The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-20

Let me see the plan OF the mouse
again" he said, when Dundee had
finished. ALSO that table you've
worked up showing the approximate
time and order of arrival OF the
four men. Thanksl &.
Hmm Hmm"
VOU see. sir. Dundee repeated
i at last, "the list of possible
suspects includes Lydia Carr, Dex-
ter Sprague, John G. Drake, Judge
Marshall, Polly Beale, Flora Miles.
Janet Raymond, Give Hammond.
But Polly and Give we're in the
solarium together all the time!"
Sanderson objected.
$50 they WERE" Dundee agreed.
But it is a very short trip from
the solarium by way Of the side
porch into Nita's bedroom. And
either Polly Beale or Give Ham
mond could have made that trip,
on the pretext of speaking to Nita
about Ralph!
Motive: Murder to end black
mail. Naturally such a theory would
not include both of them, but if
one Of them was being blackmailed
and made use of the pretext of
warning Mia Of Ralphs over
wrought condition"
"Sprague's your mani" Sanderson
interrupted with relief. Motive:
Jealousy because Mia was ditching
him to marry Ralph. AS for the
gun and silencer, it seems pretty
clear to me that Mia herself stole
it from Judge Marshall, and that
Sprague got it away from her.
You say the maid, Lydia, went
upstairs to tell Sprague he had to
pack his things and take them away
for goodl Very WE'LL Sprague
goes down the back stairs with the
gun in his pocket, through the back
hall into Nitas bedroom, shoots her,
bumps into the lamp, goes out by
the back door, and comes around
front to join the party.
you say yourself he has admit
ted everything but the trip to Nita's
room and the shooting-eVen to
sneaking back to get his bag, which
I believed also contained the gun
until he had a chance to dispose
of it on his way to his hotel into
Hamilton"
Dundee shook his head. I'D like
to agree, chief, but 1 believe Lydia
is telling the truth. She says she
was in the upstairs bedroom with
Sprague and remained behind only
two or three minutes at most, to
put is shaving kit into the packed
bag, and to clean up the bathroom
basin.
On her way down the backstairs
she say she heard Lois Dunlaps
second ring and went to answer it.
Sprague and Janet Raymond, with
whom Janet says he stopped to talk
a minute on the front porch, were
in the dining room before Lydia en-
tered it.
I'm convinced Lydia hates
Sprague. and would be glad to be-
lieve him guilty 3. No, Mr.. San
derson, don't believe Sprague did
it, but I do believe it was Spragues
revenge that Mia was afraid of
when she made her will Friday
night.
Naturally she figured shed have
time to tell the persons she was
Matchmaking that she was through
with him or her-but believe
Sprague and Mia were lovers, even
partners in blackmail, and that she
feared he would kill her when he
knew she was going to marry Ralph
Hammond and give up their source
Of income"
SanderSon considered for a long
minute, pulling at his full lower lip.
We'll, thank God for those precious
footprints Strawn is building on!
Don't think I fail to follow your
reasoning that the crime must have
been committed in the bedroom, and
not from the window sill, but those
footprints may save us yet, and Ger
tainly will get us through the in
quest.
You agree, of course, that none
of all this you've told me must even
be limited at the inquest? ~.
Good Let's be going. It's nearly 10
now
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
DONNIE pUNDEE'S whole soul
ID revolted at the very thought of
the barbaric farce of an inquest
the small morgue chapel crowded to
the doors with goggle-eyed, blood
loving humanity the stretcher with
its Sheeted corpse; reporters. avid
for sensations and prined with
questions; news photographers with
thir Unsuitable cameras aimed at
every arriving person connected