The Coolidge examiner., 1933-11-10

him more severely, instead of
learning quite by accident. Surely
1t was your duty then, not to con
ceal from me these serious crimes
in the chapter"
"The snock of Stuart's death
drove them from my mind, sir
Stanton defended himself quickly.
They seemed Insignificant beside
Tuesdays dreadful affair"
I'm sorry to inform you. MIR.
Stanton. that the thief" Rankin
paused before speaking the name,
rs Ned Patterson"
OF the two students, Ben Craw-
ford was the more as:onished. The
presidents Dallor reflected his con-
Germ, as he compressed his lips In
grave silence.
He shook his head slowly. II was
afraid 1t might turn out like that"
he said. But Ned-that's really
awful can't believe t."
well, there isn't the slightest
doubt Of 1t. You may not be aware
OF 1t, but he has been gambling re-
Gently for high stakes in question
able establishments. Mr.. Palmer
could tell you he Is in debt far be
yond his means"
With that, Rankin briefly sum
married the scene Larry Palmer and
he had witnessed at the Morton club.
and the proofs that Patterson
pawned the timepiece. And as he
listened, Ted Stanton's expression
grew more strained at the new prob
lem that burdened him. But when
the detective finished, be had deter
mined his course.
isn't 1t possible. Mr.. Rankin, for
the fraternity TO handle this trouble
with Ned? After all, that is a side
issue to poor Stuart's death: and
any action you take won't help your
main investigation"
Il appreciate your position" Ran
kin said sympatheticaIly. And II
they were really isolated events, I'd
drop them In a moment. But actu-
ally, the two crimes are connected !;
and 1t Is Mr.. Patterson who supplies
the link between. I've got to learn
the truth about the murder. so
can't afford to disregard the lesser
offense. IL Patterson isn't Jordan's
murderer himself. then he is surely
implicated In his death as well as
the theftsr'
But that's rIdiculous" Stanton
cried. Surely, sir. you aren't seri.
ous?"
Rankin shook his head. 1T isn't
so hard to believe as II sounds. A
small amount of conine, the poison
which killed Jordan, was kept In
the chemistry laboratory at school,
for special research. Mr.. Patterson
knew this fact; and on Tuesday it.
self, he stole more than a fatal
amount of IL. He left finger prints
in the laboratory. Yesterday | found
some of II hidden In his bedroom.
the rest missing"
But why?" Stanton protested.
why should Ned want him out Of
the way? They were on the best
OF terms"
Barely ten minutes before, this
problem of motive was as mystify-
Ing TO Rankin as when he first start.
ed to suspect Patterson. Now, how.
ever, Ben Crawford's information
had suggested an answer.
"It is my conviction" he ad-
dressed both students, that his mo-
tive developed only last Monday
night. Just when your watch was
taken. Mr.. Crawford. When you re-
tired, Jordan had not yet returned
to the house for his clothes. But
he did get back somewhere around
three o'clock. Suppose he arrived
while Patterson burglarIzed you.
entering so carefully you didn't
hear him. Suppose he went up
stairs. What more likely than that
he either caught Ned in your room
or saw him softly sneak out of 1t?
or saw him softly sneak out of itT'
"Then why didn't he mention the
incident to US on tuesday," Ben
Crawford queried "If he could
clear up the robberies. he'd scarce
ly be quiet about 1t. Unless" he
added as an afterthought. "he tried
to shield Ned because they were
friends"
"Or because he failed to realize
at the moment. the significance of
what he had witnessed" Rankin
suggested. Remember, as Mr.. Stan.
ton stated, the PLEDGES were ignor-
ant of the thefts; so the mere sight
of Patterson In another boys room.
even so late, would hardly arouse
Jordan's suspicious. But If he be-
came a fraternity brother, he would
be entitled to all the rituals and Sc
crets; naturally. he would hear of
the thefts. Then. when he put two
and two together. he would realize
his sponsor was guilty" a
With great reluctance. Stanton
conceded the validity of the deduc-
tions. After a moment. the detec-
tive himself raised their single pos