The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-02-26
Senate Saves Bill Increasing High School Tuition From Farms
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1T was Saturday afternoon" Ri.
Ia replied stubbornly.
Borden was in hurry to get rid
Of you but you took time to joke
with him about Jake Bailey, Ell -
McMann grinned. Gall right, Rita
all right! Go on with your story.
How did he happen to give you the
other half Of the $500 bill? Why
didn't he wait until you were in
Winter Haven? He wouldn't give il
ber!"
An ugly splotch Of red suddenly
glowed on the slim throat Of the
dancer. II asked him for it. was
pretty sore because he'd missed the
train, and he wanted to make up
with me, so he gave me the other
half of the bill. I told him I might
miss the 5.32 If he didn't-so he
gave it to me-"
McMann chuckled. "Just like that,
Ell? You make an awfully poor liar,
Rita. Here! Keep your shirt on!''
he commanded, as the dancer spranr
toward him, her teeth barred. her
slim, long fingers curved into talons.
$50 you went to the station to make
the $3.50, did you, and he stood you
up again ?"
Rita hesitated again, then answer
ed, desperately, .angrily, eyes,
did,"
McMann leaned back in his chair,
grinning and nodding with what
seemed, to Ruth, like ghoulish sat-
isfaction. what do you think the
police department has been doing all
day, Rita? I'll tell you one little
job they've cleaned up: You beat it
from here. after stopping in the
lobby to telephone someone, straight
to the station, got the bags you'd
checked there, and took them to
your hotel. And you didn't take them
out again Saturday afternoon!
You did take out small over
night bag about midnight Saturday,
on your way to spend the night with
your girl friend, Willette Wilbur.
Now how about it, Rita?"
II was only going away with hin,
to get the $500. IL needed it and
| won't tell you why, if you kill me!
After he'd given it to me, l didn't
care what happened between him
and me later. I was just happy that
didn't have TOTO pay for it, by
by" She choked, and suddenly
began to cry, horribly, without hid
ing her cOnvulSed face.
Listen, Rita" McMann urged, al
most gently. "You've admitted you
need $500 in a whale of a hurry, that
you were willing to do almost any
thing to get it. Now admit just a
little bit more and tell me the whole
truth. I'll put it up to you straight:
Either Borden was alive when you
came and you killed him-wait till
I'm through!-killed him to get the
money that would come too late if
he waited until night to give it to
you, or he was dead when you got
here.
mo. wait! Isn't this what hap
pened ?-you came, got no answer to
your knock, used Borden's passkey,
found him dead on the floor-yes!
just where you're looking" he in
terrupted himself, as the dancers
eyes involuntarily shot a glance OF
horror toward the spot where Bor-
den had lain in death-"you re-
membered that he had the other half
Of the $500 bill he had given you;
you looked for it, found it and more
than $500 more in smaller bills, took
it all-over a thousand dollars
counting your half of the bill"
"No, MOI" Rita screamed, beating
the air with frantic, clenched fists.
II didn't rob dead man! I'd die
first! He was alive, I tell you
alive! He gave me his half Of the
bill, and not a cent more! Not q
cent?"
Birdwell's weary, bored voice from