Evening star., 1928-06-04

movement of the head His small
shifty eyes. shielded by enormous tor
toise-rimmed glasses, seemed never to be
at rest; and his thin lips were con-
stantly twitching as with tic doulour.
eux. His chin was small and pointed
and he held 1t drawn in. emphasizing
its lack of prominence He was not a
pleasant spectacle. and yet there was
something in the man--an overde-
veloped StudiouSness. perhaps--that gave
the impression of unusual potentialities
I once saw juvenile chess wizard who
had the same cranial formations and
general facial cast.
Vance appeared interpretive. but
knew he was absorbing every detail OF
the mans appearance. At length he
laid down his cigarette. and focused his
eyes languidly on the desk lamp,
You say you slept throughout the
tragedy last night. HOY do you ac-
count for that remarkable fact, mas
much as one of the shots was fired in
the room next to yours?'
Rex hitched himself forward to the
edge of his chair, and turned his head
from side to side. carefully avoiding
our eyes
II haven't tried to account for it," he
NAtAA GAtkAN hut
withal he seemed unstrung and on the
defensive. Then he hurried on: THE
walls in this house are pretty thick
anyway, and there are always noises
in the street. /. Maybe my head
was buried under the covers"
You'd certainly have buried your
head under the covers If you'd heard
the shot," commented Chester, with no
attempt to disguise his contempt for
his brother
Rex swung around. and would have
retorted to the accusation had not
Vance put his next question immedi-
ately
What's your theory of the crime,
Mr.. Greene? You've heard all the de-
tails and you know the situation"
Il thought the police had settled on a
burglar. The youths eyes rested
shrewdly on Heath. Wasn't that your
conclusion?"
''It was, and 1t is" declared the SER
geant, who, until now. had preserved a
bored silence. But your brother here
seems to think otherwise"
so Chester thinks otherwise" Rex
turned to his brother with an expression
of feline dislike. Maybe Chester knows
all about it," There was no miStaking
the implication In his words.
Vance once more stepped into the
breach
Your brother has told us all he
knows. Just at present we're concerned
with how much you know" The Sc
verify of his manner caused Rex to
shrink back in his chair His lips
twitched more violently. and he began
fidgeting with the braided frog of his
smoking jacket. / noticed then for the
first time that he had short rachitic
anges.
continued Vance omniously.
I've told you dozen times I didn't"
His voice rose to falsetto, and he
gripped the arms Of his chair with both
hands.
Keep calm. Rex" admonished
Chester. You'll be having another Of
your spells"
ITO he'll with you!" the youth shout
ed. How many times have I got to
tell them ] don't know anything about
it?"
we merely want to make coubly sure
on all points" Vance told him paci-
fyingly. 'ard you certainly wouldn't
want your sisters death to go un-
venged through lack Of perseverance on
our part"
Rex relaxed slightly. and took deep
inspiration
''Oh. I'd tell you anything knew" he
said, running his tongue over his dry
lips But I always get blamed for
everything that happens in this house
that Is. Ada and do. And as for the