The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-02

Did anyone see you leave Bor-
den's Officer" McMann shot at the
boy.
Sure! Old Minnie. the cleaning
woman. She come back with the
waste baskets just as Mr.. Borden
was yelling at me to get out"
And just what time did you come
back?" McMann sprung his trap
casually.
"Back?" Benny, echoed, blankly.
ST didn't come back, and If anybody
says I did, he's a narl" -
Then 1 suppose you've got an
alibi for the rest of Saturday after
noon?" McMann suggested, his mar
rowed eyes holding the boys grim
~.
You mean, what did I do Satur-
day afternoon2" Benny was OBJ
viously stalling for time. II went
to rnovie-down on Fourteenth
street. men I went home to sup
per"
Went to a movie alone?"
"Naw-with a frail-I mean, with
a girl"
Her name?"
81 don't know her name. A
dizzy little kid I picked up Benny
confessed, in an agony Of enbar-
rassment. "She said I could call
her F'ritzie, cause at wasn't her
name, but what she liked to be
called. A tough baby. I didn't try
to date her up" he added, with a
comical attempt to confide, as man
to man, in the Sowing detective.
Miss Lester" McMann addressed
the girl suddenly, 81 wish you'd go
down the hall to that vacant suite
where Detective Convey is stationed
and ask him to send Minnie Cas-
sidy, the cleaning woman, to me
if she's come in"
Certainly, Mr.. McMann," Ruth
agreed, trying to smile cheerfully,
though she was convinced that the
detective was merely resorting to g
ruse to get rid of her while he
grilled Benny Smith on the subject
of Borden's unwelcome advances to
| her.
She found the cocky little detec-
tive with his feet on rickety desk,
abandoned by the recent occupants
of the Office suite. Several men,
, whom she recognized as tenants of
! the Starbridge building, stood about
the desk, smoking, exchanging
theories.
TIELLO, Beautiful Detective
1 l. Covey greeted her impudent-
ly. you and the Big Cheese hav-
ing good time down there? Be-
lieve me, child, he muSta taken a
shine to you, to let you in on this
investigation like he has"
mfr. McMann has been very kind
to me-" Ruth said, forcing herself
to smile. Has Minnie Cassidy, the
cleaning women, come in yet, Mr..
Covey? Mr.. McMann wants to see
| her"
"And what treat that1l bel"
Convey chortled. Yeah, she's in the
building. I saw her a minute or
two ago. She's changing her clothes
to get on the job. L told her to
come back here and I'd take her
to the sergeant. Wanta wait? Mrs.
Borden and Rita are in there'-and
he jerked his thumb toward the in
ner Office of the suite-"but why not
brighten up the day for old Jim
Covey?" and he swung out of the
chair he had borrowed from the
next door office and pushed it to-
ward her lnyitingly.
Ruth seated herself, glanced
around the circle Of men defhdently,
then turned the full glory of her
wide blue eyes upon the little de-
tective. did all these men hear
the shot fired, Mr.. Covey?" she
asked innocently.
Covey chuckled. give OF 'em
think maybe they did and maybe
they didn't, and if you can get any
two of EN- to agree on the time, I'll
give you my nice silver shield. Ac-
cording to these birds-no offense,
fellows!-guns were popping off in
the Starbridge building last Satur-
day afternoon from half past one to
I1alf-past three o'clock, but just try
to pin one Of these guys down, Miss
Lester, and he'll crawf1sh instanter
tell you that at the time he
thought 1t was the backf1re Of an
automobile, and that he really didn't
pay any attention.
Cant say I blame a chap with
a business OF his own to look after
-nobody's fool enough to want to
testify In a murder case that may
drag out for weeks and he tried two
or three times. Ho, hum! It's a
great game, Beautiful" and he
gr1nned impishly at Ruth. But it
has its connpensationS. Have
you seen this extra?" he added
reaching for a paper which he had
tossed to the floor beside his desk
Got swell snapshot Of you
you didn't duck your head quick
enough he chuckled. 'Your sweetie
looks sore enough to bite nails in
| two, but mes a goou-looKlng guy al
that. How the sob-sisters will love
hinl Wanta see, girlie?'
NO." Ruth shuddered, warding
of the profered sheet with a treln-
bling hand. TN go back to my
Office now. viii you please send
Minnie Cas-"
Here's the old girl now!" Covey
interrupted cheerfully. "Ali logged
out In the what the well-dressed
Scrubwoman will wear. Took your
time, didn't you, Mother Machree?
a. g q
MINNIE CASSIDY'S work
V1 roughened hands plucked
nervously at the baggy front Of her
dress. I'm sorry to have kept you
waiting, sir, but one of the cleaning
ladies was sick-kinda fainty, and
L"