The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-09-08

slipped into the gown in the deserted
hallway" He paused before conclud-
ing. Buckley, the evidence is too
complete and damning to mean any
thing except that you plotted to MUIR
der Stuart Jordan in revenge for. !. !"
In his dread, the student interrupt
ed despairingly: mo, no, that wasn't
my purpose at all! I swear 1t was
something different--to get hold Of
something inside! I didn't hear Of his
death until afterward.",
"You didn't?" the detective began
incredulously. "You can hardly ex-
pect. :"
But Mr.. Warwick snatched at the
possible loophole before he could ex-
press his skepticism.
ITO get hold Of something's" he
demanded. "Just what were you
after?'
"A check had forged" Buckley an
swered unhesitatingly, almost eagerly.
ITO prevent discovery, I had to re-
cover it before it was Investigated.
II had the proof of the forgery,
could have got away with it."
The supervisor knit his brow grave
~. Recover it from whom? I don't
understand; whose check did you
forgeY
Larry Palmer's. It was for two
hundred and fifty dollars; l needed
that amount to pay for my tuition this
second semester Of school. I couldn't
borrow 1t and I was almost broke; I
tried to win 1t gambling at the Morton
club, but had streak of bad luck.
And I didn't want to quit school"
"How long ago was this forgery COM
mitted?' Mr.. Warwick queried. "You
had better make clean breast Of it."
he added warningly. Its your only
hope Of avoiding the more serious
charge of<murder."
The students unassuaged panic
drove him to speak freely. Il intend
to, Mr.. Warwick" he assured anxious
ly. II had been planning it for some
time, but only carried it out on Fri
day, February sixth. The term began
on the second; and you know all bills
were payable not later than the ninth.
Monday one week afterward. So I
had to draw the money from Larry's
bank before that"
AS he spoke, Rankin saw his care
fully constructed case collapsing. He
could not disregard the students
statements: II confirmed by the bank
and the evidence Of the check itself,
they explained his activities in a way
that freed him Of all suspicion Of the
murder. Especially as no part Of Ran
kin's arraignment accounted for where
he might have secured the conine.
And In the lesser crime, the detective
was NO more concerned than in Patter-
sons theft; that coud be left to Mr..
Warwick.
"Just how did you manage it," He
put the next question himself. 'The
signature, the blank check-and cash
ing it," ~
"As you've probably found out"
Buckley addressed him directly, II
have been palling around with Larry
for the past five months or so. We
take the same courses; and several
times, I studied with him at his room
upstairs in the fraternity house. When
looked through some of his assign
ments in his bureau, learned he kept
his correspondence and check book in
thu nNhnn o1c hav
pened to accompany him to his bank,
the Security Trust company on Wal
nut street near Thirty-sixth, and
watched him make deposits; the tell
ers got to know me. So that when
I decided to profit by my information.
1t was quite easy to get one of his
checks and to copy his handwriting
from his school notes. My imitation
was good and 1 cashed it at the bank
without any trouble. The only dan
ger came later, after the bank state
ment and Cancelled checks were re-
turned to Larry. That occurred
monthly, discovered. at the end Of
the first week; he always received
them the following Monday"
Monday, you say?" Rankin inquired
sharply. sand you forged the check
on February sixth? That means it
would come back this month on the
ninth-the night before initiation
"That's right, sir" the student
nodded, "and that was the risk I ran.
Once Larry had chance to notice the
discrepancy in the statement, investi-
CATION at the bank would implicate
me. I had to steal it as soon as he
got it. OF course. / couldn't prevent
the statement from showing the mis-
take; but If had the evidence, moth
ing could be proved even If l was sus-
pected. But / could never get hold
of it among all his other checks and
papers in the bureau while he was
anywhere around"
$50 you planned to remove 1t Tues
day evening instead" Mr.. Warwick