The Coolidge examiner., 1933-09-22

ut was Buckley, then. who chose
yesterday for the excursion to Nor
ton's?" Rankin asked next.
Il suppose it was" Larry Palmer
replied. "He happened to ask me
last Wednesday when our initiation
would be held; and when told him
the coming Tuesday, he seemed
pretty disappointed. He said he in
tended visiting this dive of his that
evening. at first, | wanted him to
postpone going there; felt
ought TO be at the initiation. But,
as | was quite anxious to see
the place, | finally agreed to go
along with him yesterday"
You'd have done much better to
keep entirely away from it," Ran
kin commented briskly. "What time
did you get there?"
"A little before eight, sir. Ralph
seemed to know the man at the
door and had no trouble getting
past him. He vouched for me and
then we went into the barroOm and
sat down at a table for q few
drinks. 1t was a large room at the
end Of long hall. :"
"Yes, I'm acquainted with the
layout" Rankin informed the boy.
"And after that?"
For a moment, Palmer collected
his thoughts II started to feel
strange when | took my second
drink" he related. Il had a funny
sinking sensation in the pit of my
stomach and a ringing in my ears.
| tried not to let on to Ralph about
1t, not wanting to spoil his fun. So
! kept talking TO him real fast,
while the ringing got louder and
louder and the room began to turn
around dizzily, until well, I
just thought the lights went out"
There isn't the slightest doubt
your drink was drugged," the detec.
tive declared positively. "Or that
Buckley slipped Knockout drops In
to 1t when you weren't looking" He
raised his hand to silence a ques
ton. "But finish your statement for
me, Mr.. Palmer. At what time did
you leave the club?"
Greatly upset by the direct accu-
sation. the boy shook his head un-
happily.
Il can't remember that, sir, any
more than | remember speaking to
you later. My last recollection till
/ found myself in bed this morning
was of talking to Ralph. For a
while, II is all blank; | must have
been out completely. In fact, | don't
recall ever quitting the speakeasy
and making my way back to the
house."
You couldn't tell me then, when
Buckley also departed from the
club?"
"No. lost complete track OF him.
Mr.. Rankin. Only this morning,
thought OF him again and wondered
what had become of him. But I
couldn't even remember whether he
had returned here with me last
night or not"
Rankin made no effort to conceal
his disappointment. And that Is
all the information you can give me
as to what happenedT"
"Yes, sir" The boy spoke with
conviction. Everything else had
slipped my mind altogether"
Except about your keys. Larry"
Ted Stanton prompted him. "You
ought to mention you couldn't find
them when you got up today"
what keys are theseT the de.
tective asked quickly. when did
they dlsappearT
MY regular keyring." Palmer re
piled. holding my mail box key, the
house key TO the front door and 9th
ers. But | don't see that their loss
means anything. distinctly re
member having them on reaching the
speakeasy; they were in the same
pocket as my loose change and |
jingled them when took out the
taxi fare. And this morning. my
money was still there hut not them
l suppose they must have dropped
out of my pocket while I was wan.
dering around"
Rankin shook his head in contra
diction. "No. think not" he stated
reflectively. I'm fairly certain that
Buckley took them from you. He
could never have got into the fra
ternity house without them, later I"
Bit by bit. Palmer's story newt
ably indicated that his friend was
involved in Stuart Jordan's murder.
II revealed Buckley as unscrupu.
lous, hesitating at nothing to gain
his ends. And TO his already potent
motive for hating Jordan that Wal
ter Randall had disclosed II showed
how the boy had crossed him three
times more, tanning the fuel of his
long cherished grudge.
The murder then. during the In
itiation. was actuated by a desire
for revenge. And to take advantage
of the genuine protection supplied
hv the setting ftar Dnlmor'S an-