Evening star., 1923-12-30
CHAPTER XIV.
A New Witness.

Then we've been barking up the
wrong trees after all.'', DR.. Hood ex-
claimed IT'S mighty interesting
about this woman, but it shows that
Lane didn't kill Bernhard, and my job
Is to find out who did! ! wish You
had told me when you first thought
of this, Geoff; every day counts
There wasn't nothin' to tell"
Geoff retorted. Lane didn't kill BEN.
kard, but mebbe the woman knows
who did" - y
She'll come across if she does" OBJ
served the detective grimIy. Her
phone wires are tapped; every trades
man or messenger who goes to her
door passes through the hands Of a
couple OF our men first. and the house
IS being watched. 1t didn't take her
long from past experience to get onto
the fact that the authorities were in
teresting themselves in her once more,
nor to guess the reason, and when. I
called she was all ready for me. Mr.
Bernhard had been very good friend
of hers and had advised her concern
Ing her real estate investments-she's
got 'em, too, that's what most of. her
money is soaked away in-but she had
not seen him for several months and
knew nothing about the murder un-
til she was shocked by the account of
II in the newspapers. He had never
discussed his business affairs with her
In any way and she could not imag-
Inc what. enemy he might or might
not have had"
did you ask her about Lane?" The
doctor had taken up his stand by the
fireplace, and now he began ito polish
his spectacles on the ancient lam
breauin which covered the mantel.
Sure I did," Lyons nodded. "She
admitted knowing him through Ben
Eard'9 intr0dnCfinn h1.f c0,1du't
call when she had seen him last. She
remembered fast enough, though,
when / put her next that we were
wise about Lanes car being outside
prove the time he entered her house
and left it. She's a clever woman,
TIL hand that to her, and / can see
how. easily she turned the heads of
Washington when she laid herself out
to fascinate 'em, without any of this
vamp stuff. either. Was she feazed
when She found we had her cornered
wasn't! She just laughed that low.
tinkling. laugh Of hers and held out
her hands in helpless sort Of ges-
ture;
! did not care to mention it because
Of the lateness of the hour, although
his call in itself was conventional
enough she says. He telephoned
before II and asked If he, might drop
in for a few minutes on hfs way home.
I was lonely, sometimes find him
amusing, and on an impulse grant
ed him permission to call. We had
of the conversation which followed
he remarked casually that he had
dined at the country home Of Mr.:
Benkard's sister on Long Island, and
I remember observing then how Long Long
was the only time his name was men
what was it Mr.. Lanes had, to
see you about that was SO important
II couldn't wait still morning? I
asked her point blank, and she opened
her eyes wide.
Nothing in the world. He. was just
restless, didn't feel like going home
and wanted a friendly chat. ] have
and I understand his moods; they are
typical of men of large affairs who
are under continuous nervous
strain. There must be a fetdown. an
hour or two now and then OF com
can forget the huge plans and prob
, lens which almost perpetually en-
gross them in the congenial compan-
ionship Of some one who Is sympa-
thetic, .whe- comprehends. We talked
about dozens Of trivial, impersonal
things until an ungodly hour. and /
was really forced to send him home at
last, but he told me that had done
him a great deal of good.
Zoe Dawn had the nerve to tell
me that, doctor, with an air of per-.
feet frankness, and co1ldn'ts shake
her story though she must have been
wise that we had the dope, on. her
from Washihg tona anyway, evensk We
don't kncwryet Just hog Iserioys the
snair had. ksenEbetwesns shss= And 44anA
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