The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-06-30

certainly. II hadn't been well
all day." he explained, Il had a.
splitting headache since class this
morning and 1 didn't feel much like
attending the ceremony. l didn't want
to make fuss about it, so l asked
Paul Whitaker to substitute for me
at the ritual He dressed in my room;
and just before the PLEDGES marched
down to the chapter room, he fell into
file to guide Stuart"
"But you Joined us later" The pres
ident's words held an inquiry. II re-
member you helped George Patten carry
him upstairs, after his collapse"
Eyes, I did slip in about eight
thirty" The sponsor paused. "At
the last moment, the pain disap-
peared and / decided to watch the
initiation anyhow, even if didn't take
part. SO put on my robe and took an
empty chair behind the PLEDGES with
the other brothers; saw most of the
ritual"
Then it was you who stepped up
to unite Jordan's hand before the final
toast?" Rankin's query was penetrat-
ing and unexpected, to catch him off
his guard.
Though still perturbed, as if at his
surroundings, Patterson displayed no
alarm.
"No, l stayed in my place." he an
swered. II had no idea where he
stood in the line. Anyhow, enough of
the other boys got up ahead of me to
free all the PLEDGES"
Rankin accepted this assurance with
a nod. sand now, Mr.. Patterson" he
said, "as to what you may have
learned through knowing Stuart so
For the following fifteen minutes, he
questioned the sponsor searchingly
about his contacts with the dead boy
and their various conversations to-
gether. Less constrained as the in
quiry progressed, Patterson appeared
candid and willing to relate what he
could But, as Stanton had intimated,
he could tell no more about the boy
than any other member of the fra
ternity.
When the detective dismissed Pat
terson, he had discovered nothing to
forward his investigation.
Before he went below to view the
chapter room itself, Doctor Sackett,
the coroner's physician, arrived and
Immediately began his examination of
the body. At the same time, head
quarters photographer appeared; and
though his service had little value, be-
cause Jordan had been moved since
his seizure, he set his camera without
waiting for directions. The detective
arranged with Doctor Sackett for hav-
ing the remains shipped to the morgue,
when his diagnosis was completed.
"With regard to the autopsy. Doc
tor" he then said, "see that it is be-
gun Immediately. 1t is absolutely es-
sential to have the poison that killed
him identified early tomorrow. Can
you arrange to find that out by the
first thing in the morning?"
swell, I'll do what can," the physi-
clan grumbled. But you mustn't ex-
pect miracles. With any luck, we
might strike the poison on our first
or second analysis; on the other hand
it might take more than a dozen elm
mating tests to clear the ground"
Doctor Thompson remained upstairs
to assist him, so that only Ted STAN
%hN r.
accompanied Rankin below. AS yet he
did not understand the lawyers con-
nection with the fraternity; but the
problems presented by the crime occu-
pied him at the moment to the exclu-
sion of that question. Mr.. Warwicks
attitude indicated some good reason
for his presence and Rankin continued
to accept him as spectator.
The scene Of the initiation offered
eloquent proof of the confusion follow
ing Jordan's collapse. The line of
chairs barely suggested the semicircle
they previously formed, so many were
overturned or out of place. On the
dais lay glasses of wine, the bottle
itself on the tray. Other wine COB
lets had been carefully placed on the
floor amid the shattered pieces of
those dropped and broken in the up
roar.
Rankin's first act was to send the
officer on guard at the door to Doctor
Sackett, to procure from his kit sew
eral empty medicine walls. He re-
turned shortly with three, which the
detective took. These, he carefully
filled with wine, the first from the
contents of the bottle, and the other
two from glasses chosen at random
among those on the floor. When he
had corked them and set them aside,
he knelt gingerly among the debris at
the altar; and covering his hands for
protection with the folds of two hand
kerchiefs, he swept together the frag-
ments Of splintered glass within his
reach. Then from an inner pocket, he
produced an empty envelope and put
them into it, sealing the flap. The
entire collection he delivered to the
policeman.
"Give these bottles and the envelope