The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-15
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, suppose you're going to try to tell
me that you signed fake name, in
a 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. 81 am going to do
something much more simple-tell
you the truth. I walked up and
walked down, taking care not to be
seen by the elevator operator"
"Why?" McMann demanded. BE
cause you were planning then to
kill Borden and didn't have chance
to go through with it,"
your conclusion is undoubtedly
logical - from your standpoint, "
Martha Manning agreed, still srnil-
ing strangely. ut simply happens
to be totally inaccurate. I walked
up because I feared Mr.. Borden had
seen me following him and had
given orders to the, elevator man
not to admit me into the building"
but if you did see him, why walk
down?' McMann caught her up
sharply. e
For approximately the same rea-
son." Miss Manning pointed out
patiently. ST meant did not want
Mr.. Borden to give orders to the
elevator man that the woman he
had just taken down was not to be
admitted again"
Then you expected to make an
other attempt to carry out your
plans, which had niscarried?" Nc
Mann suggested.
Again the woman shrugged. my
plans never included anything more
sinister than an earnest appeal to
Mrs. Borden's generosity"
"You say that"-McMann pre-
tended honest amazement-'i face
of the threat in this last letter of
yours-this threat against Borden's
life?"
He reached for the letter, read
again that damning sentence: but,
Harry, in all solemnity, I warn you
that you will be sorry if you do not
do what / askl
II ADMIT that is threat"
4 Martha Manning said coolly,
then flashed a brief, almost affec-
tionate smile at Ruth Lester as the
girl gasped. But it happens, M.
McMann, that it is not threat
against Mr.. Borden's life. When
I saw him Christmas Eve, by a
ruse-just as I saw him Friday
night warned him that if he did
not voluntarily make adequate pro-
vision for our son, should institute
legal proceedings to force him TO
do so.
81 have an abundance of docu-
nentary evidence, including a num-
Der of letters from Mr.. Borden in
which he more than admits pater-
nity-boasts of it, in fact; also let
tiers to my little son from him
father" Her voice faltered over
that name for the murdered man,
but her head remained high and
proud.
Had you taken steps to institute
such legal proceedings?" McMann
asked, nth obvious skepticism.
"I had-not," the woman admitted
reluctantly. "I-had no money, and
I wanted Harry-Mr. Borden-to be
spared the consequent, notoriety
hence my repeated appeals"
McMann drummed on the desk
top for a long minute, and was
about to speak when Birdwell inter
rupted with the requested sheets
from the loose-leaf register kept by
the elevator men of the Starbridge
building. The detective snatched
at them, then after moments
study, he smiled that twisted, cyni-
cal smile of his and said:
Suppose you tell me all about
Friday night, Miss Manning-your
following of Borden, and your clev-
erly managed interview with him. "
st shall be glad to-" Miss Man
ming assured him composedly,
though Ruth saw that the tell-tale
hands were locking and unlocking
nervously in her lap.
"I-happened to be walking in
this block--on the sidewalk opposite
the Starbridge building, when l saw
Mr.. Borden and man whom Tree
ognized as 'Jake'-the man who had
been with Mr.. Borden on Christmas
Eve when talked with him. You
referred to him as Jake Bailey a
few minutes ago, but did not know
his last name until then"
She paused, and Ruth had an OPP
portunity to note an almost ludi-
crous expression of chagrin on the
detectives face.
well! Go on!" McMann ordered
brusquely.
"As they turned in toward the
entrance of the building, started
across the street, and I was afraid
Mr.. Borden had seen me, for he