The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-04-05

Kilday chuckled softly. "Now It
doesn't look so bad" he said. when
Spears prints didn't match the one
on the revolver. I'll admit began to
feel the ground slipping out from un-
der me. But now-well, 1t fits better
than ever. That was lucky bunch.
Peter. never would have thought Of
looking for Franklln's print on the
gun. It seemed so obvious that he
couldn't have hidden It In the garden
after he was murdered"
Peter took turn around the room,
hands clasped behind his back. his
brow knitted In thought. "At any
rate" he began slowly, "this gives us
another place to start. If we find the
man or woman who had the oppor-
tunity to remove Franklin's revolver
from his room. 1t should help"
sounds like Choo Choo," unused
Kilday. "She had access to his rooms.
Or, If we can prove there was any
thing between him and the Shipley
girl, she might have done it. That
may be what she's trying to hide"
"She tried to protect Rylie Carmody
first," Peter pointed out. snow she
seems to be protecting Webster Spears.
How does that connect up with the
gum" ..-.... ..r4 Il
suppose" the detective ventured,
shat she gave Rylie the gun. Rylie
would be the one she'd try to protect.
But later, IL she discovered that he
had passed 1t on to young Spears,
wouldn't that cause her to change her
storyf Whatever the reason was, she
did change her story. Our best bet
now Is to discover who procured that
revolver" :<...
Don't overlook Fletcher" Peter eau
toned. "That fellow may know more
than he's saying. Come to think Of
It, he was very careful about mention
ing Franklin's callers. questioned
him on the subject"
Kilday pulled his stogy thoughtfully.
slow about Nick Royce? He was
intimate with Franklin, and probably
in his apartment often. He met Frank
lin there. before they went to the
church. What was to prevent him
from slipping the revolver In his pocket
them"
"Or the woman in blue" Peter re-
turned to the subject Of the mysteri-
GUS woman whose identity continued
to BATTLE them. According to Dan
Bulls, she was in love with Frank
lin, and he had been indiscreet where
she was concerned, to say the least.
1t isn't unreasonable to assume that
she had access to his apartment And we
know that she was in the study short
time before his death. Perhaps she IL
the one who took the revolver from his
rooms after learning his determination
to marry another woman" He
reached for his hat. "Bring the gun,
Sergeant. Let's have 4 talk with this
man Fletcher. Wen never find out
how that gun got into the rectory
garden, sitting here"
Pending settlement Of Franklin's If
fairs, his apartment was being kept
open, and they found the servant there.
"Were you wanting to have another
look around, sir?" he inquired.
"We want to ask you 4 few more
questions. Fletcher" Peter tried, with
out success, to penetrate the mans
suaye mask. He only looked politely
interested.
u believe yon told Us that Nick
Royce and Dan Bulls were Mr..
Franklin's only visitors here yester-
day." the novelist continued. "You
are sure that's right?"
mo. sir, that isn't right" Fletcher
sidestepped the trap. "Mr. Royce
came, after lunch. and accompanied
Mr.. Franklin to the church. Mr.. Bulls
telephoned, repeatedly. but he never
came here. The young Mr.. Carmody
was the other caller. You misunder-
stood me. sir, about that"
Peter nodded. my mistake, Fetch
er. So Mr.. Royce and Mr.. Carmody
were the only visitors yesterday. Think
carefully, must be sure"
"Pm quite sure that is correct, sir.
If there had been any other visitors,
should have known IL. I was here
all the time"
The novelist was apparently en-
crossed in the lighting of cigarette,
but his eyes never wavered from the
mans face. "How about the day be-
foreY he shot at him suddenly. do
you recall what visitors Franklin had
that day.?
The man hesitated. There have
been 80 many things happening. Mr..
Cardigan. I don't recall anything I'M
usual about that day. II that's what
you mean"
'But there was nothing unusual
about visitors calling here to see Mr..
Franklin, was thereY
"Oh, no, sir. But unless there were
something unusual about It, couldn't
say exactly who called on any certain
day."
"Come, come, Fletcher" Kilday In
L ko-~,,1toA Sxo~o4io~k1. ssryS, y. AL.