Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-11-22
By MONTE BARRETT

His feet fumbled with the steps,
and he CROPPED his way to his daugh-
ter's side.
"We're going around back" he
told her.
But, Dad"
Then she read the shock in his
face and followed him, wonder
ingly.
He met the usher, still on the
steps.
where's Rylle?" he asked. 81
want him to take his sister home"
Again he turned to his daughter.
Poor little Dorlsl He found himself
cropping for words to tell her.
She spared him that what is II,
Dad? Jim-he's not hurt-or any
thingT"
That seemed to relieve the strain.
@Yes." he said. "Jim's hurt, Doris.
I'll have to get you home. I'll see
after things back there. Wen find
Rylie. He'll take you home"
mo, | want to go to him." The
girl hurried her fathers dragging
steps.
you can't-do anything, my dear.
It's too late for that" Ambrose
gripped his daughters arm In gently
firm fingers. He's dead"
Doris did not cry. then. She was
too dazed for that. And 1t seemed
to her that she had known, from the
moment her father had come to her
in the vestibule. She was conscious,
for the first time, of the curious
throng outside.
II want to go to him, Dad" she re-
peated.
Fifteen hundred wedding guests
sat stunned in their pews. They
seemed unwilling to believe Doctor
Abernathy's statement.
What did he say? Tell me again."
the woman beside Peter Cardigan
sought confirmation of the astound-
Ing news.
1.-The wedding has been post
poned," Peter told her, and made
his way toward the door.
At first, the novelist had no
thought but to hurry away ahead Of
the crowd. Now he hesitated. Some
thing serious must be wrong. After
all. Jim Franklin and he had been
friends in the past. Perhaps he
could be of some service. He fol-
lowed Carmody and his daughter
into the sacristy In time to hear him
ask. "How did 1t happen7 Where
is heY"
I'm the study" replied Doctor
Alternately. He hesitated. looking
at the girl who was to have been a
bride. "He's-he's been killed." he
faltered. Murdered"
Cardigan followed the stunned
group into the rector's study. They
had need of him here.
Sprawled on his back, beside the
pastors desk, was the bridegroom,
Jim Franklin. A limp hand still
clutched at the desk leg. His other
arm was flung across the rumpled
rug. A sodden stain crept across
his vest and darkened the silken
lining of his cutaway. His collar.
torn on one side, curled grotesquely
awry, grim symbol Of the mans last
struggle.
Doctor Alternately gazed In horror
at the body on the floor.
Beside the desk stood Nicholas
Royce. Peter had known Nick" In
the old newspaper days. Now Nick
was managing editor Of Topics, the
tabloid with the largest circulation
In New York. He had been the dead
mans best friend-was to have been
his best man.
Nick nodded at Peter In recog-
milton. "Ill call the police" he
said.
/, when did 1t happenT Doctor
Alternately found his voice at last.
about five minutes ago, / should
Judge" Nick replied with one hand
over the transmltter. Then he got
his connection and reported the
crime to the police, before turning
again to the rector.
~ followed you to the door," he
continued, leaning against the desk
easily. as though unconscious of the
dead man so near at hand. Il left
the door ajar, and kept my eye or
you, SO we'd know when to start In
Jim was behind me, In the entrances
Of the study, | thought. / heart
nothing unusual. never realized
anything was wrong until the Wed
ding March began. Then I said, AL
set, JIM but he never answered me
When | turned to call him agair
the door from the ~sacrIsty into tn,
study was closed.
II thought that was strange, bu.
/ still wasn't suspicious. Not until
tried the door, and found 1t locked
"Of course, then / knew some
thing vas wrong. | ran around tn,
outside, to the rear door. II wal
open. / found Unlike this"
but why didn't you let us known
demanded Ambrose Carmody. WHIT
had left his daughter with mem
bers Of the family In the sacristy
and entered the room during Royce'