New Britain herald., 1929-12-21

Edgar stanton was of, .@5 caliber?" she faltered. through lips grown ghastly white.
 II do, declared the sheriff firmly, his surprise manifest.
 Was the girl trying to cook mp some technical defense to prove she had not killed Stanton? If so, he must be on his guard,
 "I was present when the bullet was extracted by the surgeon per forming the autopsy, and it fits that pistol"
 'Was-was there no other bullet | in Lieutenant Stanton's body?"
 None; and no other wound, U crisply.
 Not Hkins the trend Of the con versation, Beach rose with abrupt ness and reaching over took back { the pistol from her ncrvelcss hand,
 Well, l must be going,' with a 1 scrutnizing glance at her. Your signed confession is on file in the court houSe-still she made no re- l ply and the sheriff, considerably puzzled walked over to the front | door
 "l1I call again, Miss Prescott Peggys outstretched hand again | sought the drawer where lay hcl uncle's Al caliber automatic pisto 1 which she had shot at Stanton-a 45 caliber pistol-but he had beer killed with a .35 caliber bullet
 Then she hadn't killed Edgar stanton. She wasn't a murderer.
 But her joy was of short dura. ton. The bullet fitted Hm's pistol A word from her and he would bt implicated,
 Driving away from the lodge Sheriff Beach stopped his car a Echo Farm and from the seat 0 his car parked in Mohawk Lane called to Obadiah Evans.
 Cant come in," he hollered, il answer 70 the farmers cordial in vitation. megaphoned through hi cupped hands as he stood on th' front porch of his house; then, d Obadiah came closer; ''l declare t gracious, I forgot to ask Miss Pres colt if Sundown's been there lately He wasn't at his camp, though spent a couple of hours on Blino Mans Bluff, thinking he might shoy up."
 Obadiah rested one foot on tn running board and his elbow on tn | 1ar
 Did you take her the gun?" h asked, and. as the sheriff nodded Got it with you. or did you leav it at 1ew Lodge?"
 Beach regarded him indignantly. ! ''Do you think I'm such d fat head?" he demanded with some de gree of heat. No, I didn't leaN such evidence with Miss Prescott ) it's here in my pockct.' l Lets sec the pistol?'
 "What for?" belligercntly. : q thought maybe I'd like to kno' : why Miss Prescott asked to see it. Here 'tis." he said gruffly. an Beach unfoldcd the cloth about th
 pistol keeping the weapon. how ever. on the oilskin in his hanc TT other sides the same" The sarcasm was wasted on Obs diah who pointed bony finger
 the automatic
 Maybe 'tis and maybe 'tisn't," | : stated calmly. Turn her owe :, Sheriff."
 Considerably mystified, Beach di so. and he and Obadiah gazed dow at the inscription on the meta
 Model. 1911--u. s. navy" $ The sheriff rolled up the pist' and thrust it back in his pocket.
 Never expected to see you hyI o nonzed by gun, Obadiah he r'
 marked. turning on his ignitio
 switch as hint that the intervie
 was over. "In sec Sundown tomo,
 row; so long"
 !, The car was moving slightly b' A fore Obadiah removed his foot fro
 the running board. With a m o chanical wave Of his hand to Il departing sheriff, he turned back o his house and came face to fat
 with Julia, hurrying down the pat
 Miss Deborah said shes gib Il n some doughnuts she was flyin', Q take back to Miss Peggy; so l wal Il ed" she explained, securing mo n firmly one end Of the napkin whit o covered the dish.' if Then. forgetting all attempts q diplomacy, which had failed lamen q ably in extracting information fro if the roticcnt hOusekccpcr; "WhaI h Mistah Jim 7"
 "On his way hcre," and with tn @ piece of information Julia had pc 1T