Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-19

why you are 10 sure his grandfather
was murdered"
"All right" the detectives level
voice came back. Half an hour ago
I would have said no again, but now
I've got the evidence i wanted. ap-
preciate. Mr.. Graham, that you're a
friend Of that young rascal. and what
I have to say isn't pleasant for a
friend to hear. But first you want
TO know why I'm so sure the case Ia
r,urder, in spite of the doctor who
made his diagnosis without really
looking"
go on" Graham said yoftly.
Bobby waited--his nerves as tense
as they had grown in the presence Of
the dead man.
"Two days ago." the detective went
on quietly. "old Mr.. Blackburn came
to the court house in Smithtown
and asked for the best detective the
district attorney could put his hands
on. don't want to blow my own
trumpet, but I've got away with one
or two pretty fair jobs. I've had good
offers from private firms in New
York. SO they turned him over to
me- II was easy to see the old man
was scared, just as his niece says
he was last night. The funny part
was he wouldn't say definitely what
he was afraid of. 1 thought he might
be shielding somebody until he was
little surer of his ground. He told
me he was afraid of being murdered,
and he wanted good man he could
call on to come out here to the Ced-
ars If things got too hot for him.
can hear his voice now as distinctly
as If he was standing where you
are.
MY hearts all right he said. 1T
won't stop awhile yet unless it's
made to. SO if I'm found cold some
put out of the way
II tried to pump him, naturally,
but he wouldn't say another word ex-
cept that he'd send for me If there
was time. He didn't want any fuss
made, and he gave me q handsome
present to keep my mouth shut and
not to bother him with any more
questions. | figured-you can't blame
me, Mr.. Graham-that the old boy
was little cracked. So I took his
money and let it go at that. 1 didn't
think much more about it until they
told me early this morning he lay
dead here under peculiar circum-
stances"
"Odd!" Graham commented. 1T
does make it more like murder, How
ellis. But he doesn't look like muir.
dered man.
when you know as much about
crime as l do Mr.. Graham, you'll
realize that murders which are a
long time planning are likely to take
on one of two appearances-suici
or natural DEATH
"All right" Graham said. For the
purpose of argument let us agree it's
murder Even so, why do you sus-
pect young Blackburn? %
without a scrap of evidence it's
plain as the nose on your face" the
detective answered. IF old Black
burn had lived until this morning
our young man would have been
pauper. AS it is, he's a millionaire,
but l don't think he'll enjoy his
money. The two had been at
swords points for a long time. Rob-
ert hated the old man-never made
any bones about it. You couldn't ask
for a more damaging motive"
You can't convict a man on mo-
tive" Graham said shortly. you
spoke of evidence"
More" the detective replied, than
any jury in the land would ask"
Bobby held his breath, shrinking
from this information, which, how
ever, he realized it was better he
should know.
when 1 got here" the detective
said, Il decided on the theory of
murder to make a careful search as
soon as day broke. l didn't have to
wait for day. tho, to find one cry
ing piece of evidence. For a long
time was alone in the room with
the body Queer feeling about that
room, Mr.. Graham. Don't know how
to describe it except to say it's I'M
comfortable. Too old, maybe. Maybe
it was just being there alone with the
dead man before the dawn, altho
l thought was hardened to that sort
of thing. Anyway, 1 didn't like it.
To keep my spirits up, as well as to
save time, 1 commenced searching
the place with candle. Nothing
about the bed. Nothing in the clos
cts or the bureau
He grinned sheepishly.
you know kind of was afraid to
open the closet doors. Then I got
on my knees and looked under the
bed. The light was bad and 1 didn't
see anything at first. After minute,
close against the wall, 1 noticed
something white. I reached in and
pulled it out. 1t was handkerchief,
and it had a monogram, Mr.. Graham
R. b. IN purple and green"
He paused. Graham exclaimed
sharply. Bobby felt the net tighten.
If that evidence was conclusive to
the others, how much more so was it
for him! He recalled how, after
awakening in the empty house; he
had searched unsuccessfully in all
his pockets for his handkerchief, in
tending to brush the dirt from his
shoes.
Il went to his room," the detec-
tive hurried on, and found a lot of
his clothes and his stationery and
his toilet articles marked with the
same cipher. knew my man had
made big mistake-the sort of mis-
take every criminal makes no matter
how clever he Island had him. But
that isn't by any means ALL Don't
look so distressed, Mr.. Graham. There
isn't the slightest chance for him.
You see l repaired the lock, and, as
soon as it was day, closed the room
and went outside to look for signs.