Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-11

Nj MlIcnoU. Inc naQan1 DSen
/ carryin' on a bit with this
Ross, and Thayer didn't like
it. He didn't like Ross, and Ross didn't
| like him. There was q row in the Fam
tomas Club about IL 80, and Thayer
was all for beatin' Ross up, but that
smooth guy that runs the joint talked
him out of 1t. They wandered around,
drinkin', after that, till he went home
he was in Emmas the best part Of an
hour and got into fight with Benny
because they wouldn't serve no more
drinks.
Ross and the madam went over TO
Sanborn's where you seen EN-. An they
had a fight, too-Seems like there was
trouble in the air last night. He left
her fiat with another dame-jane called
Gould-and was gone for about an
hour Then he come back, and they made
up, and he took her home. Get that?
Ross and she wasn't together for most
of an hour-and, so far as we know, II
was in that hour Thayer vas pop
ped off.
But we don't know that. Doc John
sons guess Is that Thayer was bumped
off about 3-but II any one tells you
they's any such thing as bein' sure Of
how long a stiff's been dead, within an
hour or so, he's lynn. He might have
been alive when the madam went up
stairs-he might have been dead an
hour, even then. No tellin'. But it's
in the cards that Ross killed him while
the madam was with another crowd
at Sanborn's."
"But-how could Ross or any one else
get on the roof without Axel's seeing
him?" asked Peter.
Lots of ways. BY climbin' the fire.
escape from either side-just for one
or the fire-escape at the back. That's
easy-easier than gettin' II an apart
ment on one of the other floors. That
parts nothin' to worry about"
81 see," said Peter. 'No-it's not, Of
course. can see that for myself, now"
"Well-you see the case, don't your
It's a strong one. Only-me, ! don't
believe it's right. Neither do you. That's
why I'm here. Connolly's dead set on 1t
| that it was Ross and the madam--one
or the other, and probably both. He's
/ got q motive-he can make out oppor-
tunity. He'll try for a confession. He
can get an indictment on what he's
got now, and the D. All 60 to trial on
circumStantial evidence. He might get
q conviction-he might not. I wouldn't
be surprised, either way. But. even II
she beat the chair 1t wouldn't be so
good for the madam"
my God-no!" said Peter. The vision
Of Martha, crushed. borne down under
the weight of q verdict, even though IL
was Of acquittal, that would Be. in ef.
feet, only the old Scotch mot proven"
yeah. Like that" said Mitchell
That's why you'd like to help. find out
who done it. Me- got my own reasons.
I'm just an extra pair of legs for Con-
molly on this case. But If I turn up
the right guy and pin 1t on htm-well,
it wouldn't hurt me any.
! And they'd things I want to know
I 7 0iFN'f yOt nlan nf AndtT1' CIIf
self. Some one bumped this Thayer on.
| You hear me, Wayne-whenever guys
: killed they's a motive. Some ones afraid
| of him, or they want Sonethin' he's
| got or they want to get even with him.
| That's where these ashes come In
maybe. They don't mean a thing, may
be-then again, maybe they do.
Connolly, he thinks he's got his mo-
| tive. He thinks Ross and the madam
bumped this Thayer OF because they
was nuts about each other and couldn't
| get married while he was around. APP
plesauce! What was the matter with q
| diYorce?"
"Well-" Peter, once more, hest
tatsd. But it seemed to him that he had
| to lay his cards down for Charley now.
! This might-ths thought had crossed
his min@-be trap, But he h,d to
take that chancc. s. he explained why
! Tack and Martha couldn't arrange d.
vorce. Charley listened attentively. but
his own theory was only confirmed, not
upset.
"YeahP" he said. That's why I'm
here. Because You know things Ike
that, that couldn't hnd out II spent
a week tryin'. On that shown Con-
nelly's motive Is weaker than ever. This
Ross amt got no money, you say-and
neither has the nadamF How much did
| Thayer have, OF his own-that'a proha-
bly, go to his widow2"
II don't knew, exactly. Not much,
though. Five thousand . year, at Q
guess He had his salary, too, but that
would stop when he died, of course
! Yeah? And mamma made up the
| diaerance? Shes the enc BIS the raj
| sugar. Ell? Then whats 1t get Ross and
| the madam to hump tins Thayer OFF,
| Five thousand a year Alb ut enough to
| keep them in cigaPettesl That's enc in
the eye for Connollys idea, amt it2
How about insurance? Thayer carry
much?"
II don't know. doubt 1t, though.
No special reason why he should. They
were always broke, and he figured he'd
come in for plenty when his mother
| died, OF course. can md out, sup
pose"
so can T." said Charley, grimly. "rn
attend to that. Now-you goin' TO play
Dd1l Win me, 1eU&Y amt ready 10
hand you any special job yet What
| want you to do Is nose around and see
if you can get en- to anythin'. ANY mix
up Thayer had with woman, for in
fstance. Or any fghs he'd had, Or II
there's sny sign that he had anythin' on
anybody. How about tt2"
ell try" saii Peter. Right now
don't see any lead. But-you bet I'll
string along with you. II was feeling
| pretty low until you came alsng'
II know, fella-I know" said Charley.
He got UP, and held out his hand, and
there was a surprising warmth and
friendliness in its grip you're in
tough spot, but they's lot Of luck left.
Who's the madam gein' to have for q
| lawyer-you know,
Arthur Bouton, think" said Peter.
Used to be an assistant D. A.-tYied
| the Carter case I made that pinch.
He's OK, You tell him what I've told
you-see. He'll keep it under his hat, all
| right. Him and me-we can't get to-
! gether. But he can reach me through
|