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Show flMCW MONTE A-yl At A rw-' , tV' SERVICE Bofa-KmittCo- A UV fftfeXft -777777-7, . it. So I wasn't surprised when you phoned that you wanted to see me. Well?" He twisted In his chair. In order to face the detective. "Bet's go. What do you want to know?" ''First I want to know what you were so anxious to see Franklin about, Mr. Bullis?" "Anxious?" The politician weighed the word. "Well, I guess you'd call It that I had to see him. I wanted to tell him what I thought of him. Why, I helped make Jim Franklin, and he knew It. He'd still be unknown, un-known, If It hadn't been for me. That's why he was afraid to see me, after he turned on me." "Afraid to see you?" Peter interrupted. inter-rupted. "What else would you say?" Bullis demanded contemptuously. "I'd been trying to get told of him for three days. At ida office, his home, his club, everywhere. Why, I've even been paging him over at Choo Choo Train's. But he was dodging me. "Well, I knew there was one place he couldn't dodge me the church. So I went there, and I saw him." "What was It you were so anxious anx-ious to see him about?" Kilday repeated re-peated his question. Bullis compressed his lips into a thin hard line. "Huh," he grunted, "and you call yourself a detective. Well, I'll tell you. Jim Franklin The politlclnn shook Ids head. "I'd never seen her before," ho said. I'm sure of that. She wasn't Unkind Un-kind you forget." "Hid she have on a blue dress?" Inquired the sergeant. "I believe so. I'm not sure." Peter picked up the Topics, crum pled beside the politician's chair, and held up the page of pictures. Choo Choo Train was pictured there. So was Callis Shipley, among the other bridesmaids. "Could you pick her out of that group, Mr. Bullis?" Bullis hesitated over the pictures. pic-tures. "1 don't think she's there," he replied finally. "If she Is, I don't recognize her." The novelist had hardly hoped it would be ns easy to Identify the woman In blue as that, yet be was disappointed. He continued the questioning. "Was Franklin quarreling quar-reling with this woman when you entered the room?" "Yes." "Do you know what they were quarreling about?" "In a way I do. It seems that the woman was in love with Jim, and she didn't like this wedding business." busi-ness." "What did she say?" "I don't remember everything that was said. I only remember that she was hysterical, and Jim was trying to quiet her. The only words I remember are that she kept saying, 'You can't do this, Jim. You can't do it. I'll ruin both of us, before I let you.' "Jim was glad to see me, right then. He quieted the woman, and I told him I wanted to see him alone. She didn't want to leave, and finally Jim said, 'Go ahead and talk. She's all right.' "Later, when I wa3 ready to -lea'e, Jim turned to the woman again. 'Can't you see how much trouble I'm In, honey?' he asked her. 'I'll keep my word to you, this time, sure. Just as soon as I get back.' The woman started to cry. 'If I could only believe you, Jim,' she said, 'everything would be all right.' " 'It's going to be all right, honey,' he told her, and he motioned me to help him. " 'Listen,' I says to her, 'give him a break. He's going to be married in five minutes.' "I don't remember all we said, but she finally agreed to go, and she left with me. We went out the back door. 'My car's here,' I told her. 'I'll take you home.' "But she wouldn't let me. She had her own car, a green sedan. I know because I watched her get In." "What make was the car?" demanded de-manded Kilday. "It was a Cadillac, I think." The sergeant groaned. "It would be. There are only ten thousand green Cadillacs in this town." Peter studied Bullis thoughtfully. "You could identify that woman, if you saw her again, Mr. Bullis?" "I don't know. Maybe." The politician poli-tician returned his stare coolly. "She made quite an Impression on you, didn't she?" This time it was Kilday speaking. The politician turned the battery of his expressionless eyes upon him. "I said she was easy to look at," he replied. "But still you couldn't identify her replied that young Carmody wasn't there. As far as we know, that's all Miss Shipley had to do with It." Kilday paused In the lighting of a new cigar. "Except that she drove home with Rylio Carmody and lied to ns nbout It. And knew that Jim Franklin was killed, but can't explain ex-plain how she knew It. Anil," he brandished the stogy for further emphasis, "why did she run around there looking for Rylle Carmody In the first place? I'm not so sure," he added, "that she Isn't the blond woman In the blue dress that Doe-tor Doe-tor Abernathy saw. He may not be telling the truth about that. If he knows this girl so well, he may have a mistaken idea of chivalry and be trying to protect her." But Teter still was not convinced. con-vinced. "If it had been Callis Shipley, Ship-ley, wouldn't Bullis have Identified her from the picture in the newspaper?" newspa-per?" "Maybe. Maybe not. I think you answered that question yourself a bit ago. Perhaps Bullis doesn't want to Identify the woman he saw In the study because she heard all that passed between him and Franklin. It's entirely possible she knows too much. No-0-0, Peter, we're not through with this girl yet, by any means. Nor with Bullis, either." Because both Callis Shipley and Rylle Carmody had referred to Webster Web-ster Spears as the man who had been the source of Information regarding re-garding Clioo Choo Train, It was decided that they would question him next. And here a surprise awaited them. The Spears home was a private house, the last to linger in a neighborhood neigh-borhood of apartment buildings which towered around It. At the curb before It, two cars were parked, a roadster and a sedan. This particularly attracted their attention, at-tention, because it was necessary for them to park In front of the apartment house next door. "We want to see Mr. Webster Spears," Kilday informed the butler who answered the ring. "I'm very sorry, sir. Mr. Spears Is busy. He cannot be disturbed." "I'm sorry, too," said the detective, detec-tive, exhibiting his badge in the palm of his hand. "This is once he'll have to be disturbed." After a wait of several minutes, during which Kilday tersely summarized sum-marized the evidence as it touched this man, Spears entered the room. Not more than twenty-five he was of that slender build which emphasized empha-sized the nicety of his grooming. His features, molded too finely, were almost sharp, particularly now, as he glanced inquiringly first at Cardigan, Car-digan, then at the detective. Peter noticed how his hair, prematurely receding at the temples, directed attention to the sleekness of the man. "You wanted to see me?" Spears began abruptly. He did not offer to shake hands. "We want to know why you were so anxious to stop Doris Carmody's wedding this afternoon?" Kilday inquired in-quired bluntly. The question caught the young man off balance. "I? Stop the wedding?" He smiled briefly, as though he found the idea absurd. "Why else did you tell Rylie Carmody Car-mody about Choo Choo Train today?" to-day?" the sergeant demanded. "You did tell him, didn't you?" Spears drew up a chair and sat down . deliberately, before replying. Peter felt that it was his method of sparring for time. "Yes," he admitted finally. "I informed in-formed Rylie about this actress, of course. It seemed the only thing to do." "How do you happen to know about her?" "It seemed to be common knowledge. knowl-edge. I heard gossip of it at the club. After that, I made some Inquiries In-quiries which substantiated what I had heard, so I informed Rylie." "When was it you heard this gos-' sip?" Peter interjected. Spears glanced at him quickly. "Only this morning. Two chaps at the next table were discussing the wedding feeling sorry for the Car-modys. Car-modys. They mentioned this actress. act-ress. That angered me, of course. You see," he shrugged dapper shoulders, shoul-ders, "Rylie and Doris have been almost brother and sister to me. We have grown up together. I felt the same Interest In this wedding as though It had been my own sister. That's why I made inquiries. Everyone Every-one seemed to know that Choo Choo Train was Franklin's mistress. It was the most natural thing In the world for me to Inform Rylie." "And you wanted to be sure, didn't you? That's why you called up his father, too, wasn't It?" Kilday Kil-day demanded. "I don't know what you mean." Defensively. "Oh, yes, you do," the sergeant persisted. "You telephoned Ambrose Carmody and gave him the same information. in-formation. Just this afternoon." "Did he say that?" The young CHAPTER III Continued 6 "He doesn't worry me," declared lldny. "It's the World and Globe iat sound ugly. It Isn't exactly hat they say, it's how they say it 'he Inference Is that the murder ge,'as political, and that we won't , are go after the man responsible. wt:he fact that Jim Franklin was exacted ex-acted to be the next governor Isn't oing to help me any, so far as the ipcrs are concerned. They'll be my neck. And the district at-TVney at-TVney will probably have me on the firpet In the morning. Wait and ""Se. He can't stand this kind of xessure." ?n "Meaning Bullis, of course." "Nobody else. The fact that he ras one of the last persons to see n 'ranklin alive has given the papers ts ust the excuse they need. Peter, 'hat made Jim Franklin the logical andidate for governor at the next --lection?" "The manner in which he handled 0 le investigation of the magistrate ;andal, of course. No one thought "Vjje would go after Bullis the way e did, but " Ig "But 1" exclaimed the, detective. That's the point. But he did. He ?ent after Bullis hammer and tongs. Jo one thought he would. It made Tum a popular idol and It made L"iullis his enemy. Well, there's our notive, if Bullis Is guilty. That's nooiur next lead." 1 ' "Then you don't think Callis Ship-y Ship-y or Rylie Carmody " irkrt "I don't want to think of them ' renlil I have to," declared the ser-toieant. ser-toieant. "This is our plainest trail. ?' Lf it doesn't pan out, I can come ,'aek to the others. Bullis was there, t j.nd his motive was clear-cut." - "And so was Rylie Carmody's. He vas determined to stop the wed-Ing," wed-Ing," Peter reminded him earnestly. , So was Choo Choo Train's. She :A ?as Franklin's mistress. She had a jf aotive for stopping the wedding. Lnd the woman in blue whoever he may have been had a motive S or stopping it, If she loved Frank-In. Frank-In. That's the queer thing about this case. Eight or nine people, that ;J i'e know of, had an opportunity to ommit the crime, and It doesn't jequire much Imagination to find a i&uotive for any of them." Kilday rose. "I'll take 'em one .t a time," he said. "And I'm gong go-ng to start with Bullis. Coming?" ""t "Let's go," said Peter. ar Daniel Bullis was unexpectedly inj asy to find. A telephone call from he restaurant located him at his opiown-town club where he usually lined. He was still at table when nterupted by Kilday's call. tL "Sure I went to see him," the poli-Ician poli-Ician said, after seating each of his Quests. "How about a drink? What ITjMll you have, boys?" y They both declined. It was a ;j"natter of principle with Kilday. iardlgan thought there was a lhade of too much breezy friendliness friendli-ness in the invitation. It didn't quite -'lng true. LI "Well, you don't mind If I do," laid Bullis, ringing for an attendant. attend-ant. "Every one to his own tastes, s the widow said when she kissed Jhe pig." The quantity of his boora-ng boora-ng laugh was more than atoned for y Its lack of mirth. He entertained ,K ils visitors with an anecdote, ob-lously ob-lously intended to reveal his own niportance, as he waited for his rink. gj Daniel Bullis was a huge man, JlCrom the hairy hands that had en- tilted Peter's during their Introduction, Introduc-tion, to the crown of his head, Mhieh seemed almost too ponderous jjor his massive frame. It was that onderous head, which dwarfed the Hide shoulders, that fascinated I'e-;Vr. I'e-;Vr. In spite of its size, or because omf it, Cardigan was not sure which, tVllcre WRs something almost infan-iro-Ile about the man's expression. The 'j'hort, whitish blond hair, straight 1 is a string, grew low on Ills fore-stmead, fore-stmead, and was imparted. It was not Jj,s though it had been combed, long 11 S. and forgotten, so much as hough It had never known a comb. iF'vebrows there were almost none, ; J:iid this heightened the wide inno-" inno-" once of the man's blue stare, except ex-cept when he laughed. Then telltale tell-tale folds of llesh curled up beef be-ef oath his eyes, revealing an tmcer-icc'iin tmcer-icc'iin maturity. The mouth and chin :ere a direct negation of Bullis' -tner features, for there was e pitrength written in the lean lips and i-w'dile sweep of Jaw. rn,l The drink arrived, and the politl-sdan politl-sdan drained half the cool contents lop f the long glass before turning f yogaln to Kilday. syl "Yeah," he repeated, "I went to lAe Franklin." He nodded toward , disorderly pile of newspapers by chair. "I've been reading about "Sure," Said Bullis. "A Peach." thought he was going to climb into the governor's, chair by sacrificing a few old friends who put him where he was. I went there to tell him he'd never get near Albany, until he was willing to listen to me. And I told him. He was In a tough spot. He bad to listen to me. And he agreed with me, too." "You mean to say," Peter leaned forward Intently, "that you and Franklin came to an agreement, there In the church study? Did you part friends?" "Sure." Bullis grinned with his mouth, but his eyes remained palely expressionless. "Jim saw his mistake, mis-take, and we parted the best of friends." "Just how did that come about?" the novelist Inquired curiously. "You weren't in a very friendly frame of mind when you went tliere." The politician leaned back in his chair. "I have ways of making people peo-ple agree with me." "So 1 see. I'm trying to find out just what you had to say to Franklin, Frank-lin, and what he said to you, that caused such a sudden change of feeling betwecD you." "You'll never know that," replied Bullis shortly. Again he picked up his highball glass, his attention apparently ap-parently riveted solely on the drink. "Then perhaps you'll tell us about the woman you saw there," suggested Cardigan. "There was a woman tliere, wasn't there?" "Sure," said Bullis. "A peach. Jim always was a better hand with women wom-en than he was with politics." "Did you know the woman? Had you ever seen her before?" picture in the paper?" The detective detec-tive grunted his disbelief. Bullis once more examined the pictures spread out across the front page of Topics. "You seem mighty sure It was one of these girls," he said. "What do you think?" "Newspaper pictures aren't always al-ways such good likenesses," the politician pol-itician suavely replied. CHAPTER IV Seeking a Woman In Blue. TT WAS still early when Kilday and Cardigan quitted Bullis' club. "What do you think?" Kilday demanded, de-manded, as they waited for their car. Peter shrugged. "He's only telling tell-ing what he wants to tell. There's no way of knowing when Bullis left that room. Wlien Ambrose Carmody Car-mody rapped, Franklin made him wait before admitting him. There must have been some one there, who had time, to leave by the rear door before Carmody entered. If it was Bullis, he could have waited until Carmody left and then come back. Or, of course. It may have been the woman in blue who returned. re-turned. It Is possible It was both. I am only sure of one thing. Some one was there or Franklin wouldn't have kept Mr. Carmody waiting." "And how about Choo Choo Train? And Callis Shipley? They both visited the vestry after Carmody." Car-mody." "I don't know about Choo Choo," replied the novelist wearily. "As for the other girl, she never entered en-tered the study. Uoyce declares he rapped on the door, and Franklin man's voice was Incredulous. Peter found himself wondering whether or not the tone was assumed. The detective studied the glowing glow-ing ash of his cigar. "You didn't give him your name," he continued. "Cut you must realize that you've talked to Mr. Carmody often enough that he could recognize your voice." Kilday was trying a shot In the dark. "What was the Idea of that anonymous call. Spears? Still just a brotherly interest lu Doris Carmody?" Car-mody?" (TO BB OONTINUCT.i |