Evening star., 1932-05-15

had found 1t as possible, and began pacing
up and down into state Of panic. I must
escape. But how? The front way was not to
be thought Of.
CUDDENLY bethought me of the back stairs,
- the entrance to which was in the hall also
Gathering up my hat and brief case, I went
to the door and opened 1t. Here seemed a
perfect way Of egress. let the door shut
softly behind me, and heard the snap-iock
catch. Then began running down the steps
two at time. reached the bottom and
opened the door which led into the courtyard.
It was deserted and passed through it safely,
and out into the street. Two blocks away I
boarded street car. and was in my room In
10 minutes.
I'll never forget that night. paced the
room for hours. Here at home, 4 seemed
heartless to have left my friend lying alone
there. But knew that there had been no
other way. Suddenly I felt utterly spent I
threw myself down on the bed where, as the
gray light Of dawn crept into the room, fell
into q sleep of exhaustion.
I awoke as the clock struck 7. A cold bath
and shave refreshed me, and opened my
door as I heard the morning paper flune
against it. I eagerly scanned the headlines
There was no mention of the tragedy. It
seemed like a reprieve for me.
i went Out Ol The mousse almost cneerfui.
Thank heaven I wasn't expected in the ONCE
that day. was due in Philadelphia to examine
a witness IN the Carey case. Once on the train
I began to review my actions of the night
before. For the first time saw them as they
really had been-utterly selfish I had tried
to save my skin. That was right enough, for
circumstances were hopeIessly against me- But
I had given too little thought to my partners
tragedy. Poor Joseph! He had had his faults,
but he had been kind to me and had been
fond of him. That pistol wondered afresh
where had seen 1t before. Suddenly realized
that the only way for me to save myself and
vindicate Blackor was to discover the murderer
AS we were nearing Philadelphia my eyes
lighted on a sign, Ferris Garden Seeds" There
was nothing strange about that but started
as thought came to me. Sanford Ferris
had owned pistol with q crack in the butt
end! He had showed it to us week or so after
his apartment had been robbed There had
been three of us there, Blackor, Charlie Lind
ley and myself. I remembered how he had
described hitting the marauder on the head
with the weapon and afterward finding the
crack. We had all laughed and wondered If
thief with badly damaged skull was going
the rounds Suddenly a wave of recollections
came over me, and I was so shaken that
could hardly pun myself together enough to
leave the train.
There had been the row in Charlie Lindley's
Blackor an unspeakable name and Blackor had
struck him. and Charlie and had hard time
separating the two men. Blackor had stalked
out of the place and hadn't come back, and
we had had some trouble in stopping Ferris
uosebleed.
went into the waiting room In the Phila-
delphia station and sat down.. had to get
this straight. ] remembered the open window
and the fire escape. Ferris was slim, agile
man. as 1.-the as q cat. II would have been
nothing for him to swing himself across the
small space between the fire escape and the
sill. And his apartment was In the same
house, only two floors abovei He had been
more than stupid to leave the pistol lying there.
Probably my entrance had frightened him
When set foot in the Pennsyivania Station
in New York late that afternoon, the FIRST
thing that caught my eye was the screaming
headline in the evening paper telling Of the
death Of Joseph Blackor. He had not been
found, read, until O'Clock in the morning,
when his man servant had come In. No men,
ton was made of any clue to the murderer.
I realized that the only normal thing for me
to do under ordinary circumstances was to 10
at once to Blackors apartment. An ofncer
was on guard at the door. He barred my way
and asked me my business. When he learned
my identity, he waved me to another man
just inside the door with instructions to let
me up to the apartment.
Mr.. Wade's been asking for you," the police
ofdcer who accompanied me up in the elevator
said.
Mr.. Wade?" queried
THE detective in charge of the case He's
up there now"
The door Of the apartment stood partly open
and we entered. Two men were standing near
the window. They turned as entered
TITS Mr.. Decker, SIR" the police ofacer said
"Ah, Mr.. Decker" and the shorter Of the
two men stepped forward. 1--WE been trying
to get in touch with you all day. My name
is Wade"
1--WE been In Philadelphia"
Il know" he cut me short "Your ONCE told
me. When did you hear Of the trouble here?"
! explained, and as did 50 I thought he
seemed to be looking me over very thorouei,ly