Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-17

I
/ I'm Just a bull that's apt to be back IN
harness tomorrow pounding a pavement
If dent watch my step-and still, I'd
| bet years pay the madam didn't have
any more to do with KILN Thayer than
/ did myself"
| afraid of the ef'sct ~ Zahn's belief in
Martha's guilt on Charley. And he was
! coming, more and more, TO feel that
Martha's chief hope lay in Charley.
Did you find anything out yourself,
in Emmas?" he asked
Maybe yeS-maybe no." said Charley.
I'm not tellin' anythin' yet anyway.
! Not till 1 got it figured out better than
I have now. I got lots of little pieces,
Pete, but haven't got them fitted to-
| gether yet You go on home and try an
get some sleep
And, with that excellent advice in his
ears, Pete. reluctantly had to part COM
pany with the detective. He needed
sleep badly enough, Heaven knew, for
! he'd had none for something like 40
hours. But, though he went home, and
wnet to bed, what sleep he got was
broken and restless. He was sunk in a
profound slumber, to be sure, at 8
O'Clock, when Manuel, obeying the writ
ten orders Pete had left for him, reused
him, but It hadn't lasted long enough
to do him much good. Still, with the
aid of cold shower, he reused himself
enough to eat breakfast and get into his
clothes, and go up to Carols.
Bouton arrived soon after he did,
and they both talked to Martha. She
was wide awake and extremely nervous
As Watson had predicted, she was Ia
much worse shape than she had been
the day before. Bouton had failed,
completely, the night before, to learn
what Ross had said; he was tight
Tipped and not disposed to give any
| NJ no
Ccy.nolly turned up, truculent and
fuE of assurance, at 10 O'Clock. Peter
was excluded from his interview with
Martha, although Bouton was present.
So-and this seemed ominous to Peter
that the net was closing more and more
tightly about Martha with every hour
that passed. And If what Benny had
told him the night before had any
truth in 1t at all, her arrest and that
of Ross could only be a question Of
time.
Connolly, when he came from Mar
tha's room, had nothing to say TO
Peter; he gave him curt nnA, End
then, with Sullen1y respectful DOW TO
Bouton, took himself of.
HE knows about the business at the
Fantomas Club" Bouton said. Mrs.
Thayer admits that she promised her
husband to be home at half past 2-to
meet him there. And she was, in fact,
an hour later getting back, because she
waited for Ross. He got nothing else
out of her-nothing damaging, mean.
But that's bad-in the light of what We.
know"
"You agree with Mitchell that pay
ing Benny the five thousand would be
a mistaken"
ut would be suicidall' Bouton snap
ped. do that and I drop the case
instantly" He frowned. I'm afraid
we must face the fact that Mrs. Thayer
will be arrested and indicted-and,
probably, brought to trial"
It'll kill her." said Peter. MY God!
I'd do anything to keep it from coming
to that
I'm not afraid of conviction
yet" said Bouton. But with Connolly
in the mood he's in-and the newspa-
pers calling for an arrest"
You mean Connolly's going to make
Martha pay for the way the police have
been attacked for not solving lot Of
recent murders?"
That's one way of putting it--yesiH
said Bouton. by some damnable chan.
of circumstances he's got a case.
suppose he's hardly to be blamed for.
pushing it. We can't expect him to
share a belief in her Innocence that's
founded more on what We know Of
her character than on definite evil
dence. when you come right down
to it,"
Mitchell agrees with u.s." said Peter.
Il know-and he's the best bet we
have" said the lawyer.
They were talking in the living room;
Carol was with Martha. A maid came
in and spoke to Peter. r..
You're wanted on the telephone, Mr.. !
Wayne" she said. "It's a man who
wouldn't give his name. But I don't
believe he's one OF the reporters"
Peter smiled.
You're learning things. aren't you.
Nellie?" he said "All right"
He went out into the hall and took
the call on the extension there In a
telephone closet.
Peter" 1t was Charley at got to see
you right away. Come down to the
B1ltmore. I'll be waitin' in the long
corridor downstairs. between Forty
third and Forty-fourth. Make it
snappyS
"An right-go ahead. And do what
ever he tells YOU" said Bouton. I'll be
in my Office all day if I'm needed"
Peter took a cab. but he jumped out
the first time the traffic lights glowed
red; he was too restless TO sit still
Probably, he thought. he'd made as
good time walking, anyway. He glanced
behind him, but he wasn't he thought,
being followed: there'd been no body
guard waiting for him in Ninth street
| GEtdb c1IHeE, WIen ne went Out.
The chances were, he thought, that his
own movements the day before had been
so aimleSs and the developments about
Ross so sensational that the papers had
decided to drop him. He found Charley
buried in a leather chair, bu the de-
tective rose and led him outSI.Fe. He
didn't start talking about anythinl. more
important than the weather until They
were walking UP Vanderbilt avenue
Connolly hasn't got any one on yor."
he said chuckling. That's a bit ce
luck. Because here's where you go int 2
action, Pete. Listen. now-ConnoIly's
ready to make his pinch He's down al
the D. AS now. and he's going after ,
1 warrant for the madam" -
Il Peter swallowed hard. He'd been ex-
pecting it, but the actual news was a
shock
"And that don't suit my book-see?
I want her loose a bit longer. And
the chances are If Connolly doesn't
make the pinch today it won't be
made"
what do you mean?" Peters voice
rose, excitedly. "charley-have you got
| something's"
wait and see," said Charley. "How
about youP Ready to take chance
big CHANGER"
| yes"
"Goodl That's what you'll be doing
If anything slips UP you'll be In mighty
bad-and III be the first to go after
| you. l want you to get the madam
away from your sisters"
Right. But how-with detectives
flocking around the place the way they
are?"
"That's what I'm going to tell YOU.
| It wouldn't work for long-but 1t don't
have to. I don't need but a few hours
| now. If I can't swing what I'm tryin'
| in that time-wen, she'll have to take