The Indianapolis times., 1929-12-05
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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
OUT OUR WAY
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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
MUCH happened during the
1Y1 time that elapsed between the
dramatic den uement at Mrs
Rogers home and the dinner given
by Sheila, a week later.
Andy Masters had made his peace
with his uncle. He had confessed
in full his part in Mentions black
mail plot. He had not spared HIM
self in telling, but WILDER was SO
relieved by the lifting from Sheiia
of the menace Of embarrassing dis
closure that he was more than will
ing to overlook the ugly past.
Andys seemingly sincere repent
ance and his faithful adherence to
his self-imposed promise to keep
from drink brought full forgivnesS.
Andy still was carrying his arm
in a sling, but as soon as he was
fully recovered he was to resume
his old place in Wilber's Office. His
financial affairs, too, were looking
up.
A sudden upturn in the stock
market had enabled him, with Will
ber's advice, to close out his specu-
lations without heavy loss. He and
Mercy were to be married as soon
as he had re-established himself.
Mercy had been received without
question in the WILDER family cir
Gle. Her whole-hearted reputation
of the fast crowd whose influence 2
had led to Andy's downfall and her
answering devotion to Andy after
the collapse of his fortune haG
proved her sincerity and won 1cr
her not only respect, but real affec-
ton.
1t was happy group that gath
cred for Sheila's dinner, with one
exception-the subdued, quiet, sad
eyed hostess.
Sheila for a day or two had been
buoyed up by the glad discovery OF
her mothers identity, but had re-
lapsed to her former melancholy.
She was sincerely in love with
Joe Smedley, but she still was un-
der the obsesssion that in breaking
her engagement she had pursued the
only course open to her. She as
sumed a forced gayety in courtesy
to her guests, bat her spirits would
not fully respond to her will.
They were gathered in the living
room following the dinner-Wilber
Sheila, Edna, Mrs. Rogers, Andy
Mercy and Sheridan. The servants
had been baniShed and the doors
closed.
The time had come for Sheridan
to fulfill his promise of another sur
prise. They drew their chairs in
close circle around him.
Everything that occurred during
the past hectic month has been ex-
planned" he began, except the
death of Lena Swartz 1t had all
the earmarks of murder or at least
Of malicious design.
"Only six persons were in the lab
oratory when Mr.. WILDER demon
strated his invention, the two De-
morel company experts, Enderby and
Westervelt, the boy Dicky. Andy. Mr.
WILDER and myself. The electric
switch had been thrown of and the
cylinder was in the clips when we
left the room, unfortunately leaving
the door unlocked.
''Yet when Lena's body was discov-
cred, the deadly switch was closed
and the cylinder was on the floor
where 1t had fallen from her lifeless
hands. Somebody had been in that
room and had thrown the switch
between the time we left the room
and the time Of Lena's death short
time later
at looked like a deliberate at
tempt to kill some one. probably Mr.
WILDER. Suspicion in my mind at
tached to several persons-it would
be unkind and useless now to name
them.
'Rilev Morgan, the burglar. was
one. But absence Of motive and sub
sequent investigation eliminated
every suspect. It remained mys-
terry. cudgeled my brain and
finally there flashed back into it a
scrap Of conversation that gave me
the clew."
He paused and smiled at the rapt
faces Of his auditors.
''I followed that clew to Utica
NJ Y. where Dicky Enderby just
two days out told me all about II"
''Dicky Enderbyl" The exclama-
ton was in chorus.
Eyes. You remember Dicky was
put to bed in Mr.. Wilber's room just
across the hall from the laboratory
However, you probably do not re.
member remark he made to hi:
father after he was awakened anc
lust before Westervelt and Enderb,
took their leave: Papa, don't yo'
buy Mr.. Wnber's light; it's no good