Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-02-14
CHAPTER vll-Contlnued

49, RNNA NAAo R1AtA1
Fletcher In his palm Cardigan
extended the revolver found in the
%rectory garden.
The servant made no move to
touch it. mo, sir. | don't know
much about guns
but this n belonged to Mr..
Franklin Surely you've seen 1t be-
fore"
81 didn't know he had a gun, sir.
/ had never seen 1t. | think there
must be some mistake"
NHe probably kept 1t In a drawer
in the bedroom, or In his DESK"
Peter suggested.
IF he had, | should have known
1t, Mr.. Cardigan" the man insisted.
i've never see 1t before. I'm sure
there's been some mistake"
Peter ros abruptly. That's all,
l think" he said. But he paused
with one hand on the door, for a
final question. "Who has been here
since yesterday evening? Anyone?"
mo, sir. Not since you left last
night"
He's not telling us all he knows"
growled Kilday after the door had
closed behind them.
I'm ure of that" the novelist
agreed. But why? don't think
Fletcher had anything to do with
Franklin's murder. After all, he's
only a servant. Where would the
motive be?"
Il couldn't see a motive for Web
ster Spears at first" declared the
sergeant. Then he shook his Shout
ders YEARLY. This case Is giving
me the willies," he complained. "Ill
be %suspecting you, next. Well, what
do you think now? There were no
new leads there, and I've got to see
the district attorney right after
lunch. If | don't have something, it'll
be just too bad"
"And yet" the novelist answered
slowly, 1--WE know that the murder
er carried Franklin's revolver to the
church yesterday afternoon. That
Is certain. The simplest sort Of
logic convinces us that 1t must have
been one Of his intimate friends.
No n else could have had access
to it. The gun must have been ia
ken within the past few days
preferably yesterday. II the crime
had been planned far In advance, |
find 1t hard to believe that the muir
derer would have chosen the church
as the scene for his crime. It seems
clear that no one could have taken
1t without Fletcher's knowledge. and
we find him reluctant to talk. He
had no motive, 10 1t must have been
some n for whom he has a feeling
of sympathy or regard--some one
he Is willing to take some risk to
shield. Who could that be?"
Another woman, eh?" Kilday
paused on the steps. "A former
mistress, that the servant liked bet
ter than he did Choo Choo."
THAT sounds reasonable" Peter
agreed. "Or else 1t was a new mis-
tress. Franklin never had the repu-
tation of being exceptionally con-
slant in his loves"
Getting back to your woman in
Dlue," muttered the sergeant. "Ev-
erything leads back to her. But
then, what about young Spears?
What do you think Of my theory
concerning him now?"
Its your question, you answer
It," Peter declared YEARLY. 'IIl
admit you've built up a very ON
vincing case against him. 1t has
just one flaw. What could he have
been doing with Jim Franklin's re-
volver? They weren't intimate
friends. How could he have OBJ
tanned possession of it?"
THAT isn't so hard as you seem
to think. Calls Shlpley probably
obtained it and passed 1t on to him.
/ agree with you on one point. /
don't think the blow that killed
Franklin could have been delivered
by a woman. But that doesn't let
this girl out-nor the woman In
blue, either, If they were two differ
ent persons. If we can only prove
this girl passed that gun on to
Spears, Wen have a ease pinned
on him that will convince any jury.
But the only man who can help
us find her is Fletcher, and he won't
talk" added the sergeant grimly.
There's one other chance" Car
digan disagreed with him. 1.-THE fell
low was positive he'd never seen
the revolver before. If he was tell
ing us the truth, perhaps Franklin
kept 1t at his Office. Let's go and
see."
Milo Dunbar admitted them to his
private office without delay. Il hope
you gentlemen have some progress
to report" he began, after seating
them According to the papers, it's
beginning to look like a political
crime. If Jim was killed over this
magistrate investigation, then the
governor"
HE wasn't" Sergeant Kilday In
~terrnpted him bluntly. g" don't
think Dan Bulls had anything to do
with it, except, possibly, to shield
the woman In the case. He prob