Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-07

Trixy Ledyard is accused by Har
vey of the murder because of jeal-
ousy. She denies the accusation, but
admits that Mrs. Hartshorne was
killed at her mothers home and that
she and her servants removed the body
In the middle of the night to the
woman's own home. Bebe Cowles
,confesses to Harvey that she over
heard a quarrel between Mrs. Harts-
horne and Swarthmore in which she
retracted her promise Of marriage and
threatened to expose his dishonest
business dealings with the govern
ment. Swarthmore admits the quar-
rel and his dishonesty to Harvey.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
HVOU admit, then, that you killed
- her?" Paul asked quietly.
"Admit nothingv' Swarthmore re
torted, staring. "I'm talking about
my deals with the government. I sup
pose it is Atlanta for mine, but bigger
men than are dipping into Uncle
Sans pockets right now and getting
away with it. If I hadn't gotten the
graft some other fellow would. As
for killing that woman-say, do you
think l broke into her house, waited
for her to come home and then fired
shot that would have been calculated
to bring a bunch of shrieking female
servants about my ears? Do 1 look
like that kind of a boob?"
mo, Mr.. Swarthmore, but as Mrs.
Hartshorne was not murdered in her
own home; as she was shot there in
the Ledyards' conservatory within n
few minutes of the time you uttered
your threat against her"
What" Swarthmore's face turned
ashen and his voice all but failed him.
"Say that again, Harvey ~
"She was dead before you left the
house! Dead five minutes after she
intimated that she would turn informer
against you"
"It can't be. There's some mis-
take! The amazement and incredu-
lity in Swarthmore's tone seemed too
unstudied to have been assumed. '..God,
man, the things impossible! The shot
= would have been heard, even above the
racket of that confoundcd jazz band,
and how could the body have been con-
veyed to her home? 1t is absurd on
the face of it."
Pauls keen eyes had never left the
others face and now they cleaned with
light of newly found conviction, but
he spoke without a change of tone.
''It is true, however"
'tWho did it?' Swarthmore de-
manded. "Did your busy little caves
dropper witness the murder? l left
Mrs. Hartshorne with tacit agreement
to keep out of each others game. If
she was killed so soon after it may be
that your informant had a hand in it
himself"
my informant was a woman, Mr.
Swarthmore.
"a woman? Not"
miss Ledyard?" Paul finished for
!, him as he hesitated Unfortunately
no. 1t would have been better, per-
haps, had she learned how little cause
she had for future jealousy"
"Well leave Miss Ledyard out of
this discussion, if you please" Swarth =
more said stifiy.
''I am afraid that will be impossible, "
Paul retorted. "When you left the
conservatory and started toward the
cloakroom Miss Ledyard tried to inter
cept you, but you rejected her over
lures, flung off the hand she had laid
upon your arm. That was the final
straw"
81 was beside myself" explained
Swarthmore. IT realized, too, for the
first time in all those weeks, what O
fool ! had been. Beatrice Ledyard was
the last person l wanted to encounter
Z just then"
''That is a pity, for Miss Ledyart
evidently put wrong construction oil
your manner" Paul spoke casually
but each word went home to the maj
before him. "Her pride as well a.
her heart were involved, and that is {
! dangerous combination with such {
\ woman as she. When you repudiatet
her SO publicly you aroused a spirit o
desperation which would stop at moth
ing. Before you reached the cloakroon
she had entered the conservatory"
"Stop!' Swarthmore rose slowly
''why have you come to me? Wha
are you driving at? If your caves
dropper was still there does she dare t
accuse Miss Ledyard-"
'sMy informant had slipped out of tn
conservatory before you left" Paul ad
mitted. "But since it was not you VIII
killed Mrs. Hartshorne, and / am con
vinced that you are telling the trut
in this respect, Mr.. Swarthmore, al
forced to conclude"
s.Your conclusions are damnabl
false!'' the other burst in upon him
- treated Miss Ledyard like a cuI
II you will have it so, but she is ut
9erly incapable of such a crime as 20
intimate! Whatever her feeling towar
Mrs. Hartshorne, she could not hav
shot her down in cold blood! 1t
nnthinkable ~
ST already have proof that she con
eealed the body; that she, with Il
help of two people whom she trusted
conveyed it to the Farragut stree
house," Payl continued relentlessl!
ssShe has confessed"
"Confessedr' The man before hi
staggered as though he had received
mortal blow. "It's not truel Trixy
Oh. my God F! Ny God"
That's all, Mr.. Swarthmore." Pa
rose and picked up his hat.
The other looked at him dazedly.
"I'm under arrest2" he asked in
thick, scarcely audible tone.
ssNot by me I'm on a murder case,
Paul responded. "The federal author
ties have been notified, however. 1t
only fair 10 tell you that. Good nigh
NJ. swaF porsV
Il N !. II, q Y