The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-08-18


In the midst Of his statement, he
broke off suddenly; imperceptibly his
body stiffened. For at that instant,
digging into the bottom of the DASH
board pouch, his hand encountered a
thin, long, roundish object Of CLASSY
smoothness that tapered to a fine
point. He withdrew it in the cup Of
his hand to hide the discovery from
Mrs. Fletcher; but even before he
looked at it cautiously, he had recog-
nized it's Importance. 1t was hypo-
dermic needle, deliberately secreted
away in compartment Of the law
yer's car, where prying eye would be
unlikely to find it!
Bending over to screen the act, he
carefully dropped the tube into an
inner pocket; his voice did not be-
tray him as he continued:
q. the conclusion that your
husband is implicated in Stuart Jor-
dams MURDER" Tommy Rankin fin
ished in an even tone, as If nothing
had happened.
1t was Rankin's discovery Of the
needle in Mr.. Fletcher's car that crys-
talized his belief that the lawyer was
the criminal he sought. AS he point
ed out to Mrs. Fletcher, he had am
pie opportunity to commit the crime {;
and Monday nights developments,
supplementing those of Saturday, sup
piled an effectively plausible motive.
Nevertheless, doubts Of his guilt as
sailed Rankin. M
But there was no denying the sig
nificance Of the hypodermic needle. In
contrast to purely circumstantial evil
dence, it inescapably connected Mr..
Fletcher with the murder. For the de-
tective did not wait long to establish
the fact that 1t was the weapon with
which Stuart Jordan had been poi
soned. That same evening, he re-
turned with 1t to headquarters and
demanded Of Mr.. Sykes, the city chem
list, prompt, microscopic examination
in the laboratory. Mr.. Sykes an
nounced that the syringe had last
held solution Of CONNIE. The chem
lists experiments removed Ranlin's
last misgiving about suspecting Mr..
Fletcher.
At the same time, he gave Mr..
Sykes to analyze and measure, the two
walls Ned Patterson had concealed in
the tobacco pouch in his bedroom.
And then, after leaving the chemist,
he received another report which i'm
plicated the lawyer still more deeply
in Jordan's death.
This was the product Of Detective
Gordon's visit to the dormitories to in
terview the charwoman and the stu
dent occupants in Croft hall. With
the students at the dormitory, he had
been unsuccessful; they knew no in
innate details concerning Jordan's
past. But the questions he was in
structed to ask the cleaning woman,
Mrs. Molly Hogan, had resulted in
startling information.
"You mean, Lester, with regard to
someone getting at the boys shoes to
put in those thumb tacks?" Rankin in
quired eagerly, at this statement.
did she ever notice any person
around his rooms she thought sus-
picious?"
"Yes, she did, Tommy" his colleague
replied. Personally, I can't decide
how important it is; don't know
enoughvabout the case to judge. Still,
it was mighty curious"
Gordon produced a notebook and
began his recital in a routine, mechan-
ical manner.
1T seems" he narrated, shat on
Tuesday morning at eleven-fifteen,
soon after Jordan quit his room to go
to class, well-dressed, middle-aged
gentleman appeared in the hall and
knocked ON his door. Hearing him,
Mrs. Hogan, who was Strengthening
the next room, hurried out to tell him
the boy had left. At that, the visitor
identified himself as Jordan's uncle
and claimed he was to have met him
there at eleven. But If he came late,
he was to get the charwoman to open
the door for him and wait for the boy
In his rooms. Accordingly, she I'M
locked the door,"
Rankin heard with growing aston
ishment this unexpected intimation
that Howard Merrick was in Phila-
delphia the day of his nephew's death.
"And he declared he was Jordan's
uncle?" he asked, wonderingly. what
was he like? OF course, you obtained
a full description from Mrs. Hogan"
"She placed his age at fifty; he had
a thin furrowed face, bony nose and
piercing eyes. Though of medium
height, he seemed rather short. What
impressed her the most was his severe
wrathful look that made her hesitate
to displease him. His hair was gray
and struggling, tending to badness"
The detectives frown of perplexity
deepened. "Gray hair and not tall?
That doesn't sound like Mr.. Merrick.
Are you positive his hair wasn't
white?"
mo, Tommy" Gordon shook his
head emphatically. Mrs. Hogan de-
\ H..