Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-15

had rested had been torn out OF TN
frame.
You see, Pinto" There was a grir
on Culligore s lips. THE murderer
couldn't have got out of the window
because it's much too small. and M
couldn't have walked out through the
door, because 1T was bolted from the
inside. There's no trarfsom SO M
could not have adjusted the bolt from
the other side. Nobody has yet fig
ured out a way of passing through
a door or window and leaving it bolt
ed on the inside. :"
Pinto stared at the door, at the win
| dow, and finally at Culligore. The
problem seemed beyond him. Thef
/ he took his baton and, tapping as
/ he went, explored every square foot
| Of floor and walls. but no hollow
sounds betrayed the presence or ma
! den opening He shook his mead III
a fiabbergasted way.
Its possible, of course, suggested
/ the lieutenant, that the murderer
was still in the room when you broke
in. He might have made his getaway
in the dark while you were huntlhs
| for the light switch"
THE housekeeper would have seen
| him." Pinto pointed out. she was
standing just outside. And there was
/ a crowd at the entrance. Say. ana
a startled look crossed his face, 90
you suppose Gage killed himself:
! THAT would be an easy solution,
all right. But if he did, what was
! his idea in telling you that the Phan'
tom had done it? And l don't see
any knife around Gage wouldn !
have had the strength TO pun IL OUT
| of the wound, and, even il he had,
how did he dispose of it? No. Pinto,
Gage was murdered, and-hang II
| all!r-it's beginning to look as though
the Phantom did it"
! But you just said
| "Ali I'm saying now is that II
| beginning to look as If the Phantom
had had hand in it. Things aren't
| always what they seem. you Know
I'm not taking much stock in what
! Gage told you just before he dled:
! There are other reasons one OF
! them is the size of that window. An
| other is the fact that the door was
! bolted on the inside.
Together they show that the man
who committed this murder accom-
! plished something of miracle IN get
! ting out of the room. The Phantom
! is the only man / know who can do
| that sort of thing.
He grinned .sheepishly, as If con,
| scious of having said something that
| sounded extravagant.
stunts like that are the Phantom's
| long suit he went on. He likes to
| throw dust in the eyes of the police
| and keep everybody guessing. But
| he was always gentlemanly rascal.
and 1t takes something besides bolt
| ed door and a window latched on the
| inside to make me believe he has
| gotten down to, dirty work. Wish the
medical examiner would hurry up
He took a cover from the cot and
threw it over the upper part or the
body A chance glance toward the
door made him pause. Just across
| the THRESHOLD with hands clasped
across her breast and eyes fixed
rigidly on the lifeless heap on the
| floor. stood the housekeeper. She
awoke with a start from her reverie
as she felt the lieutenants steady
gaze on her face, and she shrank
back a step. With a puckering OF
| the brows Culligore turned away.
His eyes fell on the safe.
A pull at the knob told him 1t was
| locked. He took a magnifying lens
from his kit and carefully examined
the surface Then, with a shake of
the head, signifying he had found no
fngerprints, he crooked his index
vanced reluctantly, and Culligore
studied her with sidelong glance.
You needn't talk unless you want
to-" he said gently. THE depart
ment isn't offering you any inn
munity. We've known for some time
that Gage was running fence.
though we never got the goods on
him."
The woman. standing in a crouch
ing attitude and studiously avoiding
Culligore's gaze, swept a tress of
moist gray hair from her forehead.
We've also suspected that you
have been in cahoots with him. con
tinued the lieutenant in casual tones.
ooh, don't get scared. We won't go
| into that just now. All ! want is
that we understand each other"
The woman raised her head and
| looked straight at Officer Pinto. and
there was hint of dread in her eyes
as their chances met. A puzzled
frown crossed Culligore's face as he
noticed the strange exchange OF
glances; then he pointed to the safe.
Know how to open 1t
The housekeeper shook her head.
| mfr. Gage kept only cheap junk in
| it, anyhow. All he used it for was
| blind"
"A blind?"
HE had to keep a lot of valuables
| i'm the house all the time, and he
was always afraid of burglars. He
kept a lot OF phony stuff in the safe,
thinking IL burglars found 1t they
might be fooled and not look any
further"
"Ah, Not a bad idea. Where did
he keep the real stuff"
The woman hesitated for a mo-
ment: then, with a quick gesture, she
pointed to the old writing desk.
Gage was shrewd one" observed
the lieutenant. with a safe in the
room nobody would think of looking