The Coolidge examiner., 1933-12-22

crossed both her husband anI ner
sweetheart
If the physician were actually
the lover over whom Laur. Jor.
dan quarreled and separated from
Stuart. then he was manifestly as
interested as she in preventing the
boy from depriving her of the Jor
dan estate.
Rankin was amazed, once he colt
cluded that they plotted the murder
together, how the corspiete details
of the crime fell into proper place.
Step by step. he could trace everg
develOpment-DoctOl Prince with
the knowledge, as n member of the
frate nifty. necessary to accomplish
the deed. and the actress actual
commission of IL Since the central
body of Mu Beta Sigma established
the same secret code and ritual foe
every chapter. the physician could
have informed Laura Jordan how 70
enter the Gamma chapter Initiation !:
given her the secret knocks and
passwords of recognition to get by
the sergeant al arms; related how
the PLEDGES and brothers were ar
ranged throughout the ritual; know
when the opportunity to reach Stuart
would arise. And he could also de-
scribe the robes-perhaps supply her
with hills own costume, usel
years before. The actress thea
needed only a key to the fraternity
house and must ascertain the dare
and hour of the initiation.
The detectives sudden inspiration
at that instant sent his cogitations
racing forward excitedly. OF course
the blond girl Benjamin Crawford
accidentally met, who failed TO keep
the blind rendezvous with him the
Tuesday night of the initiation The
woman must have been Laura Jor-
dan, and far from being pickup.
she deliberately engineered the meet
ing for a two-fold purpose. Thus,
she guaranteed Crawford's absence
from the ceremony and could take
his place without the addition of an
unacounted member. Ana in fixing
her date. she subtly learned from
him at what hour and day the initia-
tion would be held.
The first essential, Rankin clear
ly discerned. to the success of the
murder plot was that the fraternity
accept Stuart Jordan. Hence. Doc
tor Prince recommended him as
worthy membership material; a
young man of his caliber, ncsitlon
and wealth would almost certainly
win the Philadelphia chapters ap-
proval Doctor Prince foresaw that
his interest In the student might be
subject to investigation and took
the precaution OF first visiting Mr..
Merrick. before writing the chapter,
In October. Ostensibly to obtain a
loan, his call was In reality a
shrewd subterfuge to discuss Jordan
and thus explain his acquaintance
with the facts about him which he
had already learned through Mrs.
Jordan.
By the time Rankin finished Ques-
tloning the show-girl. he had reached
a decision. He was convinced OF
her integrity; and she could tell
him no more about either Doctor
Prince or the actress. Nevertheless.
he resolved to hold her temporarily
In custody as a material witness He
was taking no chances that she
might attempt to communicate with
either consplrator; at all costs, they
must not be warned of his progress
on their trail, lest they escape.
When he announced his intention
to the girl. she looked dismayed
and alarmed.
1T will only be for a few days,
Miss Prentiss," he reassured her
quickly. Captain Chambers viii see
that you are comfortable and suffer
no inconvenience. And you will be
released within two days on your
promise to remain in st. Louis, un-
til your testimony is needed in
court"
Now that his next step was OBJ
vious, he was anxious to confront
Doctor Prince and sound him out /:
subsequent developments depended
on what he ascertained and the
physicians attitude But not to
frighten his quarry, he wisely de.
cided to pretend at first, that his
visit was merely routine. The po-
lice captains presence would be dis.
.turbing. and despite the late hour,
he preferred to call alone. Accord
ingls, he left Chambers to return to
headquarters with the girl; while
he, promptly on leaving the HOl-
comb apartments. sought the physi-
ci"n's address.
To satisfy the captain, however, he
acceded to his proposal to post two
plain-clothes men outside. Although
the detective felt quite capable of
managing Doctor Prince himself
and eren arresting him, they were
ready In case of trouble
1t WIS yerging on ten-thirty.
when Rankin stood before Arnold