Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-11-30

twin Allegheny and MOnOngahela idpn
titled Pittsburgh, the next stop. Al
seven-forty-eight, the travellers sank
into Belts field to ascend arain ter
minutes later. After that. in Pennsyl
vania, as far as Harrisburg, the oh
servant detective noted the distinct
change in the Topography Ohio had
been uniformly low and level. dotted
by a Kaleidoscope and colorful pattern
of small farms and hamlets. But now
there were rugged brown unlands
whole ranges of uneven wooded perks
extended upward. succeeded nv val
leys. Often, thew were several thon.
sand feet in height and the plane had
to double it's altitude to keep above
them.
At quarter after nine. the FLYERS
crossed the Snsqnehanna river and
landed at the Pennsylvania state zap.
ital. From then on. the last lap was
about ninety miles to Philadelphia.
As they approached their destina.
tiOn, Rankin's excitement increased
and sense of exultation at his accom-
plishment filled him. Actually, he had
made the fight purely on surmise
arising from his discovery, logical
enough tn warrant the Journey. vet
not so certain that he could communi-
cate it to headquarters for his col
leagues to act on. The delay of one
night would not he fatal; either he
was too late before he started or he
would arrive in time And If he proved
wrong. at least his mistake was NOT
public to subject him to ridicule. Re.
sides 1t was a natural youthful zeal
that made him want to participate
personally in the solution that had
baffled him so long. For there could
be no doubt the case was ended.
whether by his failure to bring all the
! criminals to Justice or by vindica-
ton Of his conclusions.
Now Rankin could see the Quaker
city. the incredible expanse of it's area
| and its identifying landmark the City
! Hall tower, crowned by the statue If
William Penn. Like an arrow, the
plane shot across the Delaware river,
over Camden and into New Jersey
At ten-ten. after exactly seven hours
in the air the plane circled above the
Camden airport. and volplaned to
earth.
The amount of Rankin's fare had
been settled and paid in st. Louis.
Accordingly, he could leave at once !:
he crawled out of the cabin, less
crowded than when he had started
but stiff and disheveled, nevertheless,
and shook hands with the pilot.
To reach the heart of Camden. Ran
kin took the first Philadelphia bound
bus down the boulevard outside the
airport He left the bus at the first
taxi stand and hailed a cab; but he
did not instruct the cabman to drive
him to headquarters.
sect me to the University of Phla-
delphia in hurry" he directed. 81
haven't got much time" He flashed
his badge "Dont be too particular
about traffic regulations" he said.
'This is official police business"
For all the speed the driver could
| command, the ride consumed twenty
| minutes. The first halt was at the
| entrance of the great span over the
Delaware for the payment of tolls
| Then, crossing it, the cab sped along
Vine street, dsregarding the mum
bered intersections; all the way to the
park, the horn gave out a continuous
raucous warning. Twice, only the skill
OF the cabman narrowly averted dan
gerous collisions. Circling the Gre
| cian-like museum, he turned along the
Spring Garden street bridge over the
Schuylkill river into West Philadel-
| phia. The detective gave him fresh
orders and he came out on Woodland
avenue.
At exactly ten-forty-five, he drew
up before the greensboro front of the
business school, Inside, he located the
main Office; and when he had revealed
his profession to somewhat fiustered
secretary, he asked her only two ques-
lions. Upon her replies. though she
was ignorant of the fact, hung the ulti-
mate success or failure of his entire
investigation. They brought. however.
an enthusiastic exclamation to his lips
and gratified smile to his face.
Breathlessly, he re-entered the cab and
mOtioned the driver TO continue.
snow keep on going until we pick
up the first policeman we see." he in.
structed. "Then let US both off at the
lower entrance of the student dormi.
tories"
Five minutes later. he dismissed the
taxi outside the arch that opened into
the end of the quadrangle, where the
projecting dorms cut 1t in two. Hav-
ing already briefly explained the situa-
ton to the officer, the two men en-
tered the campus; past the dead boys
quarters. Croft hall, they FASTENED
into the adjoining building in the line.
Pelham hall. They climbed the bare,
outer stone stairs to the third floor,
where Rankin borrowed the bluecoat's
whistle.
"You stay here in the corridor" he
told him. II don't expect I'll need
your help; can probably handle the
affair myself. But If 1t gets difficult
I'll blow this whistle for you to come
In and lend a hand"