The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-16
Gems Of Peri! a q =: e.

remained behind, Don't let any,
body leave the housed"
Dirk squeezed Mary's hand reas-
suringly. They'll find whoever did
It. Those boys work fast. Don't
worry. 1t will be all right"
Mary had cause to be grateful for
the steadiness that came to her
magically at Dirk's touch, for there
we're bad moments ahead of her in
which she needed all the conlposure
she could muster.
It was all at once topsy-turvy
world The Jupiter mansion no
longer belonged to its owner, in eff
feet, but to Inspector Kane, and the
men who came with him from
county police headquarters.
The cream of Southampton's
younger set found themselves
herded into the ballroom for ques-
tioning along with a frightened
huddle of servants.
1t was hours before the question
ing, the running up and downstairs,
the choking breath of flashlight
powder, the hurrying to and fro,
ceased.
The murderer, it seemed, had got
clear away. Search of the grounds
had failed to show any evidence of
his coming or going; both of his
exits were unaccounted for.
This much they cleaned from
what they could overhear. Whoever
the intruder was, he had done a
clean-cut job of it. AS the checking
of evidence went on, it began to APP
pear that no one except Mary had
direct evidence of any sort.
And that was pitiably little and Of
no practical use.
Il can't" Mary was forced to adj
NIT, in reply to Inspector Kane's
earnest urging to recall the mans
voice she had heard in the muir
dered woman's room. ut wasn't
voice eXactly-it was just a growl,
a-ah, can't explain it.
1T was just sound any one might
have made in his throat if he were
angry. You'd say if you heard it
that he was mad enough to kill"
1T didn't remind you of any
voice you'd ever heard before?"
why, mol" She was obviously
startled.
THE inspector troWned thought
Il fully.
What I am getting at" he was
kind enough to explain to them
both, in lowered tone, lis the pos
sibility of an inside job. The but
ler-you you trust him?"
absolutely" 1t was relief to
be on safe ground.
The inspector sighed.
We'll, I do, too I think he's on
the level when he says he kept
everybody out that hadn't been in
vited. He had a real argument
with one man, he says-nearly
threw him out.
But, Lord, there are a dozen loop
holes. Nobody checked on the cars
that came and went. and there
were plenty of windows open. Those
doors over there" he indicated the
French doors opening on to the
Ioggia, were open when I came in.
What do we know about those
black horntooters? Not a thing"
He shook his head.
If he had meant to throw Mary
off guard by this confidential mo-
ment, he succeeded, for she changed
color when he asked abruptly:
What were you doing upstairs,
Miss Hawkins? When you heard
the sounds you speak of, and the
shots?"
why, +" Panic seized her.
You had been dancing a moment |
before, hadn't you? Why did you
leave the ballroom and 60 up
stairs?"
went up to see how Mrs.
Jupiter was,' Mary faltered. Some
one told me she was tired and had
gone to her room to rest"
You were-alone, up thereP"
why, yes" What did he mean.
Mary wondered fearfully. What did
he know?
But his question had had a diff
terent meaning, she soon saw from
its effect on Dirk. He turned first
red, then white, and jumped to his
feet. He drew deep breath.
She certainly was alone" he
said angrily.
All right, all right" the officer
returned, practically. We've got to
think of everything, you know. And
two witnesses would be better than
one"
Il see no reason nor excuse"
Dirk said stitfly, for your thinking
of such a thing"
The detective was not riled. Mary
was hiding something, he thought,
but it was not love tryst. For the
moment he was ready to give over