The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-03
CHAPTER X. Detective Work.

Detective Work. The explosion of a forty-two centi- meter shell could not have created greater havoc than the apparently simple retraction of Courrenay O'Con- nor. The effect was cataclysmic and it brought a different expression to the face of each person in the room Buck registered consternation and anger, Thelma relief, Virginia doubt, Manning satisfaction, Uncle Charley bewilderment, Jimmy Shannon skep- ticism.
 To Jimmy Shannon's alert mind it wa5 incomprehensible that a man should identify a woman as his wife one minute, only to calmly admit that he was mistaken the next. There was something wrong somewhere and Jimmy shannon knew it.
 Buck was across the room in a. bound, his hands clutching Courtenay OConnors shoulders
 Whats that?' he howIed. Whats that? Do you mean to say that this woman is not your wife?'' "Just that" was the exasperatinsly calm retort. "1 never saw her before in my life.''
 That snapped Buck, 'is not even a clever lie. You followed the for tunes of Miss Thelma o'connor-or Mrs. Thelna O'Connor-when you reached town this morning You admitted it yourself, it was you who told US that you discovered that I was with her in Giovanni's last night. You trailed her here. Why? Because you had vital personal interest in what she was doing. You wanted to kill me. Why? Because had apparently eloped with your wife. And now you expect us to believe it was all a mistake VnIs h;rlr the crowd of asses we appear to be-" Courtenay O'Connor was hacked Why don't you say somethinz '' prompted Jimmy.
 I-I-have said all there is to say. I did MT. Mccartney and Mrs. Macart- ney wrong, I'm trying to right it" But 1t isn't even plausible" insisted Buck. Whether she's his wife or not, l don't know. But when he saw that he never set eyes on her. he sa.s too far. He knew ter-thats noxi- t1Ve- And if he lied about that there must nave been a motive. It's nine teen to one she Is his wife" But I'm not" It was TheIna speaking T told you never saw the man before and I never did" BUCK laced the room, his eyes blaz- ing and his fists clenched. There's something wrong about anu l III SOlnS to light this thing through. The first thing am going to find out is when and where these two people were married" Jimmy shannon sidIed close f, | Buck. 1o
 I'm with you." he said quietly. | And you can trust me You're ace- l high with me-
 fhanks, shannon. believe you VIII help me Suppose you let me speak with you minute" | The two men stepped into +be b.u way. 1 Buck extended his hand and Jinn,v clasped it. A 'iiiiiiiS | I've got to trust some one sb., non' ana 1t might we'll be you. Tn the first place. didn't that man 1fs when he said he never saw TheIn,a be- | fore?' tiia oe-
 If I'm any judge of human nature he did" -'F' UT e' i "Why?"
 1 Jimmy smiled slightly. I'm thinking if you discover +bs. you'll be in a fair way to n,-s.,a1 the whole bloomin' tangle." | Il assign you to that, then. And oo you think that mixup has anv- l thing to do with the mystery about | my uncle's former friendship-or ", Mtia lever IL Was-with the versatile l 4ASlIIa
 Lord knows! I don't. But I'll see what I can find out"
 Good. I wish you 1uex" They elapsed hands again ana sp.r non swung easily into the room. I-ir- glnia was seated on the coucb .ra as Jimmy entered the room she mo | tloned to her uncle who was seated on the couch beside her Un,,y pus1ed himself with Perkins Nlrslnia's nerves had reached tbe
 breaking point. Of a nervous tenn. perament' naturally she had beer through more than she cou1d s+.,d To Uncle Charley she poured o1,t sI, oI her troubles. And" she wound
 up' her voice "I can't remain here any longer. and I won't"
 | BUCK Mccartney and Virginia were not the only ones whose nerves had been wrecked during the morning l uncle Charley had been underroinp
 tortures. He wanted to get away ana wash his hands of the whole af. fair "A
 Virginia wanted to be alone to think | matters over, but no sooner ha ITnc,x Charley vacated the seat next to he, l than Jimmy Shannon occupied if Hi, | manner was the acme of self-ass,,r. ance, and despite the fact that y-ir.
 glnia felt she should be souevb.,
 angry at his matchless effronterv sb.
 found herself smiling
 Listen to me, Miss Earle started
 Jimmy abruptly T can see ina
 you like to help Buck Macartney ou
 of this scrape"
 Nothing of the kind" she cam,
 pack icily- MT. Mccartney got him
 self into this and he can extricat, 1 himself.'
 There's a nixup somewhere" in
 sisted Jimmy blandly. You know i
 as well as I do. And believe me, Mis-
 Earle, Buck Mccartney has punished
 a thousandfold, if punishment is wha ne deserves. I have just gone t,
 him and volunteered my services a
 an ally. He needs help And I kney
 you would help, too.'
 "I don't see-''
 Well, I do You're a good sport , and I know it. And you'n do wha
 you can to help the man to whom yol were engaged out of this mess Don