Evening star., 1924-01-03
ABOVE SUSPICION
By Robert Orr Chipperfeld.
Author of "Ths Second Bulss" "Unsesn Honda
"The Trigger OF Conscience Etc. \.
by =
don't know how TIL ever thar

Never you mind bout tnat now,
Geoff interrupted 'Tf you'll take my
ne comes back from the city and tell
| him all bout a week ago tonight,
just as you told it to me. Then tell
him you come here Today and every
thin you kin recollect l said to you,
II you're took up, you ask him to see
Doc Hood afore he so much as gifts
| his lawyer on the telephone.-I gotta
goin' to ketch that there two-twenty.
Here's pen and paper. and the inks
over on the shelf"
DR.. Hood had paid a long and
wearisome round of visits that morn
eaten his noon day meal at the farm
house of a patient far inland. 1t
was mid-afternoon before he drove
into the stable where once his old
horse and buggy had reposed. He
was hot and tired. and all day long
Geoff's cryptic remark about the mur-
der had ranked in his puzzled brain.
1T was in vain that he recalled every
yealed nothing that he had not
ing that Lane had planned with her
to ruin Bernhard and then tried to
been. threatened with death, but they
had known that since Dunn's account
of the anonymous letters and these
couldn't very well be traced at this
hand. What in thunder had Geoff
meant by saying that no murder had
been committed?
The doctor passed through the back
entry and looked into the kitchen
the elderly woman who kept house
for him. Then he proceeded to the
office, wriggling out of his linen dus-
ter as he went.
The room was empty, but propped
up against a fat medical book on
the center table was a bulky envelope
scrawled laboriousiy with his name.
He did not recognize the writing.
but with. a sudden premonition. he
opet- the envelope and read
Dear Doc
You told me I was in Bernhard case
with you & could not quit. 1t has
took new turn & am on it; Cant
write or fone you. Eliot likely ar
rest Rupert Ashe amy minnit. All
mistake but he has got strong case
on evidence old Henry Carp & Sim
his foot make him tell you If E. trys
to help along his story he is old
liar annyhow; l know r. inocent &
If he is took up you tell district
attorney you can prove it insid Q wks
make him hold young r. on some
other charge like witness so he wont
get indited or d. A. will be sorry
You never heard me say nothing
cant prove. Pleas see that inclosed
out nobody else knowing & if r.
took up he will try to fone you so
you can brake 1t to her. If his pa
comes to you look wise & don't say
body meaning me gets back who you
are expecting inside wks you will
have son out of jale. Lane knows
Zooey Dorm your house told every
n IN la OF nj ph "a NJ.
Cayley this morning was your depity
/ said l was not but she discharged
me. No more now from
Geoffrey Peters.
P. S. If you should meet up with
Adrain Middleton pleas tell him
been sent for Long Island City job
but will be along later don't let no.
body know what 1 am up to
"Consarn him." Doctor Hood ex-
claimed aloud. How could 1 let any
1 don't believe he does, either"
The good doctor had reason to
change his mind. however, for as he
epistle. he had just read. in one hand.
to the little folded note In the other,
the telephone rang. Dropping both
missives on the table, he went to the
instrument and took down the re-
This is DIR. Hood~ A digni-
fed but shaken masculine voice came
to him over the WIRE My son Ru-
pert wished me to get into immediate
just been arrested on suspicion in
Bernhard"
examiners self-elected deputy was
seated behind the railing in the
homicide bureau at police head
quarters. A -grizzled elderly man of
massive build was looking him over
with amused tolerance. from the
shiny yellow shoes to the straw hat
with its nicked brim.
mo, sir Geoff replied respectfully
but doggedly to a question which had
carryin' no credentials nor no badge
and 1 won't need none when Detec-
tive Allen gifts here. II you'll let
somebody tell him there's. a feller
she ' new 70 oor na laid aid eh IN his ne celiar M'f
reckon he'll understand"
ALLEN? Let's see." The inspector
rummaged among some papers on
his, desk. II loaned him to the med
on Long Island! so you may have
rather a long wait"
rs that so, sir?" Geoff's calm, bo-
vine eyes surveyed the veteran with
II.
got mother detective here that I'm
better 'quainted with but I didn't
s'pose he'd be round, SO I asked for
Allen first The other ones name Is
Lyons"
are you? Hanged If I don't think
you're the hick Sherlock-h'm" The
inspector. turned suddenly to a
younger man seated at another desk.
Kirk, get Lyons, will you?-When
did you come up to the city?"
"On the two-twenty train, sir"
preserve an incognito would be fruit
less. MY names Peters and I'm a
carpenter and mason when / work
at my reg'lar trade and don't git to
mixin' up in other folks business"
you Go ha some sas 2ssf The wasn
laughed and held out his hand.
Lyons has been telling me about
you. 1t was you who got the first
dope on that row between Lane and
Bernhard. wasn't it. and figured it
out that Lane had gone to that Dawn
woman for help to get evenG Glad
to know you"
THANK you, SIR" A suspicion Of
a twinkle appeared In Geoff's eyes
Kinder looks as IL got the wrong
SOW by the ear. though, don't It? I
Fin't maxim no reference to the lady,
but I was thinkin' o. the arrest the
district attorneys feller made this
afternoon"
How the devil do you know that"'
demanded the inspector. Have you
had the doctor on the wire since you
hit town."
mo, sir, but I s'posed mebbe he'd
git warrant soon. seems some ac-
tfon was necessary. and when you
asked me what train got I figured
he'd started somethin' and you want
ed to find out If I'd got wind O. it..
I'm just up here on q little errunt
for the Doc-Afternoon, Mr.. Lyons"
Hello, Peters" Lyons nodded
briskly. inspector, this is the
81 know. I've just had a sample
of Ii - His sunerinr irferrunted with