The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-10


tentIon to himself tax tha, he
could not stand on a crowded thor
oughfare and hall--and there was
as usual, a line OF them there now
in front Of the restaurant,
He reached the corner, drew lila
hat far down over his eyes, stuDped
out into the street, and Approached
the last taxi IN the line from he
side away from the curb. The chauf.
feur was nodding in his seat IIIv
Kane touched the man on the arm.
Il want 10 go up to the Nineties-
Proadway--probably several place,
after that" said Billy Kane pleas
antly.
The chauffeur yawned and shook
his head.
I'm waitin' for party in there"
He Jerlied his hand toward the res-
taurant "I got fare"
Il know you have" said Billy
Kane cColly. you've got me- He
extended a ten-dollar bill. "Theres
another one Just Ike this, perhaps
more than one, coming later-on top
OF the fare"
The chauffeur Frlnned. pocketcd
the banknote, and, leaning out,
opened the door. His grin broad
ened
What did you say the address
was2' he inquired.
The one I gave you VIII do for
the present" Billy Kane answered
quietly. I'm let you know where 20
stop. Get up there as fast as you
can. I'm paying for speed tonight.
Get the idea p
Leave II to mel" said the chaut.
feur, Hop in"
Billy Kane settled back in the seat.
The car swung out of the line. shot
forward, and took the first corner
on little better than two wheels.
Billy Kane smiled grimly. Between
here and that purposely vague sd-
dress in the Nineties which he had
given the chauffeur could very o5-
viously be depended upon to do his
part In the meanwhile, and for
the first time, he, Billy Kane, had
an opportunity to study those scat
tered pieces OF the puzzle in detail
He lighted a cigarette. That there
should be a will in Merxler's safe
at all had nasty look-unless it
were Merxler's own will, which was
altogether too highly improbable a
suppostion to be enterta lned ser.-
ously. And besides, in that case,
what was Karlin's and Red Vanous
and the underworld's interest in the
matter? He shook his head de-
cisively. The existence Of a viii
did not ted 70 place young Merx,cr
in an enviable light.
Merxler's uncle, man by the
name Of Theodore Rodgers. who had
died some few months before, had
been quite an intimate friend OF
David Ellsworth-that was where
his, Billy kane's, personal know
edge of Merxler came from. He had
met Rodgers several times at tho
old mlllionatre's home; and once he
had met the nephew there as well,
The two did not get on very we'll to-
gether. Young Merxler was a no
torious "high-roller." Left a large
fortune by his father two years ago
he had squandered Il to the las-
copper. Theodore Rodgers, hts
uncle, had time and again, both
privately and publicly stated that
he would have nothing more to do
with the boy. That was the gist OF
It. 1t had occasloned some surprise
then that, when Rodgers had died.
Il was found that he had taken no
steps to keep his money what he
had OF it, some sixty or seventy
thousand dollars, out OF the young
spend-thrift's hands. But no will had
been round. Rodgers was n bachelor.
young Clayton Merxler was a dead
sisters only son-and Merxler had
inherited az next of kin. and had
promptly moved his family-he was
marr!ed-lnto his late uncle's resi-
dence.
Billy Kane finished his cigarette.
and finished SIN another, as the
taxi made It's way uptown. There
had never been anything criminal.
so FAR as was known, about young
MerXler, nothing wrong up to nov.
except that he had gone the pace,
and that, perhaps more than any
thing else, he had been a foolish
and unbalanced boy and had lost his
head; but now there were two very
unpleasant facts that loomed up in
stantly. First, it was common knowl-
edSe that at the time of his uncle's
death young Merxler was having an
exceedingly hard time Of II TO mako
both ends meet. And, second. was
the fact that Karlin was in this, too.
knowing Karli1 now for what Kar-
IN really was, It looked ugly enough
Tor young Merxler. Karlin, accent
ed in the upper circles in which he
moved, as 4 respected citizen and
an excellent attorney had always
been trusted as a friend and the
legal adviser Of both young MerH-
ler's father and uncle-whlch placed
MN now in a position where he
could be very useful, II not indIs-
pensa Die, confederate in assisting
into the possession Of his uncles
estate.
The minutes passed. Dllly Kane.
within few blocks of his destiua-
non, noted the cross streets care
tuliy now, rs he shook his head
again. The pieces did not tit so u.t-
iect!y after all suppose that R0dg-
ers had left will dis.nherlting his
ImepheW' and suppose thar young
MerX!er had found that VIII and that
II was i'm Nerxlcr's safe now. and
mat karlin was a party 10 it-wry
nadnt the will been destroyed
That would seem the obvious and
safe thing 20 have done, And Z
MerNler ana Eaylin aud Red Vallou
were all hand IN glove in the affair
Where was the incentive for muir
der that She had spoken Of? Whose
murder There was snarl in tha
thlng. He was conscious that DE
mad not untanglcd il al all TO his
satisfaction.
He flnprl Fv1.=a