Evening star., 1933-07-05
TheWhife CoCIkaf0o
BY Mienon G. E6erhare

young officer. "Now," he motioned the
others back, and we were all crowded
into the corridor, but the full light
fell on the murdered man. Now,
monsieur. Is this the way you found
him? Was he like this exactly? No
passport? Nothing in his pockets?
Was there no weapon?"
There was no weapon. The dagger
I had forced Nine. Grethe to drop
there on the dead mans chest, the
dagger I had SO carefully refrained
from touching myself in order not to
leave flngerprints, was certainly not
there. Had not been there evidently
when the police came upon the scene.
Had 1t been there on my return from
the courtyard? I could not recall more
than glancing at the body.
Who, then, had taken it? The
priest? Marcel? Sue Tally?-Was
that why I had felt SO definitely her
sudden withdrawal from the subject
cause her own frightened hand had
snatched that thing and plunged it?
Because she knew its grim significance?
Because she knew its urgent impor-
tance as a clue?
1t was an inconceivably ugly thought,
but it was not one that could easily
be thrust aside And it was one that,
naturally, had its own influence upon
what was to come.
I Strengthened up.
"Of course, there was weapon" I
said. 1T was small steel dagger.
Lovschiem, here. withdrew it to look
at it, and We discovered that it was
the sword from the clock In there
man. Some one has taken it,
1.-THE clock in V0llr rom fherafn
cried the young officer. without waiting
to translate to the older one.
"Yes."
And you knew nothing of it?"
Nothing Except that it was here
on the dead mans body when I went
down into the courtyard, and now it
is not here"
He turned then, and French cracked
between himself and his superior while
the others listened anxiously.
Who was with the body while you
were gomez"
THE porter and the priest"
Where is this priest?"
Madame intervened.
Probably in his room. Your men
will find him"
the young officer whirled to Marcel,
whose black eyes were swapping There
was a rapid exchange of questions and
he turned back to me
THE porter says he knows nothing
OF it. That he saw no one take the
dagger; did not of truth know that
it was not here. But he says there
was no light for perhaps 10 minutes"
Sue had turned toward the door to
my room. Suddenly she said:
1T is there! The sword is on the
clock again.
Every one else looked at once
shot one look at Sue. It was very
brief look, but it was enough I knew
suddenly that I was right. Sue her
self had cleaned that dagger and re-
placed it.
A torrent Of French broke out and
watched the faces and strained my
ears for words that I knew
Finally the young officer turned
again to me-
and hold himself at the disposition
of the police. There will be investi-
CATION"
I said, shortly, that I understood.
After all, they didn't mean to clap me
into Jail on suspicion, es I've been
given to understand is the prerogative
OF the French police.
1t was just as the young officer was
detaching the tiny sword from the
soldiers grasp and wrapping it care
fully in a handkerchief that a COM
motion arose in the corridor.
1t grew louder, the young officer and
Marcel darted to the door to look and
then stepped back, and the commo-
ton resolved itself into several DO
licemen. the dark little maid weeping.
Father Robart and a bundle of shawls
topped by what appeared to be large
white cabbage in stage of imminent
dissolution.
I said: my God. do you intend
to hold a court of inquiry here in
my bed room? Has man no privacy
in France? First a murder at nv
door, then an attack on my life and
Will Marcel, tomorrow, tell what only
he Enau,S of fhiS incredihla fanxIao