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Show MpT JAe MAY DAY X MYSTERY V j If Octavas Roq Cohere vey. When 1 remembered after the excitement died down that the oar had looked like Vernon's I paid mighty little attention. Then I recalled re-called the man at the wheel and it seemed to me that even in the brief glimpse, it was Vernon." "You couldn't swear it. though?" "Certainly no . But I Investigated and now. Hanvey. comes the rotten part of my chain of evidence. That night Max Vernon did not return to his room In the Psi Tau Theta house. He did not come back until late yesterday afternoon.'' "Yes. . . .?" Fiske frowned, then looked up at Hanvey's expressionless face. "I'm trying to be fair to the boy and to you. He went to his room at the fraternity house. But, Hanvey, there was something else that I didn't hear until this morning." "What?" "He didn't come back In the car he was using day before yester day !" Jim blinked slowly, lighted a fresh cigar and blew a cloud of the rancid ran-cid smoke across the table. "No?" he asked with depressing lack of interest. "What did he come in?" "A new car," said Fiske "A brand new and very expensive one," "Hmm. . . ." Hanvey puffed thoughtfully, but said nothing. To the banker it seemed that he was not even bothering to think. Just a great human bulk occupying space Fiske was considerably Irritated. "I don't want to be mlsunder stood, Hanvey," he said, with a hint of acid In his tones. "I'm fond ol that boy. ' I don't believe there's anything radically wrong with him I've told you everything, hoping thai Tve overlooked some point which may prove to be In his favor." "Maybe," suggested Hanvey softly, soft-ly, "maybe you have." "I hope so. 1 don't want to see Max Vernon get Into trouble." "Gosh !" Hanvey uncrossed his legs with considerable difficulty. "It seems like what you've, told me indicates he's In trouble enough Everything links him with a bank robbery." "1 realize that." Randolph Fiskf spoke in a low, strained voice. "And perhaps I'm doing him a favor." "How?" "Because," explained the banker "I'd rather see Vernon convicted of tective did not seem particularly Interested. "Vernon," he remarked. "Maxwell Vernon, eh?" "Yes. They call him Max." "Friend of yours?" "I like him Lf that's what you mean." "What sort of kid Is he?" Fiske hesitated, then leaned forward for-ward with a sudden burst of confidence. confi-dence. "If I give you my honest opinion of that boy, Hanvey will it prejudice you against him?" "Golly, no." "He has faults " "Who hasn't? Only men I'm afraid of are these goody-goody, ain't-I-honest ones. They're the cute babies! ba-bies! Now about Vernon?" "It Isn't a long story. You know we have a college here, Vernon en tered as a freshman three years ago he's finishing his junior year now. I met him when he came into the bank and opened a ninety-thousand-dollar checking account It was rather unusual " "I should guess yes." "And' naturally I had a chat with him. This money was the remainder re-mainder of an Inheritance from his mother, she having been his surviving surviv-ing parent." "Orphan?" "Exactly. In the past three years Max and I have been quite friendly so friendly that at times I'm afraid he has rather resented what must have seemed like Interference on my part" "What were you interfering about?" "Vernon has been running through his money pretty fast He started start-ed slowly in his freshman year, but the word got out that he was very rich and he gathered around himself a group of friends rather more mercenary than genuine. Max Vernon Is weak ; about as weak as a young man who is not vicious can be. I really believe, though, that there isn't a vicious bone in his body. His first year at college he spent money lavishly. Last year he spent it faster. This year he has run through every cent of what little was left." "Gosh ! He must be a bird 1" "Too many friends for his own good. One in, particular " "Who?" 1 "I'll tell you about him directly. To stick to Vernon ; when 1 saw his money dwindling I started having sensible, fatherly talks with him. He always confessed his weakness and always promised to draw in his horns. Then the next thing I knew there'd be a walloping big check come through the bank." "Did he have all his money here?" "Every cent. That's why I'm In a position to know so much about him. About a month ago he had run through his money. Didn't have two hundred dollars left. About a J'HAPTER V Continued i'.'mon," said the bank presl-'this presl-'this is Mr. Hanvey. He's ere for the B. P. A. to look ;';'!ir little robbery." ':; e hobbled forward and ex-his ex-his hand. The detective rehire) re-hire) In amazement. u and the robber fought It "ie questioned, sir." don't look like a gun- ibi Me little man looked up in suras sur-as j k not" ',ph I Tell me what happened, please." " Burke was speaking yoiisly. "I went out to lunch (,'ately after two o'clock. I j jut the back way and used y -ne route back : I suppose Mr. ias explained that we always 3j; 1 returned exactly at two-ju two-ju because we were to be very Km i a t afternoon putting up the ';i for the Marland mills, '""me in the back door and saw 1 bi putting currency Into a . He was holding a revolver Ight hand. I couldn't see Mr. r Miss Seward. I Immediate-pected Immediate-pected that something was ht father natural supposition," '' Hanvey. "And what hap-ckirhen?" hap-ckirhen?" lti'p ,.v 'lied something at me." tut?" m't know. I didn't pay any Pj.in to him. I jumped behind mter and grabbed my revol-le revol-le lired at me but the bnl ioick the marble counter. He lit me until 1 came out Into Hy in again." J wizened cashier spoke as jgun battles were matters of i.v occurrence, jj came out?" impiuves s,r' ' couldn't shoot at an m where I was. I ran around Si nor of the counter Just as said he was frightened and so he ducked for cover." 'Then no one saw the robber actually ac-tually drive away?" "Yes. I did." "How?" "I was still in the safe. The front door was open. I saw him jump Into the car." "There was another man at the wheel?" "Yes." Hanvey's bulbous head moved slowly. "Same old routine. It's a wonder more of these little banks don't get stuck up." He rose and waddled to the door, which he opened. He stood for several sev-eral seconds staring Into the bank, then he moved down the passageway passage-way and Inspected the rear door route to Oak street. He returned to Flske's office, lighted another of his terrible cigars and turned kindly kind-ly eyes on the banker. "This ain't exactly going to be easy, Mr. Fiske. Except for the stick-up man gettln' hit, there wouldn't hardly be a chance for us, complicity in a holdup than electro cuted for murder." Hanvey scratched his head. "T'rr all up in the air. Mr. Fiske. You'rf talking about murder, and 1 don'i know anything about any murder Who got bumped off, and what has Vernon got to do with it?" "It happened at the college Mar land universityjust before this bank was robbed day before yester day. Max Vernon was arrested foi mted for the front door. I ! e fj him and he shot at me. That hetien he hit me. I was very bout that because I fell down it kept me from following." JCGt after you fell downT fed Jim. k fed again." AI!i.d Lord! After he had hit ;ure sir. I was very lucky, too. I can i." are sure about that?" ZI-e positive, sir. You see, we jWhlnod on the floor where he jl,en standing. And there was Mm of blood to the front door Across the sidewalk to the ; Hi" '!J robber ran away?" irti" sir. I regretted very much "('hnd not struck him In a more "''ihle spot." ; did a plenty. Now, Mr. . what happened after that?" 'v little man (lushed with em lla"miont. tinted." nnp.vl" breathed Jim, "It was Uptime." jjnlph Fiske faced Hanvey h "Quite a hero, Isn't he. aki,7" tlU You said Itl Mr. flurke. Is jtjjll you know about the rob- ts! . sir." you ever seen the robber be- 1 H that I can remember." suspicion, eh?" crJ sir." n'rey rose. "That'll be all, Mr. And I'm really proud to let you." jiion Rurke bowed stiffly and (Pilawn.v. When the door closed him Hanvey turned to the jiik of a little runt like him 0a stunt like that. His story , flu gun fight Is accurate?" wilntoly ns far as I could ),0f'm the safe." dcr-'at did you do while this was on?" -pilling. I was frankly fright I pud. at the time 1 didn't even . It was IturUe who was shoot-Ii'rom shoot-Ii'rom where 1 was 1 couldn't "Yes, Sir. I Regretted Very Much That I Had Not Struck Him In a More Vulnerable Spot." cause their program went off elegant. ele-gant. Now what I want to ask you Is this: Leavln' the robbery Itself out of the conversation for a mln ute has there been anything funny fun-ny goin' on around here recently? Anything that was unusual like strange folks snooping around, or anything like that?" Fiske hesitated briefly. "No strangers that I've heard of." "But there has been something peculiar," Hanvey asserted. "I didn't say so." "No-o. but you kind of acted It." Itandolpb Fiske was genuinely Impressed. "To tell you the truth," he said, "1 am sure I recognized the car In which the robber drove away." "So o 1 That sounds awful good. Whose was It?" Fiske toyed with a blotter for a moment. "I hate to say, Hanvey. My suspicions are probably grossly unjust." "We ain't goln' to bother no Innocent In-nocent folks, Mr. Fiske." "1 hope not. Especially this one. You see, In all the excitement, I couldn't be sure It was his car." "But you're pretty positive?" "Exactly." "Who was It?" "A young friend of mine who Is a student at the college here. Mar land university. 1 could almost swear that It was his car which waited at the curb for the robber." Hanvey spoke softly, and kindly. "Hadn't you oetter tell me the Ind's name, Mr. Fiske?" "He's a nice boy. Hanvey. I've known him for three years. And I'm not positive he was driving the car. His name " And the banker drew a long breath: "Ills name Is Maxwell Vernon 1" CHAPTER VI THE kindly face of the hanker was marked by lines of worry as though he feared he had talked too much. But the ponderous de- week ago he came to me and asked for a loan. He admitted that he was broke. He said he was In a rotten fix owed a big gambling debt and felt that his honor was at stake." "Does he gamble much?" "A good deal. But that IT touch on later. He wanted to borrow money. Of course, I explained that I couldn't lend It at least that the bank couldn't I did offer to lend him a trifling sum personally, but he said that the hundred dollars I offered wouldn't help a bit. He needed need-ed five thousand." "No piker, at any rate." "It isn't that, Hanvey. He Just doesn't know anything about money ... or lf he does, he's learned It in the last month, which Isn't very likely. He always had thought that ninety thousand dollars was Inex haustlble. Then suddenly. It was gone. It took him a long time to understand that there was no mora He confessed to me that he had been a fool. He wanted to know what to do, and I suggested that he leave the college, get a 1ob and begin to take life seriously. His gambling debt 'the debt of honor' he rather grandiosely called it seemd to be preying on his mind. Once or twice he even talked about killing himself. I spoke to him like a Dutch uncle " "You thought he meant it?" "He meant It; yes. But I knew he'd never do It. I was merely trying try-ing to snap him out of his despon dency. All his lightness and bright ness were disappearing. But there was nothing I could do about It." "And he?" "No one In the world could have needed or warned money more than Max Vernon thought he did. Remember Re-member that I The last time I saw him was April twenty-eight when he begged me for a loan and I again refused. "On May ffrst, a little after two o'clock, this bank was robbed of more than one hundred thousand dollars. I am terribly afraid Max Vernon was Implicated In that hold up." "Because you recognized his car?" "That Is only the beginning, Han the killing the minute he returner, to the campus yesterday evening." "I see. . . Who arrested him?' "The local police." "Mm hmm! They sure are h I or makin' arrests. Guess they fee they've got to keep in practice Whose murder was Vernon arrested for?" "A man named Thayer Patersor Thayer. They call him Pat." "College student?" "Yes. I guess you'd call him that He came to Marland two years agr and entered the lunior class. He would have graduated next month Ugly rumors followed him here They said he had been Invited tc leave the two northern colleges-which colleges-which he had attended. He was a picturesque figure: tall, handsome suave, worldly nothing collegiate about him." "How old?" "About twenty-three or four." "And his connection with Vernon?' "That's what worries me. The became friendly from the start Max looked up to Thayer, and I think Thayer had a supreme con tempt for Vernon. But that didn't prevent the older man from bleed lng Max." "How?" "Cards, I believe. And if any credence is to be given the rumors-which rumors-which followed Thayer to Marland he was quite expert In manlpulat lng them. In the past two years Hanvey, about forty thousand dol lars' worth of checks drawn by Ver non In favor of Pat Thayer have passed through this bank." "And It was because of this that Vernon has been arrested for Thay er's murder?" "No-o. You see, no one but my I self knows how deeply Involved Max Vernon was. Financially, that Is He was arrested largely on clrcnro stantlal evidence, and because It developed de-veloped that they had a hitter qnar rel before Thayer was killed." "About what?" "The Idea seems to be that Thay er stole Vernon's girl." "Mmml Nasty business. Thayei must have been an awful careless young man." "It doesn't look good for the boy Hanvey. Thayer gets all his monet and a note that he can't possibly pay. Then Thayer steals the one thing left to Vernon his girl. Ol course we can smile, but I fanct that even to a youngster like Ver non. the loss of a lady's affection-could affection-could cut pretty deeply (hit we'l go a step farther: We'll say that V not only makes him furious bn nlso opens his eyes. It makes hii, understand that Pat Thayer t. an scrupulous. Suppose he efts t hi idea that Thayer has been cheat inj. j him at cards? 1 (TO BE CO.VTI.VI ED.) 5 'lyone but the robber." ;rke was correct In stating njtie man was hit?" re's no question about that s was a good deal of blood on li dor. He must have been bleed-.j. bleed-.j. ilther profusely, too, because liatall seemed to get heavier as roached the curb. A car was i'k there for him." iht yhotly else see the robbery?" cl" f,'yone see the esecape?" st''' one. A negro boy who works ',! gas station across the street ihs'e henrn the shooting. But he THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING Antoinette Peyton, senior at the University of Marland, resents Pater-son Pater-son Thayer's attentions to Ivy Welch, seventeen-year-old coed, and there la a stormy scene, the tension belns Increased hy Max Vernon, another student, reproaching tvy for "breakine a date" with him. Thayer and Vernon Ver-non threaten each other. Larry Welch Ivy's brother, professor at the university. uni-versity. Is nppenled to by Tony to end his sister's friendship with Thayer Welch and Tony Peyton are In love. Tony tells him she Is married to ; I'hayer. but Is his wife only In name. Larry determines to end Thayer's j association with Ivy Tony persuades him to wait until she has appealed ! to her husband. She does so. visiting him at a fraternity house. Tony ends j her visit to Thayer and departs. Vernon leaves the house almost Immedl-I Immedl-I ately afterwards. Welch s appeal to Ivy to end her affair with Thayer Is fruitless. He determines to see Thayer He does so. and after he leaves Oarmlclno, frat house Janitor, finds Thaver dead, stabhed In the throat The Marland bank Is robbed of $100,000. the robber escaping with the money after being shot and apparently sadly wounded. Jim Hanvey. famous detective, comes to Investigate the robbery. |