Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-02-28
CHAPTER x


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THE memory OF Calls Shlpley's
l. agonized expression when he re-
fused his assistance tortured Peter
after she had departed. Perhaps IL
she had made that appeal to him at
first, before he had detected her In
two efforts to deceive him. he might
have enlisted In her cause. Not
now, The very admiration which
had almost betrayed him into a
blind belief In her had also made
him wary. He felt that possibly
she was acting a role; that this
might. In some manner, fit into the
chain of her other receptions In a
subtly calculated effort to make him
serve her own interests. whatever
they might be. Grudgingly. he ad-
mitted to himself that his instinct
had been to offer her his assistance.
He almost wished he had called her
back and made such a promise. Her
argument as to Rylie's innocence
had appealed to his sense of reason.
Her defense Of Spears had coin
cided. In a measure, with his doubt
that the latter could have grasped
the knife that ended Franklin's life
from Its position high on the wall
of the rector's study.
His reverie was interrupted by the
sharp jangle of the telephone. 1t
was Sergeant Kilday calling.
Grab a taxi and come on over
here" he urged. 'T'm at Franklin's
apartment"
HAS anything happened?"
"Some one has broken into the
apartment. But come IN over, | tell
you. You can see for yourself"
1t was as Kilday had said. Dur
ing the late afternoon, Fletcher had
been absent on some errands. He
had been gone about two hours.
When he returned, he had found
the apartment topsyturvy, the rugs
thrown back, the drawers pulled
out, the closets ransacked. He had,
Of course, Immediately notified the
police.
"Have you discovered what Is
mlssing?" Kilday was asking when
Peter arrived.
Everything is so torn up, |
don't know" the servant replied du-
bIously. Il can't think what the
burglars we're after. There was no
money In the house. What little
jewelry Mr.. Franklin had, shirt
studs, a watch and one ring, was
not taken. There was no silver of
any consequence. Mr.. Franklin sell
dom took his meals here"
A cursory examination could re-
veal nothing missing. 1t was ap-
parent that the burglar, whoever 1t
may have been, had searched every
corner Of the apartment thorough
~. Whatever he had sought had
been well concealed, If it were
here at all. This was evidenced
by the confusion evident in every
room.
, Now what" asked Kilday, was
be after? 1t wasn't money. If 1t
had been an ordinary prowler he
would have taken that jewelry.
q There isn't much of 1t, but it's OF
, considerable value. And If 1t wasn't
a money, what was 1t and how does
that fit In with the MURDER
"One thing is certain" declared
g Peter. 1T couldn't have been Web
ster Spears. He was already under
arrest"
1T wasn't Rylie Carmody either,
the detective added obviously. Il.
n he had tried anything like this, wei
n have had a report from the maj
e who's shadowing him. That leaves
the Shipley girl. If this had an.
connection with the murder, it wa
n she who searched this apartment
? But why? What was she after?"
Ie Peter turned to the servant witt
quickened interest. "What time wa
k 1t when you left the apartment
Fletcher"
20 Il can't tell you exactly, sir. Prob
D. ably about four-thlrty."
r. And when did you returnT"
lie "It vas a quarter to eve ha'
Id dinner while | was out. There wa
Ut nothing In the house"
g Could 1t have been Calls Shipley
ne Peter wondered? Certainly 1t ha
been fully fve-thlrty when she LEI
Oh his apartment, probably later. II
ne tried In vain to think of some eli
es cumstance which would help hiI
III estimate the hour Of her visit. Asid
from the fact that he remembers
turning on the reading lamp whe
st she arrived, there was no way b
as could accurately check the time. Fc
n Kilday's benefit he related the ci.
cumstances Of that visit. II don
A think 1t could have been the girl
he concluded. This search too
Vn time. She was with me at Leaf
ng part Of the time Fletcher Wa
MT away"
The detective chewed refe0sivel
~ upon his frayed cigar. "PerhaI
this didn't have anything to do wit
the murder, after ALL" he venture
at length. I'VE know 1t couldn
" have been either Spears or your
Is. Oarmody. Who else. besides th