The Coolidge examiner., 1933-12-22

recting me 70 arrange for my pas
sage 10 New York on the Florida
last Sunday. The only other thing
| did before that was 10 mail from
the Fenton on March fifth a letter
she maiIed out to me. with an inner
envelope addressed to Mr.. Stuart
Jordan in Philadelphia"
That was the last communica-
ton, Rankin reflected, the student
received from his wife. presumably
from ST. Louis
"Do you still have your instruc-
tions?" he asked. "I'lI want to see
them"
The girl shook her head. No. |
destroyed them after memoriZing
them. That was a part OF her or
ders."
We'll. let's have the rest OF your
story-after you checked out of the
hotel"
The directions in question Myra
Prentiss proceeded, arrived on
Thursday. March fourth. allowing
her ample time to be on the boat
Sunday. During the voyage, as the
detective already knew, she was to
feign seasickness to escape observa-
ton. Unfortunately. however. she
actually became i'll; IT was this neg
lected and trivial possibility. Ran
Kin realized. which engendered the
carelessneSs that disclosed the en-
tire fraud. After the Florida docked
al noon on Jriday. the girl went to
Philadelphia directly, where she met
Laura Jordan at four o'clock. In
two hours the actress secured all
the details and evidences of the
trip; at seven o'clock. she left to
appear at headquarters. She had
not, however. taken Myra's bag
gage. At the outset OF the scheme,
she had purchased duplicate sets of
suitcases, one for the showGirl and
her own set she brought with her
weeks before.
Myra Prentiss returned immedi-
ately to st. Louis because of an at
tachment she formed there of her
own. during her stay. Except mas
much as 1t had lightened his prob
lem Of tracing her, Rankin did not
long concern himself with this pure
ly personal matter.
But his interest in Doctor Prince
was intense. Thus far, all he knew
of him was that, as a student at
Hawthorne university in Fort
Wayne he belonged to the Omicron
chapter OF Mn Beta Sigma. And.
as a loyal alumnus. he notified the
Philadelphia chapter of Jordan's
matriculation. recommending him.
Mr.. Merrick. in his single business
meeting with the physician. had
divulged Stuart's presence at the
eastern university, when they dis
cussed schools during their conver-
sation. Apparently, Arnold Prince
had had no other connection with
the boy. Now. however. IL was OBJ
vious that he must have known all
about him before that through the
actress. His practice and residence.
the detective recalled. were In st.
Louis.
Now about Doctor Prince, Miss
Prentiss," he said, when the girl fin.
ished her narrative. "What else did
Laura Du Monte tell you? Where
does he live, for instance?"
81 suppose right here In ST.
Louis" Myra replied, because she
spoke of leaving with him from
here. But l don't know the ad-
dress"
Then you never met the doctor
or tried to learn what sort of chap
he was?"
The girl looked her surprise. "No,
| didn't, Mr.. Rankin. Why should
/ be curious, when | believed
Laura's story that he was out of
town with herr"
at shouldn't be difficult to locate
him, at any rate" Rankin confided
to Captain Chambers; then to the
girl: "Have you any idea how long
they've been acquainted"
"Well, only incidentally, | figure
their affair must be going on over
year-at least, since last Janu-
ary. At first, | was afraid to agree
TO the proposition; and to reassure
me. Laura said she had been cheat
ing her first lover with him even
last winter and he was none the
wiser"
"And who is he? Can you tell me
that or where he might be found?"
Rankin queried.
But as he expected, Myra Prem
tiss was ignorant of any facts con-
corning the man she supposedly
helped to outwit. Not once did the
actress reveal his name or discuss
her establishment with him. AS
with most of her explanation, RAN
kin was convinced his very exist
ence was fictitious-part of her ali
bi to cloak her nefarious journey to
Philadelphia. She had not dared
supply the show-girl with her cor
rect address in the East; hence the
Lake Geneva address, probably an