Evening journal., 1922-02-13

You are Hiram Timmons. Mr.
Fowler's valet?" he demanded with
out preamble.
''Yassuh an cook. too. He lives
I mean, he lived-real simple out
here ceptin' when he gave a dinner
like last night and then the caterers
come, but done got 'em all out
befo' I went home myself"
THE guests had all gone. too?"
Hoey persisted Tell me the order
in which they left. who went first?"
THE two gentlemen, sub. Then
Mis- Revere and then little Mis-
Willis. Po' Mistuh Fowler was just
escortin' the last one, Mis- Howard,
to her cyar when l started for home
aftuh putin the study to rights"
"Did you see anyone outsider"
"Nossuh. nobody but Mr.. Oren
Beach, who used to visit Mr.. Fow-
ler?'"
Then you know him?"
Reckon 1 does. Hiram's tone
was scathing. Spent mos OF my
time pickin up his cigaret butts all
over the place"
Then you ought to know what
brand he smoked" Hoey laughed
ndifferently.
Done roll his own. in brown pa
peri" The cook-valet shifted and
then cooked an anxious ear upward.
spec one Of the ladies havin' hy-
stericsl"
An unmistakable sound OF fem
mine weeping had drifted down to
them and in another moment Hoey
had sprung lightly up the stairs and
knocked upon the door from behind
, which Il came. A soft. reluctant
. footstep reached his ears and the
! door opened to reveal a demure lit
: tie blonde with tear-drenched eyes.
! "Oh. please let me go home" she
! walled. This dreadful place will
p drive me madl"
'1n just a minute. Miss willis"
- Hoey replied gently. You dined
here last night. Did Mr.. Fowler
o escort you to your carr"
Eyes. The-the very last thing
b. he said to me was that he was going
l TO be proud OF me in his new produc-
tionl Oh. can't bear to talk about
I'll He-he was almost like father
to mel"
She broke into tumultous sobbing
once more and the detective could
get nothing further from her but
he had seen enough to satisfy him.
Tapping upon the door across the
/, hall he found himself confronted by
the wide-eyed, piquant face OF the
/, Coincidence, Pierrette Howard. There
were traces OF tears upon It but she
replied to his questions in a low,
< steady tone. She had been the last
{ OF the guests to leave on the preced-
a ing evening. had remained for few
e moments to talk over her part. The
tragedy was naturally a frightful
I shock to her, for she and Mr. Fowler
G had been the best OF pals for ages
j. No. certainly there had never beer
Anything OF a sentimental nature
" between them. Was she at libert,
"a to return to her homer
D" As she asked the question a mas
Is culine voice sounded from below ant
n she shrank back, shutting the doc
re almost in the detectives face. II
z shrugged slightly and turned to
rs door at the end OF the hall.
mr. A contralto voice in tones OF stud
m led tragedy bade him enter and tn
20 stately figure OF the famous stai
10 Justine Revelle. arose slowly fror
a couch. Her classic but somewha
80, mature features were as immobile a
though carved in marble and the
0' did not change as she assured ne
questioner that she had looked upo
Mr.. Fowler as the master who ha
o revealed her genius to the worl
/ when she had all but given up hop
ne OF recognition. II was evident tina
"a she meant to talk OF nothing bu
a herself and Hoey at length Withdrew
n and descended to the dining room.
d. There the chief presented him I
a tail, narrow-shouldered youth wit
C. a vapid face upon which an expires
?" sion OF stunned horror was stamped
st Jason Brooks hadn't know Fowle
/" poor chap. very well. but he admir-
he ed him immensely. No. he had nc
s- been invited to the dinner. but ha
ty spent the evening at the club as IN
doorman. stewards and dozen
" his friends could testify.
". "And you. Mr. Benedict? You di
as not dine here either?" Hoey turne
ne to the traction king
r. "No. I remained in my own room
az as my man viii tell you" Benedi,
nd replied, talking a handkerchief froi
no his pocket and rubbing il nervousl
rs. between his hands as he spoke. =
had some important papers to loo
III over-i"
u" Very good. sir. Chief. Mrs. Ma,
te we'll and the other witness wei
ID, right" Hoey turned to his siperio
"Oren Beach was here last night"
TO- II told you Il was an open-ant
MT shut" Chief Newton began b,
air paused AT something in the other
lin expression.
he 'He was here but outside the win
ug dow of this room. looking throuc
A that door which leads into the stud
it Here are six stubs of his own peci
BE- liar cigarets which he smoked thel
me while he watched a scene In whic
nd he had no part. Mr. Brooks. yc
he have loyal friends who will swear
* your alibi but you dropped half (
Ed. one Of your cuff-hnks as yc