Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1920-03-26

peculiar. AS L started up the ndll I'D
search the bedrooms, looked back
and caught Mr.. Wick furtively closing
the wall safe. His action In surrepti-
tiously closing this without saying
anything to me made me suddenly sus-
picious of him. I recalled that petec-
tive German had put Mr.. Wick into his
circle Of suspects along with the bur-
glars wife. Could II be possible that
the superintendent Of the building him
self was In connivance with the band
Of criminals who had been harassing
the Bradfords and mef I determined
to watch his every move.
there's no one here" said. as we
completed our round of the various
rooms. "The murderer has made his
escape. Hasn't that boy 'phoned for
the police YETI
Mr.. Wick seemed so averse to carry
ing out my suggestion about the police
that I think he must have sensed the
suspicion In my voice.
81 think I had better ask Mr.. Kent
about 1t first" he said nervously.
cWho's Mr.. Kent?" I demanded.
My thoughts were so taken up with
the unexpected tragedy that the name
at first meant nothing to me. Sud-
denly I remembered. 1t was to the
| apartment of Mr.. Henry Kent that
Miss Kelly had 'phoned last night
when she was dining with me. I re-
called, too, that German had charged
me to find out all could about him.
"Who's Mr.. KentT / repeated
sharply. whats he got to do with it?"
"He's the owner Of the building" ex-
planned Mr.. Wick. "He doesn't like
the Granddeck to be mentioned In the
papers. He says any notoriety is bad
for its exclusiveness. don't believe
he'd want the police called in. In
fact, sir, I'm sure he wouldn't"
whether he wants 1t or not" said
firmly, tits got to be done. You can't
keep murders out of the paper. Either
you call the police right away or else
WILL"
NV threat forced him to telephone
against his will. could quite under
stand his employers aversion to hav-
ing a crime In the Granddeck made
public. But there was no help for 1t.
There had been dastardly crime COM
mitted, and the police must be in
formed. Yet 1t was not to the police
that Mr.. Wick was telephoning. It
evidently was to Mr.. Kents apartment
In the building.
miss Lutan's been shot by burglar
IN her apartment" heard him say.
"Mr. Nelson and me just discovered
her body. What's that, sirT
Just what Mr.. Kents reply on hear
Ing the shocking news had been ! had,
of course, no means Of knowing. but
whatever 1t was, over the superintend-
ent's face came an expression of in
credulity and amazement.
what do you think" said Mr.. Wick,
turning to me; "he says for me to call
up Headquarters at once"
"Of course" said. sit Is the only
thing to do"
Nevertheless, as Mr.. Wick waited
for the number. he kept shaking his
head and muttering under his breath
something that sounded like:
ITO think Of his telling me to call
In the policel''
With the doctor summoned and the
police sent for, there seemed to be
little else for us to do but wait, so
Wick and sat down together in the
rear sitting room with the elevator boy
still on guard at the door.
"Who was Miss Lutan 2" asked.
"Why, Daisy Lutan, the actress"
said Mr.. Wick In surprise. Il sup
posed every one knew her."
"Tve heard about her." FASTENED to
say. "but / had no idea that she lived
In the Granddeck. Did she live here
aloneT
"She keeps a maid, an old woman
that has been with her for years."
where's the maid tonight"
"Out to the movies, s'pose. That's
where she goes every night when Miss
Lutan isn't playing. When she is. she
goes to the theater with her."
''Then Miss Lutan Is not playing
now"
mot for the last month"
Had there been any one here with
her tonightT
"Tll ask the elevator boy"
"John says she came In alone about
fifteen minutes ago." said Mr.. Wick
when he came back. "She went out
about seven. Her own chauffeur was
driving her then, but when she came
back she was in hired taxi. That's
something can't understand"
How do you suppose the murderer
escapedT
was trying every avenue of ques-
tioning to see II could not surprise
Wick into some damaging admission.
was beginning to suspect that he
knew far more about Miss Lutan's
murderer than he was telling. l felt
somehow that his whole search for the
man who had killed Miss Lutan had
been entirely perfunctory, BLUM to
deceive me. In my growing dislike
for the man, 1 felt that It would not
| be beyond the range of probability for