Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-30

II understand perfectly" said Mrs.
Harrison in her soft, sympathetic voice.
Perhaps you'd better lie down in your
room, and I'll have breakfast brought
up to you little later"
"Thanks. I will. But don't bother
about breakfast sha'n't care for any
And don't come along, please this
last smilingly to Kenneth. who was sup
porting her with an CncirCling arm rs
she started out--''l'm all right, | tel,
you. Please so back and finish your
breakfast
lie rclinQuishcd her, and she walked
out steadily enough. But instead of
going up to her bed, she sank upon the
great leather couch in the living room.
She lay tense. hardly breathing-watch
ing for them to come out from break
fast. She remembered that only one
morning paper was delivered to the
family at Silver Bluffs: that MIR. Har
rison glanced through it perfunctorily,
and left it behind for the family to read
when he started for the city.
When they came out she sprang up
and declared herself to be thoroughly
recovered from her furry of nerves.
She watched for Mr.. Harrison to toss
aside the paper MS was his wont. But
and when the Myra began its swift
thrust through the waters, white
blossom of spray springing into sudden
bloom at its bow, she saw him in the
shelter of the afterdeck again reading
the front page.
For space Jennie was foilcd--sick
with suspense. Just what was it that
Harry had done? What had happened
to him? She recalled that William. the
butler. had his own fnvOritc paper
brought him every morning. She went
into tho dining room, away from Sue
and her mother, on the excuse that after
all she would have her breakfast there ;
then told William that she had changed
her mind and would cat nothing, bor-
rowed his paper and slipped out the side
entrance and down the bluff to that
bit of silvery beach where a few weeks
since she had talked with Harry. Seated
behind the big boulder she began to
read.
For one brief day Larry Murdock,
comparatively unimportant though he
may have been in his life. in his death
| forced European events, then hurryng
toward the outbreak of the great war.
to let him share with them the front
page upon terms of cquality-for big
local politics were involved. The story,
as the paper gave it. and as it came
| from the police. Jennie at once saw to
be an appallingly perfect case against
Harry. Inspector Timothy Dixon. in
| terViCwcd, had his evidence conviucinCly
arrayCd: the account praised him for
the amazing celcrity and completeness
with which he had handled the affair.
| Two witnesses, Joseph Graves and John
| Pearson, had seen Edwards shoot Muir.
| Il. L I..1
| lorans cafe. and had then seen Ed
wards vanish around Il corner Ed
wards had managed TO evade the police
! for time. but had been arrested by
| Detectives O'Brien aud Casey as he
was trying to enter taXicab on FoW-
| tcenth street.
His motive for the murder (still ac
cording to Inspector Timothy DiXon)
was very simple: Edwards was parti-
| san Of Alderman Samuel Conway--thcrc
was a bitter political fcud between Con
way and Murdock and young Edwards
had thought to serve his patron and
gain greater favor by eliminating Con
ways antagonist.
Conway. interviewed, had said with
| the solcmnity of one awCd by sudden
death Boys. no one can he more sorry
over this man than ] am Murdoch aud
/ had our differences. ynS--but thcy
were personal and could have been
smoothed over. Harry Edwards must
have got an exaggerated idea of theil
danger to mc--dnd being impetuous he
must have thought he could help mt
this way. In spite of what he's done
l want to tell you that he's Il goot
square chap Whi"h was fine
generous. outstanding statement the
! account declared
Edwards, interviewed. had main,
tuined Stolid silCncc--thr usual Stol
| idity. 50 the paper characterized it, o
the murderer who knows that his leasi
words may incrimiratc him.
Jennie was dazed. She believed every
word of the account---it was so simple
so convincing, so in keeping with JUS
what Harry would do lie was guilty
-yes-but she in degree was also re
spOnsible. Her refusal had driven hin
to it. For Snnre she sat staring out
al the Sound, shiYcring, "A wild tearing
within her. lie was II nice boy. sh,
liked him she really liked him. And
she had driven him to this! And fol
such IL decd. with his guilt so obvious,
she knew we'll what the penalty would
| be,
Trembling all through. she took III
the paper aud with fearful fascination
| read the story again, and again, and
again. 1t was not until the fourth read
ing that her brain caught fragment
of sentence that her frantic eyes had
thus far skinned over without seeing
The victim, leaving Halloran's cafe a
9.15 :"
CONTINUED TOMORROW