The Bismarck tribune., 1929-03-26
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Zone moment please. How did you
manage your transformation each
day from Martha Manning, switch
board operator Of the Acropolis Hotel
to Lefty Miller, the scrubwoman?'
McManfl asked.
+, 1T was comparatively easy. De-
partment store rest rooms In the
afternoon and any place In the dark.
doorwayS, anywhere. It was merely
q matter Of putting on or taking off
the wig. and making up or removing
makeup, according to the role was
to assume. This afternoon walked
into department store as Martha
Manning, and left 1t as Lefty Miller,
without your man. Carlson, suspect
ing that the two were the same per-
son. This afternoon changed hats
carrying the extra one In my coat
pocket. and turned my coat inside
out. It is q reversible tweed, not the
garment I wore this morning."
II see," McMann agreed, obviously
chagrined. Nov about the second
call to Borden Saturday afternoon"
Il had just entered Mr.. Hayward's
office, intending to make my call on
his phone and then clean his offices
"Wait! You knew all along that
Hayward had gun in the bottom
drawer Of his desk, I suppose2"
mo. I did not see 1t until I was
Lefty Miller I opened the drawer
to thrust In towel which was hang
ing out untidily, and saw the gun
then. That was early last week
Monday, I believe. But even then /
had no idea Of ever using It. But !
remembered it-later.
"On Saturday AFTERNOON entered
Mr.. Hayward's office at five minutes
to two. to telephone Harry as he had
requested. I was happy. I thought
he meant to listen to me at last
Mr.. Hayward came back for his
theater tickets, and because the tele-
phone was ringing. I left him alone.
I waited in an office across the hall
and as soon as Mr.. Hayward was gone
I re-entered his office and put in my
call. knew Harry was In, for had
stepped to the window and had seen
him sitting at his desk. He answered.
I pleaded with him to create trust
fund for the boy, told him that !
was i'll and might not live long to
support Paul myself. He called me
all sorts. Of names-liar. parasite, and
worse. When he finally refused
pointblank, I told him a lie-I said
I had already put the case In the
hands of q lawyer, who would file
suit Monday II he refused to settle
out of court. He was frightened,
finally agreed to see me in his office
that afternoon. When he hung up
I stepped to the window and looked
at him. His face was black with
hatred and anger.
"While I stood there a girl came
in-Rita Dubois. He was apologetic
and Observation-Disclosures. He gave
her, at her request, as I looked on,
the torn half of q bill and by her ex-
preston Of Joy and the kisses she
gave him I knew It was q banknote
of very large denomination. I-nearly
went mad possibly quite mad"
Hmm! Insanity defense!" NC
Mann commented grimly. But
60 on"
II don't think I shall need an in
sanity DEFENSE" Martha Manning re-
torted, with q strange smile. when
the girl had left, Harry came to the
window and stood there. drinking In
great breathS of the cold air. I for
got then that I had on the gray wig
and this dress and spectacles. /
called out to him. I don't know what
I was going to say. but-he recog-
nized my voice, cried out. My God!
Martha!' Then he turned and ran
back to his desk and picked up an
automatic. I think 1t was stark fear
Of me in my Lefty disguise, but Of
course I can't say what was in his
mind. can only tell what he did.
I saw him coming back to the win
dow with the automatic. and suddenly
I remembered Mr.. Hayward's gun. !
stopped and jerked open the drawer.
When Harry aimed his pistol at me
my own arm was going up, and In my
hand was Mr.. Hayward's automatic"
"You mean to say" McMann be-
gan sarcastically. that Borden was
such q poor shot he couldn't hit q
target only eight feet away?"
."His aim was accurate" Martha
Manning answered quietly, 'but 1t
was DETECTED by . white pigeon
alighting on his hand just as he
pulled the trigger. The bird thought
he was Offering food-not death. The
shot meant for me went Wild, but
mine, fired before Harry could aim
again. did not.
"The flat breast rose on q great
breath possibly Of relief. Then, II
think that's all. I killed htm-be-
fore he could kill me-"
"Alll'' McMann exploded. "Where
are the guns? What about the
closed window? The $500 In smaller
bills that Borden had on his dead
body?"
Martha Manning answered obedi-
emily. II wrapped Mr.. Hayward's
gun in = dusting rag and put 1t In the
bottom Of my scrub pail. Automatt-
cally, think. But after long while
-or what seemed like q long while
I remembered two things: the letter
had written Harry Friday and
which must still Be In his possession.
I wanted It, Of course. did not
want my sons mother to. But I'll
60 on. remembered also that I had
shot Harry from MIR. Hayward's office.
and that he had been kind to me.
did not want the crime traced to
him or to his office. It seemed vi
tally necessary that ! close Harry's
window. % that no one would suspect
that he had been killed across the
airshalt. ! took my broom and pail
and went g Harrys office. letting