The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-11
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suicide and flung the weapon out
Of the window as he fell, but the
window was closed. 1t was closed
when you arrived, Miss LeSter?" and
he whirled toward Ruth, who was
standing beside Jack Hayward in
the doorway.
"Oh, yes!" Ruth cried eagerly,
too eagerly. SO that the detectives
eyes narrowed suspiciously. Il did
not go near the-the body or the
window, and Mr.. Hayward just
touched his hand to be sure Mr..
Borden Was--dead. He never
touched the window, either
With piece of chalk the medical
examiner outlined the sprawled body
on the polished, rug-free strip of
floor.
Around the upflung arm. the head
half-pillowed upon it, the out
thrust right arm, down the torso,
around the big, long legs rigidly
crooked in death, the chalk Speeded,
lifting only to avoid that dark, dry
ing pool of blood.
While the doctor worked thick,
pugnacious young man, shouldering
a camera, saluted N1cMann, grinned
appreciatively at Ruth, then went
about his first grewsome task-that
of photographing the dead man
where he lay.
At the explosion of the hashlight
Mrs. Borden, still sitting in for
lorn huddle in the outer Office,
screamed, and Ruth turned back to
her, to comfort her with an explana-
ton and little murmurs which were
scarcely words.
DUT she could hear McMann'S
- big voice: "I've left everything
just as it was till you got here, Fer
Der. Fingerprints may play big
part in this case. Go over the whole
room, especially the desk, doors and
windows. Oh, Miss Lester!" Then,
as Ruth reappeared in the doorway,
Were these windows looking out
on the street closed, too?"
They were kept closed in the
winter" Ruth answered. "Ventila-
ton came from the window on the
airshaft between the wings. Minnie
Cassidy, the cleaning woman, must
have closed 1t when she cleaned
Saturday afternoon, although Mr..
Borden was still here. It's rule
of the building that no windows are
to be left open overnight"
Think the woman cleaned, do
you?" McMann shot at her.
why, yes" Ruth answered, sur
prised at his lack of astuteness. 1.-THE
waste baskets have been emptied, as
you see, both in my Office and in Mr..
Borden's. Minnie came down the
hall toward this Office just as L was
getting on the elevator Saturday
afternoon. suppose she cleaned
them"
Her lips went dry with fear that
her ordeal was upon her--that Nc
Mann would question her then and
there about her departure, would
learn. that she had come back for
her forgotten handbook. But the
detective merely nodded as he said:
I'll get Minnie's story when Co.
vey rounds her up"
1.-THE cleaning women don't come
on duty week days until four" Ruth
volunteered. Saturdays they work
from IL to S."
McMann thanked her with an
other curt nod, then, since the fin
gerprint expert had finished with
Borden's desk, he began to pull out
drawers.
81 don't see any gun here" he re-
marked, to no one in particular. I'm
view of all those holdups in the
building I'm surprised he didn't
keep one"
Because she knew that his search
would soon extend to, her own desk,
Ruth gripped Jack Hayward's hama
tight, then volunteered, q little
breathlessly: II have an automatic
IA AAAy ACOhs L1ls INAONAdA111' "A OO1U .
.38. 1 believe it is
What" the detective exploded.
Then, Bring it to mel No, wait!
III get it." he corrected himself
grimly, with a significant glance
at the fingerprint expert, who fol-
lowed close at his heels as Nc
Mann strobe into the outer office.
SHOW me where you keep it."
Obedient1y Ruth pulled open the
bottom drawer Of her desk, and
pointed, shrinking little, as she
always shrank from sight or touch
Of that blue-black thing.
"Where?" McMann was bIrrow-
ing among clean\ towels, cartons of
paper cups, bundles of old station
cry, with which the bottom drawer
was filled. where's no automatic
here, or any other kind of gunI'
'Not-there?" Ruth repeated
stupidity. Not there! Why" and
involuntarily she turned on icy feet
and stared at Mrs. Borden.
Ito Be Continued