Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-30

Ralph Hammond. 800. Did she con-
sioer herself engaged TO Ralph, in
spite Of the fact that young Ham
mond had calamity insisted upon re-
leasing her from her promise as soon
as he suspected that II had been
given merely to prove her faith III
his innocenca2
1t was a decidedly unhappy young
detective whom SandersOn greeted
upon his arrival at nine o'clock.
The new district attorney. who
had held office since November. was
q big, good natured, tolerant man.
who looked younger than his 80
years because Of his freckles and his
always ruInpled mop of sandy hair.
But those who sought TO take ad-
vantage of his good nature in the
court room found themselves up
against as keen a lawyer and pros
Ccutor as could be found in the whole
state. or w in the middle west.
We'll, boyl' he greeted Dundee
genially but with an undertona Of
solemnity. Looks like we've got a
sensational murder on our hands.
It's not every day Hamilton can rate
a headline like BROADWAY BELLE
MURDERED AT BRIDGE
quote a Chicago paper. But I'm
afraid there's not enough mystery
In it to suit your tastes"
Dundee grinned wryly. i've been
pretty down In the mouth all morn
ing because there's a little too much
mystery. chief"
Fairly open and shut. isn't it?"
Sanderson asked. obviously surprised
New York gets too hot for this Sc
linn baby-probably mixed up with
some Tacketeer. Lois Dunlap offers
her a Job to organize q Little Thea
ter in Hamilton-which the fair
Mia would certainly have described
as q hick town and which she would
MT have been found dead in If she
could have helped it"-and the dis
trict attorney grinned at his own
witticism but Broadway Nita jumps
at It. Her racketeer sweetie has a
long arm. however. and Mia gets
hers. Justly enough. probably. but
/ wish to the Lord she had chosen
some other town TO hide in Lois
Dunlap is the finest oma in Ham
ilton. but she's too damned promis-
cuous In her friendships. AS ii =
now some OF the best friends ! have
IN the world arc mixed up in this
mess. ever If IL Is only as the inno-
cent victims OF circumstance"
Until then Dundee had let his
chief express his pent-up convic-
tons without interruption. and in
deed Sandersou's courtroom train
ing had fitted him admirably for
long speeches. But he could keep
silent no longer.
That IS what has been worrying
me. Chief" ne interrupted. Cap
tain Strawn has given the papers
very little real information. but the
truth is 1 am afraid one OF your
friends was not an innocent VIC
tim Of circumstances
District Attorney Sande-son sat
down abruptly IN the swivel chair
at his desk. Just what do you
mean. Dundee?"
IL meal 7 am convinced that one
Of Mrs. Selim's guests was her MUIR
derer, but lid like to tell you the
whole story, and let you judge your
SELF
My Cod" Sanderson CALCULATED.
Slowly he drew ont a handkerchief
and mopped his freckled brow. If
I hadn't had a good many years Of
experience with criminals, Dundee.
I'd say 10 Is obvious on the face or 1t
that one Of these four men-Judge
Marshall. Tracey Miles. Johnny
I1rQkN TffTz III nr~r~-n-I ~-~.NI 49,
committed such a cheap. sensation
al crime as numbering q hostess dur
ing a bridge game .... Not that I
haven't wanted 10 commit murder
myself over many a bridge game"
he added. with the irrepressible hu-
NOR for which he was famous.
Inen he groaned the rueful
twinkle still in his eye: I'm afraid
were IN for a lot OF gruesome kid
oing. Why. last night, in the club
car Of my train. three tables of
cridge players could scarcely play
q hand for ~Wisecracking about the
dangers Of being DUMMY. We'll.
boy. now that I've talked myself
PAST the worst shock. suppose you
give me the low-down. But L warn
yoI I'm going To take a powerful
TOT Of convincing"
PainstakinEly. and IN the great
est detail. Dundee told the whole
story. He was interrupted fire.
%ouently, Of course, scoffinglv al
first. then with deepening solemn
ity and respect on the part Of the
district attorney.
Let me see the plan OF the
house again" he said. when Dundee
mad finished. ALSO that table
you've worked up showing the ap-
proxinate time and order Of ar
rival OF the four men,. Thanksl
...- Hmmi. Hmm"
You see. SIR" Dundee repeated
at last, "the list OF possible sus-
poets includes Lydia Carr. Dexter
Spragge, John G. Drake, judge Mar
shallfPolly Beale, Flora Miles. Janet
Raymond. Give Hammond"
But Polly and Give were in the
solariun together all the timer
Sanders9n objected.
80 they said" Dundee agreed.
But 10 - 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 Ralphl.. Motive: murder
to end hlackmail. Naturally such
a theory would not include both OF
them. but If one OF them was be-
ing blacknailed and made use OF
the pretext Of warning Mia Of
Ralph's overweight condition"
"Sprague's your mani" Sander
son interrupted with relief. MO
tive: jealousy because Nita was