Evening star., 1923-12-31
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

Inat all right. / didn't want to
phone; too many listeng in.-Now.
bo, get this straight. Lane hit town
at 4 pm, Sunday night, phoned from
a booth in the station to York $780,
Couldn't hear the message; coops on
each side occupied and crowd mill
ing around in front Lane went to his
rooms for half an hour-no messages
incoming or outgoing while he was
there-then to his club for dinner, all
doiled up in evening clothes, and
aIter that to house near the park.
I'VE got memo here of the address
as well as that phone number" De-
tective Allen handed over a slip of
paper. He got there in a taxi about
and left at 1915. going home to his
rooms for the night Next morning
yesterday-he was at his office at $3.50
and went through his usual days rou-
tine. stopping at his club for an hour
afterwards, then his rooms to change.
dinner on the BeIleterre roof with a
cago brokerage house, and then home.
He was still there at o'clock this
morning. Is that all clear?'
The main p'ints O. it," Geoff drawl-
ed. Seems to me. from somethin' the
doc said, that I'd kinder keep tabs on
the folks that come to Lanes office
or that telephone to him today, if you
kin: reckon he thinks it's likely i'm
portant"
Allen nodded and started the motor.
Got YOU" he said briefly. so
He disappeared in swirling cloud
OF dust down the road, and Geoff pro-
ceeded to the Cayley place where he
passed an uneventful day at work on
daughter as well as the two maids.
kept closely indoors, and of neither
the private detective nor the one
from the county district attorneys
office was there a sign.
At a little after 5 he ceased his
labors. cleaned up the debris of his
work and started for home to have
supper and feed his four-footed
friends before, delivering Aliens re-,
port to the doctor. As he. neared
the path which branched off across
the meadow, however. he saw
smart little coupe halted at the
glimpse from within of an imperi-
ously beckoning. white-gloved hand.
Geoff sauntered leisure!y toward it,
and one of the men in livery on the
box descended and opened the rear
door. disclosing a lady whose soft
gray veil did not conceal her vivid
coloring nor the almost feverish glow
in the deep hazel eyes she bent upon
him.
Can you tell me where the doctor
lives who is your medical examiner
for-for criminal cases?" Her low,
Dell-lke tones LOT an IN
slant and then went on quickly: My
chauffeur and footman do not un-
derstand English very well and they
could not quite grasp the directions
given them near the station"
You mean Doc Hood, ma'am?"
sidering the matter. "'Taint far.
but, if you're stranger dunno's 1
though i could pint out the way easy
'noueh by standin' on your runnin'
board. and | don't mind the walk
back mite"
Of the veil. "of course, you will
NO. ma'am:" Geoff smiled back
friend to all o us round here and it
amt no trouble"
He was careful to direct the
wooden-faced chauffeur by a round
and all the way his blood ran swift
with elation. looking,
color, voice like the soft, vibrant
be any mistake! Lyons must have
done his work convincingly and well.
The coupe stopped before the doc
tors gate just as that individual
and he stared, round-eyed, when
Geoff stepped from the running
board and advanced toward him.
leaving the footman to open the
door.
Lady to see you. Doc-that is, I
reckon it's you, bein' as you're the
medical examiner That's who was
asked for when l met up with the
roads" Geoff turned as the lady
descended and came up the path to-
ward them, and the twinkle van
ished from his own brown eyes as
his tones deepened in gravity. This
here is DR.. Hood. the medical exam
iner, Mis- Dawn. We been awaitin'
for, you to come and help US for
nigh onto week"
The woman halted and stood very
still while she looked from one to
the other of them. The doctor gasped
and then bowed, but she addressed
Geoff.
How did you know my name?"
'Tm special deputy O. the doc
tors. ma'am, workin' on this here
Bernhard case with him. Geoffrey
you right away from your pictures
and, as 1 say, we been a-waitin, ever
since we found out bout what friends
you to come and tell us all you could
that might help us to find out who
killed him.
THAT. true. Miss Dawn, the doc.
tor supplemented MS SenIle, almost
fatherly tones. Suppose we three
come into my private office and talk
things over"
The woman shrugged, but followed
in silence as he led the way into the
little office-parlor and shut the door.
Then she turned upon them both,
throwing back her veil, and her great
eyes glittered with yellow. feline
light.
81 don't know whether this is a trap
or not nor why you should think
, could help you to find out who mur-
dered Joseph Bernhard. even if l
wanted to, but I'm here to tell you
few facts that you may use as
'Sit down, please" her host urged.
"This isn't any trap. ma'am. We're
plain-spoken folk out this way, and
when we learned about you we fig
ured it wasn't any use to bother un-
less you came to US of your own
free will, for nothing could compel
you to speak. Isn't that SO, Geoff?"
There was a more significant ap-
peal behind the doctors seemingly
casual request for confederation than
appeared on the surface, and his ally
recognized it and took the situation
L q =