apart-ment, but It wasn't there. I'll probably prob-ably locate It at the office In the morning." "You haven't looked there yet, then?" "Not yet." "And you didn't find anything else at the apartment anything at all that might help us In our search for this other woman, Mr. Dunbar?" "Not a thing, Sergeant. You might have a look at the apnrtment, though. As a matter of fact, I was only looking look-ing for the wilL I might have overlooked over-looked something that would help you." "I don't think you did," the detective detec-tive replied ruefully. "We've already been there." He offered the key-ring for the attorney's Inspection. "Can you Identify any of these?" "A couple of them are probably office keys," Dunbar replied, after a cursory examination. "I could tell, of course, by trying them." "How about the little ones? Do they look like keys to the files there, or to his desk?" The attorney shrugged. "I couldn't say," he admitted, "but If you'd like to try them for yourself " "I would," declared the detective. "Do you object to going to your office with us now?" Milo Dunbnr hesitated. "My wife isn't well," he said, "but if you think it would really help, of course I'll do it" On the way down In Kilday's car, the detective explained the Importance he attached to the Identification of the keys. "And another thing," he added. "It's quite possible we may find some clue to the Identity of the woman in blue, if we can locate Fran-lin's Fran-lin's personal file. Somewhere, nearly every one has such a file letters they want to save memoranda of various natures all sorts of things. Women save programs, and that sort of thing With a man, it's more apt to be pictures. pic-tures. Either may keep letters. If we find Jim Franklin's file, it will be a big help." TO BE OONTINtlEn.i |