The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-09-07

on a swiftly ebbing tide. A single ele-
vator in the building was, however,
In use. A single suite Of offices, with
carefully drawn blinds, was lighted
and occupied.
They were not ornate, these Offices.
They consisted Of two rooms. small
reception room and n large private
office, both lined to the ceiling with
books, chiefly law books. In the larger
room were sitting three men. One
Of the three, Ben Chacherre, sat In
a chair tipped hack against the wall,
his eyes closed. From time to time
he 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 Jachin Fell,
whose Offices these were.
"Even II 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 II oil, II pinch
him there's goin' to be q h. of a
scandalp
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 nall your
hide to the wall In minute. You've
| a bare chance to save yourself by TAX
ing in young Malllard at once"
The chief chewed hard on his cigar.
1 4.
ting the wrong man behind the bars"
| he returned. "It sure looks like he
was the Masquer all the while, but
you say that he wasn't. You say this
was his only jobs-a Joke that turned
out bad"
"Those are the facts" said Fell. 81
don't want to accuse a man OF crimes
know he did not commit We have
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 he did It," put In Ben
Chacherrer sleeplly. wasn't he caught
with the goods?"
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 robberles as part Of carnival
Jest.
The later editions, comm out now, -
said the chief, twill crowd all that
stun off the front page with the Mall
lard murder. Darn II, Fell Whether
believe II or not, I'll have to ar
rest the young fool"
Chacherre chuckled. joachim Eel
smiled family.
"Nothing could be palmer. chief" h,
responded. "Flrst. Bob Maillard comes
to us In front of the opera house, ant
talks about great joke that he.
going to spring on his friends across
the way"
How'd you know who he was2" in
terJected the chief, shrewdly.
"Gramont recognized him; Ansle,
and l confirmed the recognition. III,
was more or less intOxlcated-chiefiy
more Now, young Malllard was no
in the room at the moment OF the muir
der-unless he was the MasQuer. Fiv,
minutes afterward he was found In {
nearby room, hastily changing out Of
an aviatOr's uniform into his masQuer
ade costume. Obviously, he had as
sumed the gulse OF the Masquer as {
Joke on his friends, and the joke haC
a tragic ending. Further, he was II
the aviation service during the war
and so had the uniform ready to hand
You couldn't make anybody believe
that he hasn't been the Masquer al
the timei"
, "0f course" and the, chief nodde,
perplexedly. IT'D be a clear case
only you call me In and say that h
wasn't the Masquerl D-n II, Fell
, this thing has my goatl"
, whats Malllard's story?" struck II
, Ben Chacherre.
"He denies the whole thing" SAT-
, the worried chief According TO hi
story, which sounded straight the wa,
2 he tells II, he meant to pull off tn,
Joke on his friends and was dressing
3 In the Masquer's costume when h,
, heard the shots. He claims that tn
shots startled him and made hin
2 change back. He swears that he ha,
: not entered the other room at all, ex
{ cept In his masquerade clothes. Ill
D says the murderer must have been tn,
) real MasQuer. It's likely enough. be
I cause all young Malllard's crowd knew
. about the party that was to be hel'
In that room during the Comus ball
I mo matter" said Fell, coldly
!. "Chief, this Is an open and shut case
s the boy was bound to lie. That h
}. killed his father was an accident, o
= course, but none the less Il did tax
y place"
e 1.-THE boys wreck this minute.
e The chief held match to his unllght
:, ed cigar. "But you say that he ain
e the original Masquerr
r Nor Fell spoke quietly. ''rh
n original Masquer was another person
| - 40