The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-16

then dropped to the hands in her
lap.
Jake, this is serious charge
you're making against Miss Man
| ming" the detective began. What
foundation have you for this
charge? Have you personal knowl-
edge of Miss Manning's guilt"
personal knowledge-hell!" the
ex-pugilist retorted. IF you mean
did I see her do it-no! I left
town Friday night and jist got
back"
Before we go into your own
whereabouts on Saturday, when
Borden was killed. McMann inter-
rupted, suppose you tell me ex-
actly what happened on Christmas
Eve, between Miss Manning and
Harry Borden"
well, like l sabine and Harry
was in Harry's bedroom, when in
she walks, bold as brass. Harry.
she says, it's Christmas! Aren't
you going to give me-and the boy
"a Christmas PRESENT. she says,
and by that time Harry was at her,
tryin' to walk her right back out
of MS room. But she hung back
like wildcat she was-and she
keeps whinin' something about not
wantin' nothin' for Christmas but
his promise to git divorce and
marry her--oh, no! She didn't
want nothin' muchp he laughed
sarcastically.
And then? Borden struck her
on the mouth?" McMann prompted
impatiently.
Something like blush ran over
the scrambled features of the ex-
pugilist. "We-ell, Cap he admitted
reluctantly, 81 reckon that was me
Harry was payin' me good sal'ry
to perfect him, wasn't he? I jist
done my duty-'at's all! But /
never nit her till she snatched open
her handbag-like she was reachin-
for a gun-and Harry yelled at me
| to help him."
And did she have one?"
NO" the dead mans efficient
bodyguard admitted. "Reckon she
was after a picture of the kid she
had in her bag. Had Merry Christ
mas for my dad wrote on it,
1t was not laugh this time that
told that Jake Bailey's words had
struck home 1t was a long drawn
"Oh!" of infinite misery, so heart
rending that Ruth Lester involun-
tarily leaned forward and patted
those tight-locked hand whose
message she had not yet had time
to read.
"And after you knocked her out?"
McMann prodded his witness.
We'll, me and Harry fixed her up
with some brandy, and I took her
down and put her in a taxi. Paid
for it, too the ex-pugilist added
virtuouslg.
And did Borden later intimate
to you that he feared this woman
would kill him?"
NEARTHA MANNING raised her
1V1 head then and stared steadily
at the man who leaned nonchalantly
against her dead lovers desk.
"Sure!" came the emphatic answer
in cracking falsetto. "He said he'd
a-swore she was gonna croak him
that time, and he bet she'd do it
yet
$50 you offered to put her out of
the way for him, didn't your" Nc
Mann asked casually, after a glance
at the notes he had made on the
story of Frank Ashe, Borden's man
servant.
well, I didn't, so it won't be me
'at1l sit in the chair" Bailey re-
torted.
And did you see Miss Manning
again?" McMann pursued his ques-
tioning.
"Naw-guess she laid low and
waited till 1 was out of town." Bailey
answered.
"You didn't see her on Friday
night?"
mo, I left town on Friday night,
like told you
But you were with Borden be-
fore OH left?'
Sure I was. I went with him to
! the Crillon, a swell feed joint, and
waited outside while he ct with his
new sweetie, that classy little dane
er he picked up at the Golden Slip
per- Bout half-past six it was when
he met Rita there, and around eight
when him and her come out. He
put the frail in a taxi, and promised
to see her at the Golden Slipper
about 10, before her act went on
at II. She wouldn't let him drive