The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-02-08

OeIWScH u0l.PdSC orc anu tWOs MI
Borden had told me he would be il
his office until about two, since hi
train would not leave until 2:16 an.
he planned to lunch on the diner"
with Rita Dubois Z" McManl
shot at her.
HE did not tell me who was to x
with him." Ruth answered truthful
~. "And Miss Dubois did not take
me into her confidence either. dt
know, however, that he planned K
take-a woman, for he had me wire
for reservations at the Winter Ha'
ven Hotel, in the name Of Mr.. anG
Mrs. H. p. Benton. The drawing.
room reservation was made in that
name ALSO"
"All right" McMann made note
"What next? When did Rita leave p
Shortly after Mrs. Borden-about
five minutes" Ruth answered.
McMann's constant interruptions
and questions had shunted her Oft
the subject Of Mrs. Borden, but she
was not sorry that there was no op-
portunity now to tell him Of the
poor, discarded wife's jealousy and
humiliation-a humiliation so keen
that she had become i'll. Why tell
McMann now about Mrs. Borden's
having seen the automatic pistol in
the bottom drawer of the desk :?
Time enough to tell if it should be-
come necessary
McMann turned again to the po-
liceman who sat the telephone, an
extension of which was on the alb
sent office boys desk. "Get the chief
again, Rand" As he waited for the
connection, the detective turned to
Ruth with another question: "Hear
or see anything between Borden and
Rita when she was leaving?
IT
Ruth knit her brows, and Jack
Hayward pressed her hands hard.
His eyes were filled with compassion
as he was forced to stand by while
she went through this ordeal.
"Mr. Borden and Miss Dubois
came out of the private office to-
gether, laughing and talking. Miss
Dubois said something about shop
ping. Said she could do more shop
ping in two hours than most women
could do in a day. And jokingly told
him not to call up the stores and
limit the charge accounts he was
opening for her"
"And what did Borden say?" Nc
Mann demanded, his pencil busy.
"Gold-digging him, eh :"
HE answered something which /
didn't understand about her keeping
her bargain and he'd keep his. He
said, Mind you don't doublecross
me, Rita'-or words to that effect.
But he was in great good humor,
and waved goodby to her"
"Just a minute" McMann inter-
rupted, and reached for the phone
extension on Ruth's desk. "Hello,
chief. McMann. Yeah. Oh, sure!
Robbery or a passion crime, I don't
know which yet. Might even be re-
venge. Too many leads, it you ask
me. Say, chief, send Clay out
to get Mrs. Borden Wait! I'll get
the address,"
Ruth supplied it, from memory:
"Mrs. Elizabeth Borden, 1918 Cres-
cent boulevard"
Her lips felt dry and stiff as she
uttered the words. After all, Mrs.
Borden was Borden's wife-or rath-
er, his widow! And she loved him.
i. -. It had been so painfully OBJ
vious to Ruth on Saturday, when the
wife had been forced to listen to the
ribald laughter Of her husband and
his new love, that the wife did love
him, was jealous.
g. That's right, chief. Tell Clay
not to spill the beans, see? Just tell
her she's wanted at her husbands
office, see? -. Yeah! Plenty!
DR.. Nelson's just leaving? Good!
Say, chief, guess who Borden's pri-
vate secretary was? Colby Testers
little daughter! Fact! Sure I'll
show her every consideration. No
man could help 2 It. : :
Jack Hayward leaned close to
whisper to Ruth, the first smile Of
that dreadful morning twinkling in
his eyes. Better get out your spec
tacles, darling!"
McMann continued his telephone
conversation with the chief Of po-
lice. ".And say. chief, have Ferber
come right over with his camera. !.
Yeah, I've got this wire plugged up
with Headquarters until further no.
tice, but there's another line. Rand
will take all calls coming in on it;
NAV oct some fins that NAV
Send me over two or three plain
clothes men, won't you? All right"
He hung up the receiver and
turned to Ruth again. dismissing, to
her vast relief, both Mrs. Borden
and Rita Dubois, with his first, ques-
ton: "Now, Miss Lester, what other
visitors did Borden have Saturday
morning and when did you leave the
office Z"
nuth considered. mo one else
oh, I'm forgetting Mr.. Adams. He's
one Of the stock statesmen. Mr.. Bor-
den had asked him to -ame in on
Saturday to 60 over his sales record.
Mr.. Adams had been in a slump"
"Quarrel!" McMann tapped i'm
patiently with his pencil.
81 didn't hear any quarrel, but
llr. Adams looked rather exasperat-
ed when he came out of Mr.. Bor-
denis office"
Ruth was interrupted by Patrol
man Biggers, who had been station
ed outside the door in the hall.
LADY here wants to see Mr.. Bor-