The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-12

the calm courage which had come
to Harry Borden's widow.
81 have made no confession, and
will make none. for I did not kill
my husband have merely relieved
Miss Lester of a painful duty-that
of telling what happened between
her and myself Saturday morning.
Il admit that / was hurt-jealous,
if you will-becauSe my husband
was so evidently finding happiness
with another woman. But for
many years he has given me cause
to be jealous, and 1 have borne it
uncomplainingly for the sake of my
children"
McAlann nodded, his lips twisting
in brief, cruel smile. But on Sat-
urday night you reached the end of
your rope, didn't you, Mrs. Borden?
You quarreled with him about this
other woman, after he had given
you your check"
Il did not!" Mrs. Borden inter-
rupted firmly "We parted as ami
cably as usual, and. my husband was
alive. l did not even remember that
Miss Lester had a pistol in her desk.
My husband gave me no cause to re-
member, and was thinking only of
getting back to the Chester hotel,
where I had left my children"
Again McMann grinned, but he
suddenly switched his glinting, hard
eyes upon Ruth again. did Bor-
den buy the automatic and instruct
you to use it on bandits, Miss
Lester?"
NO" Ruth breathed the word,
rather than spoke it.
Il bought the gun for Miss Les
ter, Mr.. McMann," Jack Hayward
spoke up. "As I told you, we are
engaged to be married. l bought
the automatic several weeks ago,
after there had been two holdups
in the building, but she was afraid
to learn to shoot it."
AIcMann scowled at the young
man, thought deeply for a moment,
then pounced upon Ruth again.
IF you were so afraid Of the gun,
Miss Lester, how did it happen that
so many people knew you had it?"
The memory of past humiliationS
| painted Ruth's cheeks scarlet. "Mr.
Borden made me get it out some
times and show people that We
we were armed" she faltered. 1T
amused him to see how fright
ened of the gun was. Several of
the stock statesmen we're in his
Office one afternoon, ard he made
me bring it in-and--and pretend
1 was a bandit"
Swell sense of humori" McNTann
commented. "You weren't SO crazy
about your boss, were you, Miss
LeSter?"
d UTH stared at the detective
~ with frightened blue eyes. "I
he was nearly always consider
ate employer. I had no cause at all
or complaint, until the day of his
DEATH"
She could have bitten her
tongue after she Ilsd again uttered
that phrase of double meaning, but
apparently it had made no impress
sion upon .McNfann, or he accepted
it at its face value.
You seem pretty sure that Bor-
den died on Saturday, Miss Lester %
| the detective commented. Lets
see what the medical examiner has
! to say. He must be able to give
some sort OF report by now % Oh,
doctorl"
DR.. Nelson appeared in the door,
way between the two offices, his pale
eyes blinking mildly behind his
thick-1ensed spectacles.
when was Borden killed, doc
tor? OF course I know you can't
say to the minute or even the hour,
before you perform the autopsy, but
it would help me in my work if you
could tell me approximately when
death took place"
The doctor cooked his tfin-haired
head and smiled quizzically. "You
have so little regard for the nice
ties of science, McMann. It is
truly deplorable.
But, offhand, and on condition
that you shall not hold me to this
opinion or make a hasty arrest
based upon it, shall say to you
now that the deceased has been
dead between forty-one and forty
five hours. I draw my conclusion
from"
| McMann waved away the medical
i explanation. so he was killed after