The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-09-15

these doubts Notwithstanding, the law
| yer's claims made him even more
hesitant about arresting him. And he
had now further reason for delay-to
investigate the fresh development, so
| unexpected that he had not yet recov-
cred from his turmoil of surprise and
| excitement.
1t was of course too early to decide
how the existence of wife affected
the problem of the murder, if it made
| any difference at all But, Rankin re-
Elected, it might change the DISPOSE
ton of the inheritance due the boy at
twenty-five. Manifestly his uncle was
| totally ignorant of the marriage. Had
he learned of it and disapprOved, he
could have exercised his power to de-
prive his nephew of the estate for I'M
proper conduct. But not knowing, and
| taking no action, the property still
| went to Jordans heir on his death.
| The question now was whether that
heir, in lieu of will, was Mrs. Jordan
| or the guardian. That did not, how
ever, free Mr.. Merrick from suspicion;
for still believing himself, though per-
| haps mistakenly, the ultimate sue
cessor, his motive for the crime was
as potent as before.
One mystery at least Mr.. Fletcher's
| narrative cleared up. Mr.. Merrick had
| been unable to explain the enigmatic
| bearer checks, each for four hundred
dollars, which the boy paid out month
| ly to an unknown recipient. And since
| he first searched the students quar-
| tiers, they had puzzled Rankin; at the
time, they suggested he was the victim
| of blackmail Now, it became quite
| apparent they went to the boys wife.
Even while separated from her, he full
filled his duty to support her in com
| fort. But to continue to conceal his
marriage, he had destroyed all the
! Cancelled checks to her. as they were
returned through the clearing house.
But where was the woman now?
| Why did she not appear to inform the
| authorities of her relation to Jordan
| or to claim her rights? That, of all
the entanglements in the case, sudden
ly became the most mystifying. Three
l
| edy: ample time to broadcast the COM
| plete details in the papers of every
| large city in the nation. Yet nothing
was heard of her. To locate her. Ran
| kin's obvious course was to communi-
| cate with the address from which her
| letters came. If that proved unsuc-
cessful, 1t might become necessary to
| set the vast police network and or
ganization of the country in motion to
| trace her trail.
| AS it turned out, however, the puzzle
| was quickly solved and without resort
| to elaborate activity. While waiting
for Jordan's correspondence to arrive.
Rankin left headquarters to take sup
| per in a nearby restaurant. He re.
turned after seven, bordering the
| whereabouts of the missing woman.
when jerks greeted him with the It'd
| ings that another visitor wanted to
| see him.
| Its young woman. Tommy" he
described her with enthusiasm, sand
darned good-looking. She came about
fifteen minutes ago and asked for who
ever had charge of the Jordan case.
let her wait in the outside Office"
| Though the woman might have been
Mrs. Fletcher or indeed, anyone at all.
thrill of anticipation ran through
| Rankin.
"All right, Jenks." he said. "Send
her to me in the captains office"
There was no denying the callers
striking beauty, as she entered in n
tailored, gray wooden travelling suit.
| About twenty-five years old. she was
| statuesque without being tall. She had
dark eyes, anxious at the moment un
der her long lashes, and delicate we'll
shaped nostrils; her red bow lips dis
! played sparkling teeth. Most lovely
| was her golden-blond hair, visible be-
meath chic hat. But her beauty was
| professional, type to which Rankin
was not partial. A blatant physical
| allure was enhanced by such heavy ap
plications of cosmetics on lips, cheeks
| and lashes as to suggest want of re-
| finement. Her eyes. too, reflected an
| innate insincerity and the coarseness
| of self-centered, Leartless mind. She
was. the detective felt, shrewd and
clever rather than educated or In
telligent.
For bare instant. strange sensa
ton of familiarity assailed him. 1t
was vague and fleeting. this mex
| plicable feeling that he had encoun
| tered his visitor before. But he could
not place her. Still, the notion per
sisted, troubling him subconsciously,
yet remaining tantalizingly beyond his
ability to grasp it.
He motioned the woman to a chair
and studied her shrewdly as he said;
"You wanted to see me? My name
is Rankin; l am in charge of the in
vestigation into Stuart Jordan's unfor-