Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-12-02
The Frameup

Starmount walked back into the
room where sat his friend Ted
Parker and officer Mulcahy. Seeing
ehen be assumed an expression OF
calm that he did not feel as his
mind was torn between his interest
in Mary and worry about the out
come of the days events
And blended with it all was the
weight Of the responsibility he had
assumed in taking care of Mary
Devlin and her family. While this
gave his pleasure-jaded senses a
new sensation, a new thrill, he was
not sure he was going to enjoy it
He was not reassured by the faces
of the men at the table.
Ted Parker broke out: "Mulcahy
says, Nal, that there is one thing
that will upset our calculation for
that viii upset our calculation for
that accident that we thought we
had planned so carefully. We over
looked your license number.
"The car will be traced to you
Immediately. You will be asked
who was driving the car. 1t will
be thought very strange, if Sather
is found, that he lost control of the
car. We should have told Sather
4 q. IL -
"Why, Ted, Of course we wanted
to make it look as though Tenant
was driving the car himself. ]
thought we understood each other
on that"
There's no time to argue now"
said Mulcahy quickly. "You had
better telephone the newspapers
that someone has stolen your car.
Then when they find Tenants
body it will look like he wandered
into your garage and in his drunk
en- condition took out the first car
he found. We should 60 over the
entire plan again, Mr.. Starmount.
it is mighty hard in frameup to
think of every detail"
"Yes, Nal, Mulcahy and ! have
been talking about it and we find
two or three holes in our story"
Fire ahead, Ted"
'Let's see what time it is"
All three pulled out their watches.
A shrewd observer could have al
most read their characters, the stor-
les OF their early youth, their train
ing and environment by that simple
act.
Mulcahy thrust out his arm with
such vim that one might have
thought he was about to give some
one an upper-cut. On his brawny
wrist was big silver watch in a
heavy leather case and strap.
Theodore Parker pulled from his
waistcoat pocket a very thin gold
cased timepiece and held it care
fully before his eyes.
Malcolm Starmount carelessly put
his hand into the side pocket of his
trousers and pulled out a gorgeous
platinum watch with his crest en-
blazoned on it.
"It is later than thought" he
remarked consulting his watch
again, as most men do, to make sure
he was right in his first glance. Il
have ten minutes to twelve"
"Seven minutes, / make it," boom
cd Pats voice as he too glanced
again at his wrist.
"Yon are both a little ont of the
way" asserted Parker. 1T is just
midnight"
Starmeunt smiled as he slipped his
watch back into his pocket. eve
are all near enough to the time to
make the idea I have unanimous. !"
The other men looked up expect
antly.
"We'll just have time enough to
,ateh the first edition with the fact
that | think my ear has been stol-
en-.
"But, Nal, suppose the police find
the car before Sather has time to
carry out your orders and get
awayf"
"Sather has had since o'clock
to do this and IL he has not wreck
ed the car before now he will never
do it. 1t is chance that we shall
have to take. It the police find
Sather | viii have to stand gaff.
We all know that.
"Now let's get the story straight.
/ have just come back from the gar,
age where l had gone for car TO
go into the city. l found my touring
ear missing. / did not hear any dis
turbanee but the garage is long
ways from the house and the sound
of a ear more or less on the drive
would not make any impression on
me as both my friends and my ser
wants are in the habit Of leaving