Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-10-19
Interested.

Rankin climbed into the roadster
and lifted the right pocket flap. He
ran his fingers deftly through the
contents Of the pocket, and then that
in the left door, bringing to light a
box Of bulbs. a license. assorted road
maps and searchlight After that,
he hunted through the tiny pouch be
low the dashboard.
While thus occupied. he questioned
Mrs. Fletcher about the roadsters re-
turn.
"What did Jordan do with the car
after taking It to town. he asked.
do you know where he kept it until
morning.
Elm the Shawnee garage, where he
had his own machine" the lawyers
wife replied. ats on Thirty-seventh
street, in West Philadelphia. He
phoned me to tell me where II was /;
he said he'd either bring it back after
hours, or If I preferred. my chauffeur
could call for It."
sand who did 60 for it, Mr.. Fetch
er went to the fraternity in 1t, the
same evening"
"Oh, he got It himself" Mrs.
Fletcher said. Fright after Stuart's
call-the same morning. in fact. You
see." she explained. "his taking the
car like that :" she paused, seek
ing word. "well upset Edward
almost as much as his jealousy. If It
wasn't for the scandal. he would have
had It traced and Stuart arrested. To
prevent that. I promised to get In
touch with him az soon as heard
where It was. Before eleven I phoned
him at his office, where the chauf-
feur had driven him in the Limousine.
And nothing would suit him except
calling for 1t himself"
obviously to settle the last Ques-
ton AZ to Jordan's Identity" Rankin
commented. 'The garage employees
were acquainted with him and knew
he had brought In this car"
At this damning proof Of his conten-
ton. the woman's eyes reflected q
fresh dread.
IT that's right" she STAN
mered II never thought Of that. II he
interviewed them. he'd have positive
proof that 1t was Stuart he caught"
Rankin nodded briskly. Exactly.
Mrs. Fletcher. And once that last
doubt by which you might have bene
fitted disappeared. he would be con.
WINGED Of your faithlessness. II IA
futile not to face the facts: you must
realize cannot escape the conclusion
that.
In the midst Of his statement he
broke of suddenly; imperceptibly his
body stiffened. For at that instant,
digging into the bottom of the dash.
beard pouch. his hand encountered A
thin, hong, roundish object Of CLASSY
smoothness that tapered to a fine
point. He withdrew II in the cup OF
his hand to hide the discovery from
Mrs. Fletcher; but even before he
looked at 1t cautiously. he had recog.
nixed its Importance. II was a hypo-
dermfc needle. deliberately secreted
away in a compartment Of the law
yer's car. where prying eye would be
unlikely to find It'll
Bending over to screen the act, he
carefully dropped the tube into an
inner pocket; his voice did not be-
tray him as he continued:
the conclusion that your
husband Ia implicated in Stuart Jor-
dams murder" Tommy Rankin fin
ished in an even tone, as If nothing
had happened.
It was Rankin's discovery of the
needle in Mr.. Fletcher's car that crys-
talized his belief that the lawyer was
the criminal he sought. AS he point
ed out to Mrs. Fletcher. he had am
pie opportunity to commit the crime !:
and Monday ~ght's developments.
supplementing those of Saturday, sup
piled an effectively plausible motive.
Nevertheless. doubts Of his guilt as
sailed Rankin.
But there was no denying the sig
niicance of the hvn0dermie noodIa In