New Britain herald., 1929-05-25
CHAPTER 12 RL.ACkMAII-"DlLLON"

] bliNN N took up the mysterious notebook, prepared for anything but what ] 1 was to find. The book looked old. Only tile first two pages had been uritten on. At the top of the first page a name was penned in the dashing handwriting of Andrew Og- den.
 "Dillon." l whispered. my eyes on the name. James Dillon." Beneath the name was a list Of 1 entries. The upper entries. like the name, were slightly faded; the lower ones were black. There are :S entries" said un- steadily. Each one is for $5,00o.' l And each one is dated the first i day of January of its respective year." Henry added tonelessly. The last entry is dated the first 1 of the present year" ogden has paid Dillon &5.0oo q year for es years" MacNair drawled.
 I disregarded MacNair's ugly im- plication.
 The assumption is that ogden paid Dillon 5000 a year for 26 years. Dillon killed the Jerry who wrote that note. and since Dillon has been receiving payment up 10 the first of the present year. he. didn't die as result of the bullet Jerry put into him. again offer the theory that Dillon killed An- drew Ogden
 Why" MacNair asked.
 Tor the same reason that he killed Jerry perhaps. Or possi- bly Ogden refused to pay more blackmail."
 Possibly and perhaps Mac Nair echoed raspingly. If ogden refused to pay more blackmail Dill lon would expose him, ! not kill l him.
 This was logical. | You are forgetting young Jer- ry," Deacon reminded me. You and Stinson saw him tearing along the walk last night. That fact has got to he overcome before We can assume Dillon or anyone else kill- ed Ogden"
 I retorted bitterly. Tt wasn't Jerry we saw. It was someone else. Someone in his flannels.' MacNair gestured impatiently. "Jerry is the likeliest candidate 50 far. But leave Peebles to his sen- timentalities f6r the moment, Dea- con, and consider Dillon. The lat ter may or may not have killed Ogden, but I venture to say he could throw a good deal of light on the affair. Who is Dillon? He has been blackmailinx ogden for es years. But-is James Dillon this mans right name: Rlackmailers usually submerEe their own per- sonalities.''
 You mean that James Dillon may be the operating name of some one known to us:" I asked.
 Exactly. Furie. the woman in black, Hubbard, stimson. Nathan Hyde. Perhaps Deacon here. Even your estimab]e self" Why not Luther MacNair?" l i asked ironically. Certainly. if you wish" ''. At least you leave out our Jer- ry."
 | Hmm! you return to the bone Of contention. Yes. I eliminate young Ogden as . possible James Dillon but not as the slayer of his father. Dillon may have killed the un- known Jerry and blackmailed Og- den all these years: but it doesn't also follow that he killed Ogden. though he may know why ogden was killed"
 You accused me of theorizing without facts" I said derisively, but you are doing good bit of it yourself"
 No. I'm not theorizine: I'm speculating. When theorize base my theory on fact. You don't. In face of evidence to the contrary you say Jerry Ogden couldn't have killed his father. You call your assertion theory when it is noth- ing but speculation. for you have no havis of fact. Again. you say you believe Dillon killed ogden and call your belief a theory. Ru' your only basis of fact is your faith in the boy. which isn't a fact al all. Is the difference clear'''
 During this discussion I had been arranging the poker chips into ,, stacks of five. I had five stacks and one over.
 Hello I cried. There are ex. actly 2s poker chips here. Ogder made % payments to Dillon. Queer isn't ito
 MacNair grinned, 'I wonder fl there's any connection betweer the chips and the payments. Yo, might ring for Hubbard" I did so. MacNair took sheet o letter paper and one of the pokel chips Folding the chip inside tht sheet. he placed both in an envcl ope. which he sealed. Hubbard came in just then. You rang. sir?' he inquired.
  did Mir. ogden get his mail?' '"rhe mail carrier leaves it |, box twice day. sir. I broush it ur to Mir. Ogden" : "Come here, Hubbard" : The man came to the edge 0 lthe desk. i'll at ease. and MacNai presented him with the envelop, , | in which he had sealed the poke { chip.
 ! Did you ever notice in Nr. og ; den's mail letters that felt like tha : envelope"" ?"
 r Hubbard ran his fingers over i'
 Why. yes. sir. A number 0 ? times."
 r ''Tcl, us about them' Z Well sir. 1 began 10 notic. t: them three or four years after l came here. couldn't help notcin