The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-14


were trailing Borden? BY the way,
you were still living with barry
Borden when he took these Offices
three years ago weren't you? You
were pretty familiar with the lay
out of this floor, ! suppose?
when I went to consult Mr..
Hayward about insurance, I had no
idea that his Office was across the
airshaft from Harry's," was the
positive, almost calmly spoken an
swer, but Ruth saw a pair of thin,
white hands twisting. interwinding
hands that would not lie, no mat
ter how well that beautiful con-
tralto voice could be made to serve
its owners hidden purposes.
AS Ruth watched those hands she
got an odd, subconscious impression
that they had a message for her--a
message of vital importance-but
with that compelling voice to listen
to, there was no time for Ruth to
heed the mute story that the hands
were telling.
Then may remind you that
when you were in Mr.. Hayward's
Office on two occasions you went to
his window, which affords view of
the interior of this Office, and stood
there - each time - for minutes,
looking toward and undoubtedly
into this very room?"
II did not look this way, because
I did not realize that by so doing
I could see into Mr.. Borden's Office
My eyes idly followed number OF
pigeons circling about the window
but my thoughts were on my son
and how to provide for him in case
of my death"
your natural death-or by way
of the electric chair?" McNIann
suggested brutally.
n H.
TIME frail body stifened, but the
q contralto voice scorned to make
plea for sympathy: "When I first
consulted Mr.. Hayward about in
surance risk. But when I saw him
the second time, I went with the
knowledge that insurance was i'm
possible, for my physician had tolo
me that I have pulmonary tubercu-
losiS. 1t was with this knowledge
that I appealed to Mr.! Borden on
Christmas eve for help for my son.
There was a brief silence, almost
long enough for Ruth to hear the
mute message which Martha Man
g1ing'S thin, twisting hands seemed
to be trying to give her-without
their owners knowledge or consent
But not quite, for McMann inter
rupted, demanded the girls whole
attention with his next words:
st submit, Miss Manning" NC
Mann began slowly, that your
need became so desperate that you
determined to stop at nothing, not
even a threat of murder, to force
Harry Borden to provide for your
son. Isn't that true?"
mol"
"You deny then, Miss Manning,
that you have ever threatened Harry
Borden's life?"
81 do! Of course 1 deny it!'' The
beautiful voice throbbed with an
ger.
McMann smiled, that cynical
twisting of the lips which always
made Ruth Lester SILVER with re-
pulsion. "But you won't deny that
you have written to Mr.. Borden a
number of times in the last few
months2"
The woman's eyes dilated, then
closed for moment, before she an
swered in a voice so low it was al
most a whisper: mo. won't deny
that. Of course 1 wrote him. I
could reach him in no other way"
"And when did you write your
last letter to your former loVer?"
McMann persisted
Martha Manning moistened her
dry lips. "I-don't remember the
exact time"
Then let me refresh your
memory" the detective suggested,
slowly drawing a large, orchid
tinted envelope from his pocket
The woman half started from her
chair, seemed about to ask a
startled question, then subsidized, her
gaze fixed in terrible fascination
upon the closely written sheet which
McMann drew from the envelope
and laid before her.
'You recognize this letter? You
admit you wrote it?"
There was no need for an answer,
and Martha Manning made none.
"You will note" McMann pointed
out obligingly," that it was written
Friday afternoon-the day before
Henry Borden was-murdered. Now,
if you will kindly read aloud the
last three sentences of this letter"
and he turned over the single
sheet of orchid stationery.
ONE of those betraying, thin
~ hands reached out, lowered
over the sheet, but did not touch it
dropped instead to the green blot
ter with which the top of the desk
was almost entirely covered-lay
there quivering.
you won't oblige me?" McNTann
asked cheerfully. "Then let me re-
peat them from very good mem
ory: But Harry, in all solemnity,
warn you that you will be sorry If
you do not do what I ask. I shall
telephone you Saturday. morning. If
your answer is still no-but I won't
think of that now
That pitiful, quivering hand
started to lift itself from the blotter,
but with the quickness of sleight-
of-hand artists the detectives big
hand shot out and covered it, flat
tening it against the green surface
Of the blotter.
With his other hand he seized a
full ink well and tipped it, SO that
the fluid ran in a dark tide beneath
the pressed down fingers of the