Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-01-24
CHAPTER vI-contInued

IL 1879 N@ 49, N-@
keys are eliminated as one Of the
pieces of the puzzle" exclaimed Kill
day r%uefully. Il was hoping that
they would help us identify this
woman in blue, when we found her.
But now" he tilted back his chair
and gazed %ceilingward through the
haze of smoke that clouded the
room. "Now | think you have given
me a hint that is just as helpful"
He drew another long, reflective
puff on his stogy.
The trouble with this case" he
began, presently, rs too many sus-
poets. OF course. there aren't many
genuine clues, but we haven't need
ed clues so much. Not since we've
had an opportunity to talk to all
these people. Peter. has anything
struck you as peculiar about this
case?r
Not unless It's the fact that
you've just mentioned-too many
suspects"
The sergeant leaned forward, a
smile warming the harsh lines of his
face. you've laid your finger on
It," he said. Now what would you
say that indicates? No, don't In
terrupt. I know the answer myself.
Whoever murdered Franklin pur-
posely entangled some of these 9th
ers in the case In order to drag a
herring across his own trail, en-?
Isn't that the way you figure it?"
Peter eyed his friend carefully.
1T looks that way" he admitted.
"All right, then" Kilday made
no effort to conceal his exuberance.
Lets find out who seems to have
been manipulating the herring. Let's
find out who seems to have been in
volved In this cast by some one else.
When we eliminate this class, per-
haps We'll have the murderer. First"
he began the enumeration of the
suspects on his fingers, there's
Choo Choo. She claims some one
phoned her, saying he was Fletcher,
and told her Franklin wanted her to
come to the church. Royce heard
the argument, after she arrived
there. Franklin wasn't expecting
her. OF course, she may not be
telling us the truth, but just at
present, she seems to be telling a
straight story. And Franklin wasn't
expecting her. SO it looks as though
she was part of the red herring that
the real culprlt dragged across the
trail to throw us off the scent. Wen
eliminate her, for the time being.
Then there's Fletcher. He hasn't
been an important suspect, up to
now, but I'd say that this eliminates
him from further consideration, too.
Why? Because who ever called
Choo Choo was the murderer. If
that was Fletcher, he wouldn't have
given her his name.
Third, Ambrose Carmody." Kill
day turned down another finger.
HE was dragged into it by that
anonymous telephone call. Very
similar to the trick employed to
bring Choo Choo to the church.
Strike him off.
Fourth, Rylie Carmody. He was
drawn into 1t by the story told him
by Webster Spears and now we're
getting hot"
Hold on" Peter objected. IF
you follow this method through,
you'll eliminate every one, won't
your"
The sergeant, enthused over his
idea, shook his head smilingly. mot
so you can notice it." he retorted.
Don't overlook this fact. We don't
know who called Choo Choo. We
aren't certain who phoned Ambrose
Carmody. But we do know who
told Rylie. 1t was Webster Spears.
And If Spears involved one of them,
what's to prevent him from being
the one who involved the others?"
"Only one thing" the novelist re-
piled soberly. IF he was clever
enough to draw these others into
the case without revealing his iden-
tity, why did he tell Rylle Carmody
personally? Why didn't he tele.
phone him, or write him an anony
nous letter? If he took these other
precautions to remain concealed
how did he happen to slip up here?'
But Kilday had an answer ready
"They all slip up, sooner or later
I've never known 1t to fail. There
aren't any perfect crimes. This Il
the flaw In this one. 1t only re
Quires a little reasoning to discover
it."
"How about the others?" Pete
was still reluctant. "How do you
explain the presence Of the woman
In blue? What was Calls SIMPLE!
doing back there2
THE woman In blue could have
been drawn into 1t just as Cho'
Choo Train was. Spears only need
ed to know another woman will
whom Franklin had had an affai
TO add a new note Of mystery t
the case which would keep us puz
xled and throw US off the track o
the real criminal AS for the Ship
ley girl. / don't know-yet But