The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-05-25

| gesture. Il cannot Breathe, I can.
not move. I am scared"
"You-you mean somebody really
grabbed your"
| "Nop Mikes eyes rolled with ter
ror at the very thought. Il mean
feel as bad like somebody does
that 2 am scared: I am frightened.
And ! run downstairs"
Gleason looked up. WED bet
ter phone the police. RUDE. If we
don't call the cops Wen get our
selves mixed up in this. And guess
we'd better phone the dean, too"
Gleason walked unsteadily into
the fraternity house and called the
Marland police station. Then he
telephoned to the dean and returned
to the porch.
1t was a CHASTITY thing-made
even more grisly by the perfect
day; the sensuous, flower-scented
breezes of first summer; the care
free, strolling groups of students;
laughter and jollity and careless
youth. And upstairs the body of q
young man lying dead. Murdered.
1t wasn't believable. The two
young men were appalled, by their
own knowledge of surrounding cir
cumstances. There was so much
they knew which might prove damn
ing. .-.~
A small car jerked to a halt I'm
front of the fraternity house and
two men alighted. One of them was
tall and broad and wore the uni
form of the Marland police force.
The other, wearing civilian clothes,
was short and squat.
Students strolling on the Row or
lounging on the yerandas of frater-
nifty houses, stared with sudden In
terest at Psi Tau Theta. There was
general movement in the direction
| Of the house. A young man from
Lambda Beta Pi addressed the uni
formed policeman who stood on the
lawn of Psi Tau Theta.
"What's wrong. officer?"
The cop answered tersely.
"Murder!"
"Good Cd. You don't
mean. e.
81 don't mean nothin', young fel.
Ter. Somebody's been murdered In
yonder and nobody's TO go In or git
out. That's all"
The startled young man told his
companion. The news sped from lip
to lip. Who was it? No. not Rube
Farnum: he had been seen on the
porch. Then somebody mentioned
Pat Thayer. Many persons men
toned Pat Thayer. No one knew
where the rumor started. but Thay.
er's name was on every lip. The
policeman on the lawn allowed no
body to approach within hearing
distance of the group on the veran.
da; the militant. positive figure OF
John Reagan. chief of the MARYLAND
plainclothes force: Mike tarmicino.
the janitor. petrified with fear and
| trembling violently; Rube Farnum
tall and limp and frightened; Phil
Gleason. reduced from his custom
] ary alertness to the shriyeled minia.
ture of his usual positive self.
Reagan was questioning Farnnm.
Rube was struggling to be fair and
honest; to remember things and
vet to avoid injustice TO anyone.
He was absolutely and abysmally
| miserable.
Then there emerged from the
Main building tall and dignified
man before whom path opened in
the throng of students. Whitman
Boyd, dean of Marland turned In
before the tragic fraternity house
and was promptly stopped by the
policeman on duty.
"No further for you." snapped the
officer.
Dean Boyd spoke quietly.
.Are you in charge officer?"
mo. Thaf'l be John Reagan yon-
der" And he gestured toward the
veranda.
"Will you ask him II I may
speak to himf I'm dean of the col.
lege and re like to find out what
has happened"
The policeman called out to Rea
gan. "This gu. is the big boss
Chief. Can he come upf"
Reagan's keen eyes surveyed the
dean. He ierked his head affirms
lively.
''Let him through"
The dean mounted the veranda
steps. his arrival sending a glow of
thanksgiving through the breasts of
! Rube Farnnm and Phil Gleason He
] spoke directly to Reagan.
"My name is Whitman Boyd" he
said quietly II understand that