Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-22

febs-22mar7-2l-apr4
in the emhezzlin' with him that the
Doc kinder figured | better look. up"
Sure, | knew the case. Some or
the papers mentioned il only last
week in their writeups on Benk-
ards career, and we looked over the
records 50 | know just where 10 lay
my hands on the report. There ;
nothing in ii; same old stuff OF the
boy who lost and couldn't face the
music, but you're welcome To a fash
at it. Wait here Il minute"
Left alone, Geoff stared with naive
curiosity and interest at the desks
scattered about the room and the
men who sat busily engaged at some
OF them, wholly unaware that lie
himself was an object Of covert
scrutiny. He drew Il mental conf
parison Of their jobs with his regu
lar one, and slowly shook his. head.
Work might be scarce for him in the
winters and the pay SLOW among
his own neighbors. but it was his
trade, ana when this case was over
not even Doc Hood would get him
TO mixing up in another. .
Hello. Peters; the inspector says
YOU were asking for me-" 1t was
Aliens voice which interrupted his
musing. but there was little other
trace OF the staid. middle agcd,
shabby genteel cyclist in the sporty
looking. far younger man in light
tweeds who had approached him.
"Dr. Hood had the right dope all
right when he told you to tip me off
yesterday morning about listening
in on Lanes phone calls during the
Gay. \ woman named Dawn got
him on the wire at eleven fifteen,
and was all up in the air because Il
detective mad been to her the after
noon before and asked her Il lot of
insulting questions concerning
Lanes call at her house late last
Wednesday night. She didn't care
to mention names over the phone,
but, of course, ii was because Mr..
Lane had dined at a certain other
house earlier. She had told the de-
tective of their little supper and, al
though Mr.. Lane was in no way re-
sponsible for the mans having
sought her out. she hoped he wouid
use what influence he might have To-
protect her from further annoyance
and notoriety. Lane was fun of re-
tSrets and apologies, and they both
seemed To be III the pleaSantcSt pos
Sihle mood when they rang of
What happened later Geoa
asked.
Nothing of Importance during tic
day. Lane had dinner at his club
and was sitting around there at 10
o'clock when a woman drove UP in a
smart little car and raised q rum
pus at the entrance. demanding TO
see Lane. When lie came out She
sailed into him for doublo-crussin:-
-
over. Bat she'd quecred him: she'd
teen down to Long Island and told
the medical examiner and that
deputy of his named Peters the
whole truth, and now Lane could 20
to blaZeS and DO whatever he liked.
"Of course those weren't her
words, hut I'm giving YOU the line
she pulled, and [ got the voice. all
right. 1t was the same woman who
had called him up in the morning..
Il thought likely" Geoff nodded.
You better git the report o it down
to the Doc yourself. though, Mr..
Allen. | got other business he put
me on and | reckon | mishtnt be
able to go back till all hours: past
| 'lCven. mebbe.'
Here you are. Peters" Lyons
had come up to them and laid Il
for him and q newspaper clipping or
two, all slightly yellowed with the
passing of time. Hello, Allen.
What's your DOPE"
The two detectives drew slightly
apart, and Geoff set himself to his
task, trailing horny fUrefinger
Gown each page.
Lawrence Shirley called at
Joseph Benkard's apartments at
half-past on the evening Of Jan
uary /. He seemed to he in a state
of great excitement. and the butler,
Henry Carp'-so it had been old
Henry, after supposed he had
been paying n round of New Year.
calls and was Il bit above himself.
His master. Mr.. Bernhard, had just
come home himself and was dressing
to so to dinner party. hut he slip
ped on a lOunging robe and went in
to receive the young gentleman.
The butler served drinks and retired
to the pantry until about fifteen or
twenty minutes later when he was
startled by the sound of Il shot ana
Mir. Benkard's voice. calling him in
Mortified tone. He rushed back
TO the living room to find tile
young gentleman. MIR. Shirley.
stretched on the floor with a bull
let hole in his temple and a re-
Volver under his hand, while Mr..
Bernhard stood by the table, too
shocked at first to move"
Benkard's own statement substan-
'iated this. The account Mir. Rob
bins had previously given ana the
rest OF the report were concerned
chiefly with the method by which
Shirley had succeededGn appropriate
ing more than 100000 from the firm
Of which he was a trusted employe.
Geoft turned next to the clippings.
reading the smaller print laborious-
". He was determined not to miss
word. although they were. for
the most part, mere highly cnlored
versions of the official report.
NO ore knew where Lawrence
Shirley came from nor how long he
had been in New York. and, as no
relatives came forward to claim the
body. Mr.. Bernhard generously Of
tered to defray the funeral expenses.