The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-08-26

/ ne opened those sparkling black eyes
of his, and through narrow-slitted lids
directed keen glances at the other
two men.
One of the men was the chief of
police. The second was joachim Fell,
whose Offices these were. -
Even If things are as you say,
which I don't doubt at ALL" said the
chief, slowly, II can't believe the boy
did it! And darn it all, If pinch
him there's goin' to be h Of
scandal!
Fell shrugged his shoulders, and
made response in his toneless voice:
Chief, you're up against facts.
Those facts are bound to come out
and the newspapers will nail your
hide to- the wall in a minute. You've
a bare chance to save yourself by TAX
ing in young Maillard at once
The chief chewed hard on his cigar.
II don't want to save myself by put
ting the wrong man behind the bars"
he returned. 1T sure looks like he
was the Masquer all the while, but
you say that he wasn't. You say this
was his only job-a joke that turned
out bad"
'Those are the facts" said Fell. ~
don't want to accuse man Of crimes
know he did not commit. We have
J the best of evidence that he did COM
NIT this crime. If the newspapers
fasten the entire Midnight Masquer
business on him, as they're sure to
do, we can't very well help him. I
have no sympathy for the boy"
"Of course hIs did it," put in Ben
Chacherre, sleepily. wasn't he caught
with the goodsy'
The others paid no heed. The chief
Indicated two early editions OF the
morning papers, which lay on the desk
In front of Fell These papers car
ried full accounts Of the return of
the Midnight Masquer's loot, explain
ing his robberies as part of carnival
Jest.
The later editions, comm out now"
said the chief.t will crowd all that
stun off the IF ont page with the Mail
lard murder. Darn it, Fell! Whether
believe it pr not, I'll have to ar
rest the your lg fool"
Chacherre 'chuckled. Jachin Fell
smiled family.
Nothing could be palmer, Chief" he
responded. First, Bob Maillard comes
to. us in front Of the opera house, and
talks about great joke that he's
going to sps.ing on his friends across
the way--" -'F4T
How'd You know who he WASP in
terjected tthe chief, shrewdly.
"Gram0nt recognized him; Ansley
and COZ lfirmed the recognition. He
was NOR or less Enthusiastically
more. low, young MaiIlard was not
In the re ON at the moment Of the muir
der-rnless he was the Masquer. Five
minutes, afterward he was found In a
nearl ~ room, hastily changing out Of
an aiHtator's uniform into his masquer-
ade. costume. Obviously, he had as
sulned the guise of the Masquer as a
10 Ike on his friends, and the joke had
a. tragic ending. Further, he was in
fhe aviation service during the war,
and SO had the uniform ready to hand
You couldn't mako anybody believe
that he hasn't been the Masquer all
the tme!" ] .~...-
"Ofi course" and the chief nodded
perpl exedly. It'd be q clear case
only you call ME In end say that he
wasn't the Masquer! On 1t, Fell,
this thing has my goatl"
Whats Maillard's story?" struck in
Ben Chacherre.
"He denies the whole thing" said
the worried chief. According to his
STORY; which sounded straight the way
he t.lls it, he meant to- pull off the
joke on his friends and was dressing
in the Nasquer's costume when he
hea d the shots. He claims that the
shd ts startled him. and made him
chg nge back. He swears that he had
MOI entered the other room at all. ex-
ce pt in his masquerade clothes. He
SO IS the murderer must have been the
n al Masqrer. It's likely enough, be-
cause all young Matllard's crowd knew
IL headquarters man from Mobile will
be here tomorrow. to trace the Non
pareil Twelve that sGrarnont now
owns" ....-...-...,..,,., .s..-.-..
/ Chacherre whistled under his breath.
"What?" is~s.-s rgzs.>.- .-EsF (
Jachin Fell smiled slightly and
nodded. Eyes. If Gramont remains
at Paradis, I may send him on down
therein not snre yet. I intend to
get something on that man Ham
mond." .. .t...~ s...
''But you can't land him that way.
master! He bought the car"
'And who soltl the car to the ga
rage people? They bought it inno-
GENTLY A peculiar smile twisted
FelPs lips AMY. I'm fact, they
bought it from a man named Ham.
mond, as the evidence will show very
clearly" ~
Ben tChacherre started. since he had
sold that car, himself. Then slow
grin came into his thin features
grin that widened into noiseless
lS10Stts - ---g - --.1f