The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-31
Murder Al BRIDGE
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who, to your knowledge, was the
last person to enter the trophy room
last night, Mr.. Miles?"
II was, except Sprague, Of course,
and had no idea he'd gone there.
Drake wanted TO play ansgrams,
and before the bridge game started,
I went to the trophy room to get the
box" Miles explained.
II turned off the light when I'd
got the box. and there wss no light
burning in there this morning when
Gala, the parlor maid went in there
70 put the anagram box back III the
cabinet, snd-and found the body"
Flora-Mrs. Miles-had brought
the anagrams in from the porch
and left them on table in the
living room, as our guests we're get
ting ready to leave.
There was nothing else to bring
in, in case OF rain. The bridge
tables are of iron, covered with OIL
cloth bags for the cards, score pads,
and pencils"
yes, know" Dundee inter
rupted. Miss Grain already has
told me all about that, and a good
many details of the party itself. . H..
BY the way, where is Mrs. Miles
now?"
In bed. The doctor is with her.
She is Frustrated from the shock"
Where is this room you call the
trophy room?" Dundee asked. mo.
don't bother to come with me. Just
point it out. It's on this floor, l
understand"
Miles pointed past tie great cir
cular staircase that wound upward
from the main hall. you can't see
the door from here, but it's behind
the staircase. Celia found the door
closed this morning, and no light
on, as I said"
Dundee cut him short by march
ing toward the door which was
again closed. He entered so noise
lessly that Captain Strawn, DR..
Price and the fingerprint expert,
CarraWay, did not hear him.
For a moment he stood Just in
side the door and let his eyes wan
der about the room which Penny
already had described. 1t was not
a large room-l2x14 feet, possibly
but it looked smaller, crowded as
it was with the long ping pong
table, bags of golf clubs, fishing
tackle, tennis racquets, skis and
sleds.
There we're two windows in the
north wall Of the room, looking out
upon the yew-hedged driveway, and
between them stool a cabinet of nu-
merous big and little drawers.
MOT until he had taken in the
' general aspect of the room did
Dundee look at the thing over
which Captain Strawn and the
coroner were bending-the body of
Dexter Sprague.
The alien from New York had
fallen about four feet from the
window nearer the east wall of the
trophy room. He lay on his side,
his left cheek against the floor, the
fingers of his left hand still clutch
ing the powder burned bosom of his
soft shirt, now stiff with dried
blood, a pool Of which had formed
and then half CONCEALED upon the
rug
The right hand, the fingers half
curled, but not touching each other.
lay palm-upward on the floor at
the end Of the rigid, outstretched
arm. The one visible eye was half
open, but on the sallow, thin face,
which had been strikingly hand
some in an obvious sort of way,
was peace and dignity which Dun
dee never had seen upon Spragues
lace when the man was alive.
The left leg was drawn upward
so that the knee almost touched the
bullet-pierced stomach.
How long has he been dead,
doctor?" Dundee asked quietly.
Hello, boyl" DR.. Price greeted
him placidly. Always the same
question! I've been here only a few
minutes, and already I've told
Strawn that I probably shall be un-
able to fix the hour of death with
any degree of accuracy"
Took your time, didn't you, Bon
nie?" Captain Strawn greeted his
former subordinate on the homicide
squad. doc says he's been dead
between ten and twelve hours. Since
it's nearly 10 now, that means
Sprague was killed sometime be-
tween 0 and IL O'Clock last ngiht."
Better say between 9 o'clock and
midnight last night" DR.. Price
suggested. HE may have lived an
hour or more - unconscious, of
course. For the indications are that
he die not die instantly, but stag
gered few steps, clutching at the
wound. But of course I shall have
to perform an autopsy first"
Dundee crossed the room, STEP
ping over the dead mans stick-a
swank affair of dark, polished wood,