Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-10-05
Thursday, October S. 1922

anything was wrong in the first placo
1 compared my stock this morn,na.
with my chart Of what remained. ons
ascertained l was shy two grains ~
atropine and over six drops of tho
hemlock alkaloid."
More than sufficient to cause
great deal Of damage" Rankin con,
mented grimly. He leaned across Can
tain Thomas desk. "From your last
check-up, Mr.. Hayward, have Won anv
idea what day they disappearedS
When did anyone have the opportunitv
to remove them?"
Il am almost positive I lost them,
day before yesterday. On Tuesday
happened to be experimenting with
both poisons and I weighed them IN.
the morning before starting. None
was missing then; and made no mis-.
take about the amounts measured
out for my tests. The fact is that
during the afternoon, I left the lab.
oratory several times for maybe twentp
minutes or more"
The definiteness of the probable
date was pleasing: the Tuesday he
mentioned was that of the tragedy.
Couldn't the theft have occurred
just as well yesterday, during your
absence?"
mo, because the place is always
under lock and key" Hayward replied
"Short of breaking in-and there ,S
no sign Of that-it Is impossible to-
enter"
"You have the only key to the room
In the Department." the detective In
quired.
"Oh, no, my adviser, Professor
Harris. also owns one" the young man
returned quickly. "But he assured me.
this morning that he lent it to no one.
and that it was not out of his DOS
session either Tuesday or Wednesday,
Rankin's voice held the grave note
which usually accompanied an i'm
portant inquiry.
"Have you any suspicion Of the
identity of the culprit? Any reason
to believe he was some particular per-
SOM"
Hayward shrugged his shoulders
carelessly. I'm afraid not. Mr.. Ran
kin. But almost anyone could have,
sneaked into the laboratory Tuesday
afternoon and taken the poison"
"Who. for instance, was aware you
were dealing with variety Of poisonsr
just want general notion of how
widespread the fact was"
swell, Professor Harris Of course,
and the assistant professor In organic.
chemistry, Mr.. Nichols" The visitor
reflected a moment. "Then outside.
the department, my roommate in the
graduate dorms. Frank Powell, knows
Of my efforts; he is in the medical
school. And yes so does Ned
Patterson" he added.
Rankin remained casual. "You didn't
observe Mr.. Patterson near your work.
room on Tuesday afternoon"
Beginning negative nod. Heyward's
eyes suddenly widened, as at an unex-
pected recollection.
"Yes. ! did" he exclaimed in evil
dent excitement. I'm fact, I remem-
Der he was actually In the laboratory
itself while I was out. though I didn't
think anything of it. About three
o'clock. went downstairs to consult
Professor Harris, and stayed with him
twenty minutes. When I returned, he
was in my room standing by the
shelves Of chemicals almost as
If he had been meddling with them!"
"What excuse did he make for his
presenter Rankin asked, still I'M
moved.
HE said he had merely stopped IN
to learn how my research was progress
ing. And not finding me in, he had
been waiting"
Rankin rose to mis- feet. He was
confident he had learned all Hayward
could tell him; and he did not wish to
raise the train of speculation and sus-
picion in his visitors mind that had
already begun in his.
swell, whoever was guilty of the
theft" he concluded the interview.
may have left some clue in the lab
oratory. Perhaps his fnger-priuts;
you might not have destroyed them IN
handling the bottles he also touched
Anyhow would like IN have ou-
nnger-print expert accompany you
back to the university and make an
examination of your laboratory"
Hayward also rose. THAT'S all
right" he agreed. II don't know
whether he'll have any success; Dut
he's welcome to investigate as far as
he likes"
"Then I'll speak to Mr.. johnson at
once" the detective said. land send
him along with you. And thank you
for coming with this Information"
He did not add that one Of his f1rst
tasks. after the two men had gone.
would be to obtain specimen OF Neo
Patterson's finger-prints at the fra
ternity house. without his cognizance.
Should the search be productive, they
would be ready for purposes Of com
parison.
Until he had Enthusiastically estaD-
lished that the sponsor stole the
CONNIE. 1t would be premature to sus-
pect him Of the crime. In his case
however. there was no doubt OF MS
opportunity to commit 1t. By his own
s.A- a. N.mNA