The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-10-06
CHAPTER XII-Continued
~.

want TO ask you rev QueSIlOnS
about Stuart Jordan" he explained
glibly as Doctor Prince waited. "He
attended the University Of Philadel-
phia, you know. You might have heard
he died suddenly under suspicious cir
cumstances. Naturally, want all the
information about him I can gather,
and / am visiting every one who had
any contact with him for it,
The doctor did not make the mistake
of displaying too much familiarity
with the facts.
Eyes, read about it in the papers,"
he returned warily. st is quite
shocking business. Precisely what
happened?"
HE was poisoned while being initi-
ated into the Philadelphia chapter of
your fraternity. My attention was d.
rected to you when l discovered you
were partly responsible for his being
pledged. You suggested him as pros
pect."
Doctor Prince relaxed noticeably..
"Oh, so that's why you came to see
met" He smiled his relief. "Yes,
felt it duty to advise the boys there
to rush him. But I never actually met
Jordan and can tell you nothing about
him."
"Still, you were well informed Of his
matriculation in the East" Rankin
stated bluntly.
II learned Of that wholly by acct
dent" the physician returned. through
his uncle, Mr.. .Merrick. In September
I called at his vandalia bank about a
loan wished to arrange; and during
our conversation, he mentioned his
nephew was junior at Philadelphia"
The detective nodded. "Your own
alma mater was Hawthorne, wasn't 1t,
Doctor Prince?"
n Eyes, in Fort Wayne: I belonged
to the Omicron chapter of Mu Beta
Sigma there. I graduated eight years
ago, but have always retained an In
terest In fraternity affairs and kept in
close touch with its activities"
"And your meeting with Mr.. Mer-
rick was your only connection with
young Jordan?"
Lulled into a false sense of security
the alumnus answered with a touch of
insolence.
sour paths crossed just that once"
he declared confidently. "Much as
I'd like to help you, Mr.. Rankin, I'm
sorry I cannot"
'Then, Doctor Prince" and suddenly
an implacable tone replaced Rankin's
ingratiating manner, what about his
wife. Laura Dumont, who was also
your mistress for more than year?"
Caught off his guard, CONSERVATION
leaped into the physicians dark eyes;
but despite his surprise, he screened
his alarm by an assumption Of anger.
'Laura Dumont?" he demanded. II
never heard Of herl Who the devil is
she?"
''Tt was your relations with her that
caused the Jordans to separate. He
found out about you only last May,
after his marriage, when he happened
to visit his wife Unexpectedly from
school. That was why he decided to
quit Aberdeen and go to college else
where"
"You must be crazy, Rankin! I
haven't the least idea what you are
talking about"
there's no point, Doctor, in claim
ing you were ignorant Of Stuart's
movements" Rankin interrupted ac-
cusingly. Mrs. Jordan kept you well
posted. In several letters she wrote
the boy, asking his forgiveness. she ad-
mits you were her lover. And to per-
suade him of her good faith, she prom
Used him to forget you completely"
He lied convincingiy, certain that Doc
tor Prince could scarcely know the
exact tenor of the actress correspond
ence.
AS though in anger that some part
Of his plans had gone awry, the doc
: tors features revealed genuine fury,
mingled with his sudden alarm. "You
found some of her letters?" He COM
pressed his lips viciously, then re-
gained his suavity with an effort.
-You are on the wrong track altogeth-
4 er, Rankin. Whatever she wrote, they
have nothing to do with me-"
Except as very satisfactory proof
Of your, association, Stuart's blindness
and how he detected you. It would
carry weight as evidence in court"
Abruptly, Doctor Prince appeared to
realize the futility of further evasion.
swell, what If Laura and were
lovers for a while?" he shrugged.
THAT'S an old story; it has been over
since last June-nearly ten months.
In fact, we broke off soon after Jordan
discovered us together in May"
Since the letters had only vaguely
outlined the circumstances leading to
that exposure, the detective asked: II
suppose that occurred in the Somerset
apartments he had taken for his wife?"
"Yes," Doctor Prince answered will
ingly enough. "You see, the arrange
ment was that Jordan visited Laura
only over the week lends; at other
times, he couldn't very well get away
from Aberdeen. And Hannibal was
too small town in which to establish
his wife secretly. That left me most