New Britain herald., 1927-05-20
WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE

1 death while~ swimming At ocean Town. N. J.
 Folsom's bathing companions had been Roger Neville. business part ner: Mrs. Helen Barnaby and Car melita Valdon.
 l Anastasia Folsom, eccentric and masterful sister of the dead man, arrives and takes command. At the inquest it is learned that the death weapon was pichaq. an Oriental knife. and it had been bought on the boardwalk.
 It is learned that one Croydon Sears is a fancier of curious wea- pons. He admits buying two knives but not the pichaq.
 Anastasia engages Titus Riggs. an architect, to work on the case. Dan Pelton, the dead mans nephew. ar- rivcs and Is intrigued by some curious French dolls in Folsom's s room.
 Croydon Sears initials are dis covered in notebook of Folsom's and Pelton thinks his uncle had been doing some blackmailing. Rob- in Sears. Croydon's son, is worried now that suspicion is resting on his father Riggs tells him he has learn cd that Croydon Sears had purchas- cd third dagger.
 Angelica Fair. Robins fiancee, questions Ross, the, dead mans for mer valet. who tells her he thinks Sears had visited at Folsom's home. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY .. CHAPTER NXXIV .. ....
 You think! Don't you know? Don't you know whether Croydon Sears was ever at Mir. Folsom's home?" Angelica Fair insisted.
 "He was once. to my knowledge" replied Ross.
 What was the occasion?"
 Tt was a sort of reception, Miss Fair. NIT. Folsom was having a small exhibition of his art treasures. You know. Mir. Folsom travelled lot and collected many things such as interest Mir. Sears. I remember see ing him at that time, but I'm not sure of any other time, Miss"
 "Oh. well. l don't suppose it)mat- ters. I don't believe l know much about detective work. And anyway, I don't believe Mir. Sears killed Mir. Folsom, do you?"
 T shouldn't think so, ma'am," and with that they were in sight of the Majusaca and Angel scurried off to her bathhouse.
 As Robin Sears and Riggs enter ed the auction room, it was Robin who took the lead.
 Demanding the proprietor. in tone which brought him a warning nudge from Riggs, he asked for a private interview.
 On learning who he was, this was readily granted. and MT. Giddings, who represented the absent Mr. Barchester, took them into a private office.
 I'd like to know" Robin began, If you'd be good enough to tell me of all the knives or daggers my father has bought here"
 T can tell you of most of them" was the reply, but some small items are sold in bundles. as we call them, and so are not recorded indi- yidually."
 T should think an antique dag ger of sufficient importance to be recorded" Robin said, and, as the fire in his eye was growing bright CT under the irritation of the oth- CTS suavity, Riggs took a hand.
 "Never mind the value or im- portance of the sale" he suggested. "just tell us what your records charge to Mir. Croydon Sears"
 The list was interesting. though not long, and the net result of in- formation was that Croydon Sears had bought, in all. six daggers of antique Oriental workmanship.
 Robin was amazed. for he knew of only the two that were acknowl. edged at the inquest.
 But he preserved a quiet stern- ness now; indeed, tn young fac BAe" uOIC SOlItpOseu dS tue bltud- tion seemed to acquire seriousness.
 'The police have interviewed you as to all this?" he asked of Mir. Giddings.
 Many times. especially in the last twenty four hours"
 "Why 50 much questioning put in Riggs.
 Because they want to be sure that it was MT. Sears who bought the dagger that killed MT. Fol- son." Giddings replied, straightfor- wardly. "Of course, that needn't mean that Mir. Sears used it" he added quickly as he noted Robins