The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-18

mo, no. That's not truel None
of it is true!" Martha Manning
cried paSsionately, rising from her
chair in her excitement.
The detectives mighty voice plowed
through her protestations: You
didn't find Hayward in, but because
his cleaning woman was careless
you found his door unlocked, en-
tered, telephone Borden, quarreled
violently with him from a few min
utes after 2 until 2:10, learned that
he would do nothing for you
Wait!"
He commanded roughly, and
forced the sgitated woman into her
chair with ruthless hands.
Il even know the exact words
with which he refused your de-
mands, Miss Manning! Harry Bor-
den saiu to you, Who are you to tell
Harry Borden what he can do and
can't do?" A witness overheard
Borden say those exact words, Miss
Manning!"
But not to mel" she cried, but
she sat still again, except for those
twisting hands, watching the detec-
tives face.
"And then" McMann went on in
exorably, 'you remembered the gun
you had seen lying in the bottom of
Mr.. Hayward's desk, the first time
you were in his Office. You called
Harry Borden from HayWard's WIN
dow, after first securing the weapon
with which he had armed himself
against an attack he evidently
feared, and--you shot him, his bull
let going wild and hitting the wall
beside Hayward's window"
ODDLY, as the detectives charge
" piled up against her, the wom-
an became more and more calm.
When he had finished his terrible
harangue, she raised her head and
her eyes ct his fully, steadily,
though her face was CHASTITY white
around the rouge spots.
"Mr McMann, you are merely
trying to bully me into confessing
a crime I did not commit. You
can not possibly have any proof
to back your absurd charges. I will
gladly face any one you can bring
forward who will say that he or she
saw me in This building on Satur-
day. You know you can not bring
forward. such person, for I was
not here"
At the supreme confidence behind
those quietly emphatic words, the
last of Ruth's hopes OF thus clear
ing the man she loved vanished
or almost vanished. For-if Martha
Manning had not so used Jack Hay
wards Office, who had?
McMann, tacitly admitting his
lack of proof by not answering her
challenge, considered for a long
moment, then said, with a shrug
of his massive shoulders: "Well,
where do you say you were? Got a
good alibi all framed up, I suppose?
First: where do you say you were
when you made that second tele-
phone call?"
IT called from booth in cigar
store" Martha Manning replied
calmly, and named it. "And called
at five minutes to two, as I told
you. After my conversation with Mr.
Borden, I was sure he would do as
he had promised, and went directly
to the park, where walked or sat
on benches reading, until half past
four, when I returned to the Aero
polis-arriving about fifteen or
twenty minutes Of five"
ANY proof that you were in the
park? See anyone you knew?" Nc
Mann asked Sarcastically.
Martha Manning smiled-that
strange, ironic smile that depend
the bitter lines between nostrils and
mouth corners. "a lone woman,
practically friendless, is not likely to
encounter acquaintance in the
park"
st thought sol" McMann COM
mented With grim ambiguity. Then
he strobe to the door and CURLY re-
quested Rita Dubois to enter.
+
TIME little dancer showed signs
Il of the strain under which she
had lived during at least twenty
four hours, but there was a trace Of
the old jauntiness as she sauntered
into the room.
"Old home week for Handsome
Harry's sweeties, nest ce pas?" she
laughed, as her bright young black
eyes took in the older woman.
you recognize Miss Manning?"
McNIann asked quickly.
"No-just natural conclusion, .
the dancer informed him. keep
your seat paby-face," she grinned
at Ruth Lester, who had risen to
offer her chair. I'm sure Mr.. NC