The Washington times., 1933-07-03

ALL IN A DAY. -

# you had been driving close
enough to catch q glimpse OF
the mans face, you would
have sworn that he was q mad
man. Certainly his actions were
anything but rational, to say
the least. AS he bent over the
wheel Of his car, his face was
now fiendish in triumphant
glee. Now set in sharp lines.
Sometimes he chuckled. Some
times his hands shook so that
he could hardly hold the
wheel.
You would have been at a
loss to understand all this, yet
it wasn't exactly strange, con-
sidering that Rufus Bell had
Just killed q man. Not acci-
dentally. Not in the heat Of
a sudden rage. He had COM
mitted the murder coolly, along
lines that had been carefully
thought out weeks before.
Left No Clues
He tried to reassure himself.
He told himself that there
wasn't the faintest clue that it
was he who had killed Dun
more. Dunmore, the shyster
lawyer, whose corpse was now
in the bottom Of a river miles
away. Dunmore, the buzzard
who had preyed on him for
years, whom he had hated, for
whose death he had ached.
Hatred shook him now,
crowding out his terror. He
had a mental picture Of the
man who had fostered the
secret Of Bells one indiscretion.
But for Dunmore, he would
have been in prison long ago.
And but for Dunmore, he would
have been thousands Of dollars
wealthier. For many years,
Dunmore had blackmailed him,
had played with him in cat
and-mouse fashion. For years
Bells hatred had festered and
he had waited, not too pa
tiently, until at last his chance
had come.
The events Of the past few
hours flashed before him. Two
days ago the lawyer had been
diSharred. His diSbarment was
followed shortly by his wife's
desertion. What more con-
vincing motives for suicide?
Bell knew that he would never
have a more opportune time
for the murder he had been
planning.
He had taken his car from
the garage that afternoon. He
had mentioned deliberately that
he was going out Of town i'm.
mediately. Then he had parked
in a back street until Dunmore
left his office shortly after
dark. Bell followed him until
the other man turned into a
deserted street. Ascertaining
that there was no one about,
he drew alongside and invited
Dunmore to ride with him.
Engine Trouble
The car sped along to the
outskirts Of the town, reached
the river road and suddenly
developed engine trouble. The
lawyer obligingly offered to get
out and investigate. AS he
bent over to raise the hood,
a heavy instrument fell against
his skull.
Dunmore was not a large
man, and Bell was a strong
one. After weighting the un-
conscious mans pockets with
heavy stones, he lifted him to
his shoulders. One motion and
the body Of the lawyer had
plunged into the dark water.
1t was perfect. Bell re-
assured himself again and
again. There had been no one
about to witness the deed. The
darkness had shielded his &C
tions. Without q doubt the
body wouldn't be recovered for
days. Then Dunmore's dis
grace and the loss of his wife
would surely point to suicide.
And he, Bell, would not be
there. AS he had advised the
garage mechanic, he was 60
ing away for q while. He
would not return until the
affair had blown over. He
had legitimate business in
another State, Of which fact
his employees were aware in
case Of questioning. Yes,
everything fitted perfectly.
There was no reason in the
world why he should be con-
nected with Dunmore's death.
Yet, sometimes his hands
shook so that he could hardly
hold the wheel. Sometimes his
SAlAl!N2I0nV6T