New Britain herald., 1930-10-06
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Synopsis: Elsa Chase, beautiful girl whose legs are paralyzed, wins the love of Jack Winslow, adopted B son of Arnold Winslow, wealthy re- tired lawyer of Washington, D. C., at whose home she is guest. The elder Winslow suspects Elsa is not all she pretends to be, however, and seeks the services of G. Thorne, de- tectiye, in an effort to probe her past and prevent Jack from marry : ing her. A mysterious woman in blue has been seen talking to Elsa brings Dr. Paul Kane, noted sur geon, to examine Elsa. The girl con- sents reluctantly Later that night Kane is found dead on the ground under the window of the bathroom of his suite. The coroner starts an investigation. The door of the bath room from the window of which Kane fell is found bolted on the in- side, with the key to the other lock outside the window. Elsa Chase is strangely upset on learning of Kane's death from Thorne.
 ... Chapter
 POISON
 When Elsa Chase burst into tears a. the news of Kane's death, Thorne felt decidedly ill at ease. He had never learned to look with equanim- it yon a woman crying. In fact he had met very few women like the girl before him.
 With curious sense of discom- fort, Thorne admitted to himself that her unusual and elusive beauty vas of the type to catch and hold the attention of men; it made, therefore, all the more singular the apparent dislike that Arnold Wins lew had for his adoped sons fiancee.
 T am sorry to have brought you bad news" the detective said sim ply. T supposed you had heard something of it: Dr. Kane met his death almost under your window, so to speak
 Elsa's eyes flew open. What is that you say?" she stammered, and her voice had grown hard, unnat- uIal. He met his death ?''
 ;. He fell out of the upstairs bath room window and was killed"
 And was killed"-the look of horror in the girls eyes gave place to another emotion-was it terror? 2 1t was gone before Thorne had time to analyze it. IT." desperately Elsa strove to control her voice and ! keep 1t steady, 'I liked Dr. Kane, although I saw him for the first time last night"
 "Ah, then he was not a relation or yours?"
 Certainly not" swiftly. why should you think that?"
 You seem so upset-over a cas- ual stranger
 Elsa looked up swiftly, but she gained nothing from her scrutiny; his rugged features and handsome dark eyes held no expression save ~os solicitude --for her? Her fingers, playing with her handkerchief, grew icy cold.
 H. But suppose that casual stran- ger" mimicking his tone, had held out hopes to you of eventual recovery from this" touching her wheel chair with gesture pathetic ia its hopelessness; suppose Dr. Kane had promised an operation which might relieve the pressure on my spine-so that I might walk again"--her low musical tones bare lv reached his ears. Then MT. Thorne, put yourself in my place, and you will understand the shock his death is to me-"
 The detective did not reply imme- diately and she wondered at the cause of his silence. Suddenly ! Thorne's eyes shifted to the tobacco . smoke curling upward from his cig- arette. Her voice, her words had the ring of truth.
 Bah, he was a fool to be taken by old man Winslow. It was not his place to search out some mares nest and find an impediment' to the proposed marriage-let Wi'-.7low do his own house cleaning,
 Miss Elsa" the trair.i nusre was running down the staircase. why didn't you send Lambert for me?"
 ''But 1 didn't need you" Elsa laid her hand affectionately on her arm Alice, this is Detective Thorne of," consulting the card still in her lap, ''of the Universal Detective Agency" Only Elsa felt the sudden start the nurse gave. Her stold expression, however, did not alter. i't" T am pleased to meet you" she stated stiffly, bobbing her head in Thorne's direction. Now. Miss Elsa, you must come back to your room; you haven't had your usual drops"
 True; l came to see if Jack had returned with the medicine. Would you mind. MT. Thorne," her smile 4-ras very engaging, ringing the bell over there for Lambert?"
 But the nurse stopped Thorne. Tt isn't necessary. Miss Elsa" she ex- plained. MT. Jack phoned his father that he was arrested for speeding and would be out as soon as he could get away from the po- : lice station. He's sending the medi-