The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-02-16

I pcareQ IN the doorway. "Cneck up OF
this by phone. Pinnacle Life 1nsur
ance Company. Ask for the mana
ger. Find out If and when he callet
John, c. Hayward Saturday after
noon. Amy news, Birdwell
That phones been ringing enough"
Birdwell, middle-aged, laconic
and permanently bored with life
answered tiredly: "Much ringing, lit
tie news. Clay's out to round up the
Dubois woman"
= X =
McMann consulted his notes
checked an item or two. then de-
manded irritably: Hasn't that Of.
flee boy blown in yet? -. No!
What's the last address you have
Miss Lester? We've got to pull him
in"
Ruth got the information from hel
files and gave the. memorandum tc
Birdwell without comment.
"1'll put Callahan on the job, sir,
Birdwell volunteered YEARLY. "Any.
thing else?"
mo. Yes. wait! Hayward, you say
you and Miss Lester lunched at the
Chester Hotel? -. Which table 2"
Jack answered concisely, cody
but Ruth, who had returned to his
side, tighten6ds her hands convulsive-
ly about his rigid arm.
"Tell the manager Of the hotel to
send me the waiter who served this
couple on Saturday, Birdwell, and
tell him to make it snappy," Nc
Mann directed.
"Biggers is holding off . swarm
Of reporters out there in the hall. u
Birdwell volunteered uninterestedly.
Ready for 'em yet, sir?"
"No!" McMann barked. Gust tell
the boys that Detective Sergeant
Thomas H. McMann expects to make
an arrest within a few hours. And
that's no lie! Be sure they get my
name spelled right. And Bird
wei; btings Rita Dubois to me az
soon as Clay drags her in"
McMann waved his subordinate
away, then concentrated upon Jack
Hayward again. $50 it took you 10
minutes to answer the phone and
pick up couple of theater tickets.
That right"
"Nots.e$actly," Jack answered
evenly. = was pretty well knocked
out by the bad news from the in
surance company, since I'd counted
on the. commission to get married on,
so I sat at my desk for two or three
minutes, trying to get hold Of my
self before seeing Miss Lester again.
! didn't want to spoil her day-the
first after our engagement" He
drew quick, sharp breath, then
smiled down at the girl who was
clinging to his arm.
"Needed money pretty badly, did
mt you, Hayward?" McMann inter-
rupted significantly.
II was sorry to lose the commits
sion. becauSe it might mean post
ponement of our marriage" Jack
admitted CURLY. "Then it occurred
to me that since I'd lost the commits
sion I'd better be lining up other
business, So I packed my briefcase
with. work,,to do over the weekend.
It took me several minutes to find q
list nj prospects I wanted to work
on, for I'm not familiar with my
secretary's filing system. When
had found it / left the office and re-
joined Miss Lester at the hotel"
"At what time?"
AT 10 minutes past two"
X \ 4
"You've got the time down pretty
pat, haven't you?" McMann insinu-
ated, grinning crookedly as he made
q: note. Then, more directly, "You
were already thinking in terms Of
alibis, weren't you, Hayward"
you're certainly open-minded,
McMannR Jack laughed contempt.
,pously. First you sum up q mag
snfficents case against Mrs. Borden
until the poor woman herself must
have half believed she did it. Then
you make an equally strong case
apainst Miss Lester, and now both
Of them must give way to your new
favorite-John Darlington Hay.
ward!" And the foolhardy, angry
young man bowed ironically.
"Oh, Jack. don't!" Ruth cried
"Please, darling"
"Give him enough rope" Nc.
Mann shrugged, but. his face wal
livid. with anger. II admit your
charge. Mr.: Hayward; I am open,
minded, and YOU can oblige me with
a little more information. You saw
Borden across the airshaft, didn't
YOU x
Ruth held her breath, then re.
leased. IT with Z sigh Of relief q
Jack retorted emphatically: II did
not! never even went near the win.
dow. had other things to think
about, besides Borden"
And vt you knew he'd been max.
ing violent love TO Mas Lester" Nc.
Mann reminded him. "You threaten.
d,sin the presence Of Moran, the ele.
yate !, bow e A!ll Borden, remem'
Il didABefore she had assured me
that Borden had, not touched her, :
Jack answered evenly. "But ! be.
lieved Miss Lester when she assured
me that she had hurt her lip against
the door"
"Yes, you did! You believed her sc
firmly that you came back later t.
kill Borden!" McMann shouted
banging his fist upon the desk
"Come clean, Hayward! You own Z
gun yourself, don't you! You didn't
spend good money hard UP - yoc
xre-to protect Borden's offices from
hold-Ip men and neglect your owl
safety-did you :"
$3.50 ..aA~% rn>1>d ~