The Bismarck tribune., 1929-03-15
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY

| NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER xxx
Ruth Lester felt that she, as well
as the frail. tortured woman beside
her, could not bear the suspense of
the next slow minutes.
With nerve-w -wracking deliberation
Detective Sergeant McMann drew
another sheet of paper from his
pocket-the enlarged photograph of
the three fingerprints discovered by
Detective Ferber on the glass panel
of the door between the outer and the
inner offices of the Borden suite;
laid it beside the startlingly clear
prints he had just made, in ink, of
Martha Manning's fingers: studied
both sets of prints. then, with mad
dening lack of haste. reached into his
coat pocket, secured small micro
scope and fitted it into his left eye.
At last he nodded with satisfaction,
folded both sheets of paper carefully
together and placed them in a breast
pocket Of his coat. Then he spoke. !.
Miss Manning. we will save much
time if you will tell me frankly at
just what time Saturday afternoon
you paid your-farewell visit to Harry
Borden"
The thin hands were working des-
perately now with a handkerchief to
remove the humiliating ink stains but
at the detectives question they grip
ped each other convulsively.
i was not here at all Saturday."
Then how do you account for the
fact that your fingerprints were found
yesterday morning on the glass panel
OF that door?" McMann demanded
triumphantly, pointing toward the
closed door between the two offices.
Martha Manning drew sharp,
quivering breath, then. to Ruth's
amazemcnt she smiled. and the thin
shoulders shrugged slightly, as if
their owner were admitting defeat.
Il am sorry to disappoint you, Mr..
McMann, after your brilliant demon-
stratfon Of detective-story ingenuity,
but-my visit to Harry Borden was
made on Friday night-not on Satur-
day afternoon y
rs that SOP" McMann snorted
after the first impact of the shock.
We'll, we'll soon find out If you were
here Friday night! Perhaps you're
not aware of the fact, Miss Man
ming, that every tenant or visitor
coming into this building after seven
o'clock in the evening is required to
sign a register kept in the elevator"
He rose and was striding toward the
communicating door to give an order
to Birdwell, when Martha Manning
stopped him, with cool admission:
I'm quite aware of the custom you
mention, Mr.. McMann! And you may
save yourself the trouble of consult
ing the register, unless you wish to.
verify my statement that Mr.. Borden
was In his office Friday night"
X X X
Ruth knew by the curious express
sion that distorted the detectives face,
that he had failed to check the regis
ter for Friday night, and was now dis
gusted with himself for that omission.
He continued to the door, threw it
open. and with harsh impatience gave
the necessary, instructions to long
suffering Detective >Birdwell. Then,
whirling back toward the woman, the
detective demanded:
"You admit then, that I shall not
find your name on that register? ]
suppose you're going to try to tell me
thAt you signed fake naine,. In Q.
disguised handwriting, and that
you've forgotten just which name
you did sign!'
Hardly anything so crude and
easily exploded as that" Martha
Manning smiled. y am going to do
something much more simple-tell
you The truth. I walked up and
walked down. taking care not to be
seon BY the elevator operator"
"Why?" McMann demanded. "Be-
callse you were planning then to kill
Borden apd didn't have chance to
60 through with it2"
Your conclusion is undoubtedly
logical-from your standpoint" Mar.
thu Manning agreed. still smiling
strangely. 1T simply Happens to be
totally inaccurate. walked up be-
cailge I feared Mr.. Borden had seen
me following him and had given
orders to the elevator man not to
admit me into the building
ut e you did see him. Why walk
doAn9" McMann caught her up
sh1xply.
pr approximately the same rca-
SON. Miss Manning pointed out pa
ticrtly. II mean--I did not want Mr..
B0w4en TO give orders to the elevator
lnaA: that the wOlnal, he had Just
taken down was not To IA pdiritto1