The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-05-10


might identify You with the crime
You hadn't an opportunity to do IL be
fore. because we were watching you.
You realized you were under suspicion.
That heightened your anxiety. and
made you all the more eager to de
stroy that evidence. If II were In the
apartment. H. . q -~.E
$50 last night you made up your
mind not to wait any longer. You de
cided to shake the detective and take
your chances with Fletcher And
that's what you did. You had lucky
break when Fletcher went out for q
couple of hours But you couldn't find
what you went after there and decided
Franklin had kept It at his office.
Il don't know what you were after
yet. But I'll find out Probably some
evidence that connected this Shipley
girl with the case. Or perhaps II con.
nected you, or even young Spears with
the crime. At any rate. that's where
Cardigan outguessed us both. IT'S too
bad ] didn't haye more. confidence. In
him. If | had. I'd have been with him
last night. and he would be here. right
now Next time. ri play his bunch,
If there ever is next time"
q The detective scowled 81 don't IN.
derstand how you caught him so com.
pletely Off balance. He was armed
But somehow or other. you did. And
in the struggle which followed. you
knocked him out of the window. But
not" he paused to glance significantly
at Rylie's bandages. mot before he
had put up an awful struggle. He left
his mark on you.
1.-THE fight was waged in the dark.
Cardigan has been able to tell me that
much. You thought that even If Cardi.
gan lived. he would be unable to iden.
tify you. But circnmstantial evidence
accuses you. my boy. just as surely as
Peter Cardigan ever could.
.You gave our detective the Slip
Why? Because you couldn't afford to
be observed when you went to Frank.
Inns apartment and office. YOn knocked
Cardigan through the window, but not
before he had left his mark on you
This accident story won't get you any.
where. Carmody."
Suppose" replied the boy soberly
shat can prove there really was an
accident?"
"Do you have witnesses~
SHOT eye-witnesses. but can pro
duce the wrecked car. That should
be pretty strong circumstantial evi.
A~1
Kiiday pulled thoughtfully. The
wrecked car. eh1 What time was this
wreck3r
-About eight-thirty. or perhaps q
quarter to nine on . gravel road about
ten miles from Westport-
~Where did you GOT What did yen
do7 How did you get back to town.
What time was II thenr The sergeant
shot his questions with staccato
rapidly.
81 was stunned guess II was this
blow on the head that did II" Rylie
fingered the discolored eye gently. II
don't know how long ] was out 1t
was quite dark. I remember. The
car had overturned and had been
thrown clear. ! didn't realize. at first.
that I had been unconscious Then ]
looked at my watch. Il was nine
thirty. That worried me. because !
was supposed to meet some one at
nine. And the last thing remembered
before the accident. had had plenty
Of time.
.There was q farmhouse up the road
about half q mile. could see the
lights. So limped up there and
asked for help. ! telephoned West.
port from there and got car. Then
I returned home"
"What time was II when you reached
the farmhouser
II don't know. exactly. It must have
been about ten o'clock. Not much
later. I'm sure"
The sergeant smiled slow an
pleasant sort Of smile In which there
was no trace Of mirth. "Pretty clever.
Carmody, but Il won't work. II was
somewhere around four o'clock when
you started for the country. About
four-forty-nve you lost the man who
was following you. The accident oce
cured nearly four hours later. within
thirty miles Of the spot where you
were last seen. Il didn't take four
hours to travel thirty miles-not at the
rate You were going. Where were you
MI that timer What were You doingf'
Rylie hesitated. II was just going
for . ride. l wasn't going anywhere
In particular"
.'You said you had an appointment
at nine. With whomT'
'That doesn't have anything to do
with the case" the young man replied
slowly. " merely mentioned It to d.
| the time Of the accident"
you'll have to let me be the Judge
Of what's important now" declared the
sergeant gruffly. 'Who were yOu go
| ing TO meet. and where2"