The Coolidge examiner., 1933-12-22
CHAPTER xI-Continued

i've hHFtdu expressly III oDtdiD IT,
And We expect you to tell the truth.
he added warninCly.
The truthf About what?" The
girl spoke apprehensively Il don't
ra'rTSiand why you suppose | have
anything 90 tell you"
~luu returned only this morning
frum New York. isn't that so?' Ran
Kin queried deliberately. You went
hy boat from ST Louis tast Sunday,
and Yesterday started hack here by
train You impersonated omeone
else on the voyage You booked
your passage on the boat as Laura
Dr Monte"
We'll. what OF that?" the show
TIrl reiorted spiritedly. There is
no harm in that. as long as she
doesn't object"
Rankin shot his next question nj
her abruptly. Then You admit dis
guisins yourself TO resemble Miss
pu Monte? How much did she pay
y"u 10 make the trip"
Il rou have no right 10 ask
m, that. She didn't pay me
anything ="
In the face Of this obvious lie. the
detective attacked with increased
vicnr
Then what did you expect to
gain by the deception?" ne demand
ed incredulously THAT Is what
! am nfter-your purpose and hers.
i'm arranging this little trickery,
Let's have It :"
But can't tell yon thatp Myra
prentiss cried desperately. ut is
private and has nothing to do with
You: ! promised Laura to keep 1t
secret"
For your own sake. Miss Prem
tiss. you had better talk. We are
quite prepared 10 place you under
arrest: but first we wished to give
you chance To clear yourself"
Al the direct threat. fear re-
turned To the ow-girl's eyes end
a harassed expression replaced her
hravado
Clear myself OF what? haven't
done anything wrong. swear I
only intended to help Laura out of
q tight place"
Rankin's manner became suddenly
i'm. "Yes. by concealing a murder
and protecting the criminal with
ar alibi. That is always private.
In helping Laura, you've made your
self accessory before the fact of
murder =
Strangely. Miss Prentiss' features
held more horror than dread; the
blood drained from them. leaving
them a CHASTITY hue beneath the
rouge.
Murder? Surely ii wasn't that !"
she cried. with n note of surprise.
Laura couldn't be mixed up in any
thing so terrible"
But she is, just the same. For
the past week. you kept to your
cabin aboard the Florida. to escape
the observation of passengers who
might penetrate your disguise. And
all.the time you pretended to be her
on the ship, she was east commit
ting a dreadful crime. You lust
have realized what she was doing"
"Oh, my Godi didn't, Mr.. Ran
KIM" the girl insisted. Please be-
lieve | acted innOcently. I thought
she was just deceivinG her lover
into supposinG she remained in st.
Louis while he was out of town for
a month"
WAS that her story 10 get you to
agree TO her scheme?" the detective
asked.
A realization or her serious posi-
tion compelled the girl to answer
frankly.
Yes. she said she was two-tim-
ing him. He had gone east and
meanwhile. she also left ST. Louis
with some other chap she loved; un-
known 10 the first lover, she was
having a secret affair with the
other. But later. when le sent for
her from Philadelphia. she had ar
ranged to join him there"
Rankin spoke less severely. Give
me her exact explanation" he re-
quested. You were TO make that
trip. while she actually Travelled east
from wherever she was staying with
her clandestine sweetheart"
That's right" Myra Prentiss re-
sponded. "a had to create the i'm
ession. by coming from St Louis.
that she had been there and faith
ful all the while. He was extremely
jealous and suspected her; he would
probably check up on her. perhaps
e-en hiring detectives to do IT. That
was why | was unwilling to give
YOU any information when you first
arrived"
We'll, | advise you now 10 de-
scribe the whole arrangement from
beginning TO end. Obviously. Miss
Du Monte made up that story just
to satisfy ycu; it wasn't to join
any lover that she left st. Louis.
Miss Prentiss."
"Oh but it was" the girl said
hn r1n