The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-06-05

denly half again larger than his
normal size. The coat was padded
heavily, particularly through the
shoulders and chest.
Now give me the derby and the
plaster" Fitzmoan directed.
THE what?" George asked.
But the man before him reached
for the strange object, suddenly
slapped it to his face and pulled an
elastic over the back of his head.
Then he put on the derby, and
gazed about the group.
Miriam caught Mary Della as she
toppled over on the running board.
Take it off" Miriam cried. Cant
you see you've scared her half to
DEATH"
But Mary Della's eyes opened and
she struggled to sit up.
That's him." she said weakly.
That's the Red Mask"
WAS that what you saw here that
night?" the detective asked.
Mary Della nodded. And in my
house Saturday night" she added.
She looked at Jimmy Fitzmoan sad
ly. why did you come back wear
ing that thing Saturday night,
Timmy?"
JIMMY looked up quickly, then
i dropped his head again. Re
member what I told you on the
landing before I left2'' he inquired.
Il was sore at Joe Speaks and I
wanted you to think he was the
Red Mask. When 1 went out I
left the car in front of your place
and bummed around the Center for
a few minutes.
when I came back I could see
a light in your living room. I fig
ured you were reading. Then the
idea struck me that when I got on
this coat and the derby I was about
Speaks size. I thought I'd go up,
stick my head in the door, and then
run for it. 1 didn't think they'd
keep Speaks in the lookup Just for
making a row at the pavilion"
The detective interrupted. "You
didn't see the cop on the beat hang
ing out in the doorway Of the bank?"
Fitzmoan looked at him in sur
prise. mo-" he answered. But
1t wouldn't of made any difference.
I knew wasn't suspected"
For the last week everybody was
suspected. The cop saw you and
Miss Chubb go in, and he saw you
come out. He was starting around
the block when he saw you come
hack, take something out of the
car, and go in again.
HE got the car number and made
his report. We checked it up and
couldn't make out anything inpor-
tant. But it gave us another chan
rel to run out and we did. That's
why went looking for you at the
store yesterday afternoon and at
your home last night"
There followed long and tense
silence.
The G. E. inspected his watch.
IT'S getting late" he reminded
them.
The detective nodded.
Just a minute" Fitzmoan begged.
I'm not asking for any sympathy
but 1 want Miriam and Mary Della
to know-about Salila. didn't
mean to kill her. Even rotter like
am wouldn't kill his own sister
on purpose"
Every one stared, incredulous.
You say Salila Hicks was your
sister?" The detective couldn't be-
lieve he had heard right.
Her name wasn't Hicks any more
than mines Fitzmoan. What the
name used to be doesn't matter. But
she made me mad and hit her.
I didn't know I'd done for her until
I got her out here.
Not so fast" said the G. E. why
did you hit her? I mean, how'd
she make you mad? Did she know
about you and"
"THAT was the start of it"
l. FitZnoan volunteered. sit was
the night after I scared that pair
on the Middlebury road that Salila
accidentally f1shed a little red mask
out of my pocket. She made big
joke Of it and wouldn't give me the
mask back. The kid brothers gone
in for highway robbery now she
said. And when she got out of the
car she hollered back to me: Don't
ever talk about the way I make my
living after this
II never had robbed anybody, and
it made me mad. But / kept my
trap shut and went home.
Then that night I was driving
along West Main street when I saw
Salila get out Of car at the west
end of the Green. I stopped and
asked her to get In with me. But
she insisted on getting in the back.
well she said, I see where you
beat up young girl on the Brook
side road the other night. You
know she said. I got good notion
to give you away, Jimmy, after the