The Washington times., 1934-02-19
Fourth Degree
BY K. s. DAIGER

Anderson Strode into . low.
ce1linged drawing room to the
left Of the hall and we tagged
along close at his heels.
The maid apparently forgot
nothing in repeating the con-
versation, for Mrs. Phelps,
either through fear or anger,
promptly swept down the stair
way. Her face, like Anderson's,
was flushed with rage.
Ignores Both
"Really, sir" she began, with.
out any preliminarieS and with
out deigning to notice either
Carroll or myself, II have al
ways understood that policemen
were without the rudiments Of
politeness but I did not know that
their lack Of good manners ex-
tended to invading the homes
Of private individuals and the
ordering Of other peoples
Servants!"
"I don't care what you under
stand, Mrs. Phelps" answered
Anderson rudely. "You take Q
seat there in that chair. I have
a few questions to ask you
and I intend to have an
answer to them!"
"Really?" replied the lady,
with a scarcely yelled sneer.
"I imagine that you are going
to be quite disappointed. I
came to see you voluntarily and
offered my assistance in any
way possible. That is quite q
different matter from receiving
orders!"
"A very different matter, in
deed" began Anderson. But
you can take your choice be-
tween answering these questions
here in the privacy of your
home or at the police station
In the presence of the re-
porterS. I have a blank war
rant here in my pocket and at
the first lie you tell me you
will find yourself locked up as
a material witness in the
murder of Mrs. Paige. There
are several things that appar.
emily you do not know about
the police department. One is
that it has a way Of its own
to make people talk who don't
want to.
Questions Maid
"Come here, you," he shouted
at the maid who was still
lingering in the doorway with
her mouth open and a terrified
expression on her face. "You
are not to interrupt your mis-
tress until I have finished! Do
you understand"
Eyes, sir" gasped the girl
meekly, and withdrew from the
room. We heard her French
heels tapping down the hall.
''Now," began Mrs. Phelps
defiantly. "Just exactly what
do you want that you dare
to invade my home and speak
to me and to my maid in this
manner?"
"This is what 7 wish to
know" answered Anderson
coldly, "and I intend to have
an answer. What did you take
from Mrs. Paige's desk in the
library last night when you
and your confederate sent us
out to the garden?"
Malicious Smile
Mrs. Phelps never WINGED.
On the contrary, her relief was
apparent and she permitted
herself a bland malicious smile.
Whatever she had feared it was
not this.
why, that is such q simple
question, my dear Inspector!
I took nothing at ALL"
"That's an outrageous lie and
I am going to have the TRUTH"
retOrted Anderson furiouSly.
This gentleman here saw you
remove something from that
desk and here is the very hair
pin with which you succeeded
in prying it open!"
From an inner pocket he pro
duced the slender gilt hairpin
which he had picked up on the
floor of the library the night
before.
Sarcasm
Mrs. Phelps smiled now IN
frank amusement.
what a detective you are,
Inspector! That may or may
not be my hairpin. If you
picked 1t up in Sunny's house,
it probably is. I can assure
you, however, that you will
doubtless find plenty more Of
them Strewn around in every
room Of the house, for I
was a frequent visitor
there, and these bobbed
heads Of ours are the death Of
us!" And she ran her hands
through her yellow mop. But
surely you do not consider me
under suspicion just because I
dropped a hairpin, do you?"
what did you take from tho
desk?" persisted Anderson in
exorably.
And again, my dear Tnspec-
tor, I will answer you that I
took nothing nor did open
the deSk!"