New Britain herald., 1927-05-26
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1 As he neared tho hotel he me
 Robin Sears.
 Hello" said tho youth. "we'v
 found the man in the green bath
 ing suit"
 Who is her" asked Stone. His name is Preston: he's [ stuffy old coot, and he doesn't re' member dad at all! Cheerful out look!"
 Never mind." Stone told him we've got a nice white mustache to work on."
 Fleming Stone walked along the boardwalk toward the Hotel Ma iusaca. thinking deeply. Yet his absorption in thought did not pro- vent his enjoyment of his sur roundings. Though he cared lit. tie for surf-bathing. tho sights and sounds of the crowds of merry makers pleased his senses as a whole rather than in any detail. The rolling chairs with their hu. man freight and their varied types of pushers interested and amused him. and though he looked at nothing closely, he saw 1t all as . huge moving picture.
 Yet all the time his reason was working on the case in hand.
 He had not tho slightest doubt that tho man with the white mus tache was an agent for some one else, and that the mustache was . disguise.
 But why was the man not . principal? he asked himself. Why not the murderer himself?
 If SO, 1t must have been one of the men already mixed up with the affair.
 Of course, 1t might have been an entire stranger. but Stones ex- perience led him to think that this was unlikely. For usually mur- derer is sooner or later shown to be acquainted with his victim. if only by the casual testimony or evidence by bystanders or onlook- CTS.
 If-and there was always the possibility--if Garrett Folsom had been murdered by some one that his surviving friends and relatives knew nothing of, that fact must also be proved. But the immediate business in hand for Stone was to prove that Croydon Sears had to do with the crime. and this necessitated the investigation of all toward whom the finger of pointed
 Robins report that tho man in the green bathing suit had been found must be looked into later. At present Stones thoughts cen- tered on one figure, that of Car melita Valdon.
 Just the one for tho part" the detective pondered. "The right type for a murderess. and proved al- ready to have had motive and op- oortunity, and-if the white mus .achcd chap was her emissary-she had a way to get the weapon"
 How she could carry the knife nto the ocean unobserved. Stone did not stop to think. For he knew whoever killed Folsom HAD carried the knife into the water. md. clearly. 1t would be easier for l woman to conceal such a thing n her bathing costume than for ! man.
 In fact, Stone thought that point scored heavily in favor of ] woman criminal. For, with the more or less elaborate suits they wore nowadays. ample opportunity vas offered for the concealment of ] knife. while man. with his simple ono or two-piece suit, had small chance to hide anything of he sort.
 Reach the Matusaca, he found Mrs. Valdon on the deck, exquisite y arrayed in a morning costume ap- oropriate for the beach.
 CHAPTER XLIv
 "Not going in this morning?" Stone said, after Pelton, who was with her. had made introductions.
 Not until later," Carmelita Val lon told him. About noon l think. oday."
 "Then you've time for a chair .ide with mo. Do take pity on my loneliness and come for a ride. The chairs fascinate me and I hate Q go alone"
 It was not the habit of Carme- ita Valdon to turn down anything n the shape of attention from any oresentable man. And Fleming Stone vas decidedly presentable.
 So Carmelita smiled on him and declared she'd love to go.
 "See you when I come back, Dan," she said gaily to Pelton. who watched the pair depart, un- certain whether he wanted Stone to interview her or not.
 Be good to her." he called out, IS warning to the detective, who answered with a smile and a nod, md then glanced at Carmelita.
 T fancy everybody Is good to vou." he said in his gentle voice. 50 full of subtle flattery and yet too.
 "Yes." she said slowly, "every- body but Fate"
 "And Fate is cruel?"
 They were slowly rolling along he boardwalk. the sun not yet nigh enough to be unpleasantly warm. the sea breeze coming in ,risp and cool and tho stolid, half asleep negro pushing them utter y obvious of, if indeed he could near. their conversation.