Evening star., 1923-12-13
ABOVE SUSPICION
By Robert Orr Chipperfeld.
Auahor Of "The Second Bullet" Unseen Hands"
"1he Trigger of Conscience"
McRrss Co
By Robert Orr Chipperfeld.
Copyright. 1923. by Robert NJ Mcbride q Co.

neck speed over the new-cut private
road, made him hasten to the drive
way.
A stout man of perhaps City sat
behind the wheel Beside him was
younger man as lean and lanky as
the mason himself. but clad In the
olue and brass OF a metropolitan
seemed, as he clambered down, to
ciothe his awkward frame with al
most ludicrous incongruity.
Hey, Geon Peters, He hustled
fofTa5a EoIp. dd ,efsnnX. ,eftciously. What's been
Stopped by at the station house for
Zeke Foster" explained the stout man
as ne shut on the engine. Thought
from what Mrs. Cayiey said that he'd
be needed. You got my message.
from the body?"
Geof nodded
Got the place all round where IL
was found roped off, Doc" he drawied.
Hssk9n Rec on. / Nv was su. the first to see II
girl, and neither OF them would have
gone a-ntgh 1t for their lives. It's
right inside the terrace doors"
He turned to. lead the way around
the house. but Zeke Foster hurried
hand on the mason's arm.
"Geof, you've been working here
pretty regular since before the fam
lily moved down from the city ana
give you credit for. III want TO talk
to you about them later, but what's
this look like to your
II aim to tend to my own affairs,
Doc" Geoff shook his head you
better make up your own mind when
kard. II q man could smash the
back Of his own head in and GO OF
and hide the weapon somewhere. and
then come. back and lay down ana
settin': ia say 1t might be suicide.
out otherwise I amt effer!n' no opin-
ion.''
'eHumphw the doctor CALCULATED.
SO that was the way OF II! It's
good thing you thought TO rope or the
space all around IL, in case OF foot
prints"
Something like the hint OF a grin
appeared for a moment at the corners
OF the mason's wide mouth. but he
made no retoinder- and as they
reached the terrace doors he silently
pointed within.
zeke Foster was staring open
mouthed at. the body. but the doctor
Geoff.
Give me a couple of those boards
there from that pile you've been using
for your concrete work" he directed
I'm going to protect the loose sand
on the floor from the mark of an
other footstep.-Stand aside. Zeke"'
The lately appointed police heu-
tenant obeyed with surly air Piac-
ing the boards carefully in a line
from the threshold to directly beside
ne dead man, DR.. Hood walked
gingerly along them, and then knelt
he rose and turned his fat face was
very grave, but his eyes snapped with
excitement.
More boards. Geoff short lengths.
so can make sharp turns with them"
"Eut what is it, Doc: murder, sure
enoughT' Zake Foster demanded.
I'm constable--I mean lieutenant
and 1 got right to Investigates"
so has police headquarters, now
right. for there's nothing lying
around loose that could have fallen
on him, and If il had. II would have
struck him on the top OF his head
hat unless he was already lying fat ON
mis- face Better call up the homicide
bureau of the district attorneys Of
tce at the county seat and notify
them to send a detective down here
20 work with you, Zeke. Thst'll save
bunch OF their own men down here
to take the case right out of your
hands. This family Is too rich and
nrominen.. especially Mr. Bernhard
know where the phone is, Geof''
I'm the library there, where the
ioor opens under the gallery. The
mason pointed. That's where Mis-
gittin' Henry upstairs. Hes the but
Ter, and he was struck all OF a heap
oy nndIn' the body"
Zeke departed upon his erra0d, and
tnv medical examiner proceeded to
make a path about the bench with
the pieces of board which GeoT hand
ed him, laying each one patnstakingly
on a smooth space OF sand, unmarried
by the slightest touch. When he had
completed the semi-circle TO the other
side of the terrace doors, he worked
his way back slowly upon his plump
hands and knees, scrutinizing the
space on either side Of his impro-
v1sed path. Then he rose and stood
staring about the patio: while nia
kle of rather grina amusement in hts
mild brown eyes.
"Geofs, come here q minute" DR..
Hood led him abruptly out on the
here besides Mrs. csyley and her
daughter and the hired help?"
only the young lady that's visitfn'
them and q friend o Mr.. Benkards
who runs out now and again from
the city--LAae, his name is-and
comes to see Miss Cayley." He In
dfcated a neighboring estate, the tail.
ornate chimneys OF which showed
above the trees to the west asses s
ain't seen him lately"
And the only servants are the
cook and the housemaid and that dod%
der:ng old butier?" the doctor per-
sisted.
That's all. The garage sin't m
ished yet. and Mr.. Bernhard driv his
own car ana kept 1t at Jake's service
station down to the cove. Mr.. Ben
kard used TO telephone when he got
here and Jake would send one OF his
been anybody else workin' round the
place but me since the city contrac-
tors men quit their Job last week"
II heard something about that.
They walked out because or a row
with Mr.. Benkard. didn't they?
Geoff rubbed his chin re1ective!y.
"'Twasn't none OF my business" he
aftirmed at last. I'D been doin odd
jobs 'round--eoncrete and stucco and
a special mixture o my own that Mr; u.
asked me II could finish their work on
the garage and the terrace here. ! said
l could, and that was the end o It.
You didn't hear the s, men en- qeaks ns naos af,s
asked.
II wasn't payin' tension" respond
ed Geoff II work independent, and
I had no truck with them"
you found the housemafd ana the
hutler here with the body this morn
ings" The doctor pursued new line
OF questioning.
Considerable ways back o where
I've stretched the rope they was;
'rouod at that end o the bench.
Geoff sestured toward the spot.
"And you put up that rope, GeoT
Peters, SO that nobody could track
'up any footprints the murderer
might have left coming UP oehtno
Mr.. Bernhard where he sat on this