The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-01-23

thing was in perfect order. He
suspected nothing had been touch
ed there since Melvina Holilster
last arranged her kitchenware. But
the revolver was not to be found.
Parker coleman put his head
around the door and asked. do
you think we'd better stay much
longer? Somebody's liable to
come"
I'm not going until l find that
gum" Bannister told him doggedly.
I'm sure it's here and I'm going
to find it,"
Another 10 minutes passed. Ban
mister finished with the kitchen and
turned his back on it. He found
Coleman in the living room. He
had pulled the heavy writing desk
from against the wall and was look
ing down behind it.
Thought there might be
chance it would be down there he
explained.
Bannister nodded. He sat down
and began taking books from the
book case. AS he took them out he
stacked them in piles on the floor.
He had finished with two shelves
when suddenly he jumped to his
feet and went to the window.
Coleman was beside him. "What
Is it ?' he demanded anXiously.
Turn the light off, will your"
When the room was in darkness
Bannister opened the window
cautiously and making as little
noise as possible. He looked out,
shook his head and then closed it
again.
"You can put the light on now"
he said. Its not there"
whats not there?'
"A window box"
"What?"
II thought he might have hidden
the gun in a window box" Bannis-
ter told him. "Just an idea l got
some where. But there isn't any,"
Listen" Coleman objected. Il
don't think we should stay here
| much longer. You can't tell what
may happen" Coleman's eyes were
bright with nervousness. He looked
as worried as his voice sounded.
1--WE don't want to be found here,
he reminded Bannister.
The other looked at his wrist
watch. We've been here rs min
utes," he announced. There's an
other 20 before there's danger of
anyone coming"
"But Hollister may decide to
come back sooner than you think
he willn'
"We'Il have to take that chance
Eannister said. apparently unruf-
fed. "Well, l didn't think we'd find
the gun in this room anyhow. Let's
go back to the bedroom
"There's that other room we
haven't looked in" Coleman re-
minded him.
That's right"
Bannister opened the door of
Melvina HOLSTERS bedroom. For
an instant it seemed he could still
see the bulky outline of the sheeted
| figure, lying on the smooth white
| Counterpart. But the illusion was
gone as quickly as it had come. He
entreed the bedroom, pulled down
the window blinds and touched the
electric switch.
Once more the two set to work.
Bannister pulled out the top
drawer of the dressing table. There
were neat piles of feminine gar
| ments there-chastely white cotton
and linen. None of the lacy, pastel
shaded silk stuff he knew most wo-
men wore nowadays. Garments cut
after the fashion of another day.
Carefully Bannister lifted them,
searched the drawer and then went
on to the next.
He had reached the last of the
three drawers, was going through
it carefully and methodically when
Coleman heard an exclamation.
He turned. you've found 2"
Bannister was on his feet and in
his hand he held a dark, shining
object. Eyes, I've found it! Sec
| it's a 80. And the same make as
the gun that killed Tracy King.
1t is the gun that killed him!
| told you we'd find it here, didn't 1?
l told you HOLSTER was guilty.
There was triumph, excitement
in Banister's voice. He opened the
revolver, looked into the cylinders.
There are four bullets left" he
said. With quick movement he
emptied them from the gun.
why did you do that %
Just to be safer. l don't care
much about carrying 4 loaded gun
around"
The sentence was never finished.
| corridor. Both men heard it and
stared at each other. For an in
slant there was quiet and then they
heard the noise again. Someone
was putting key in the lock.
There was no time for flight, no
tim efor anything except what Ban
| mister and Coleman did-snap off
the electric light switch and fiatten
| themselves against the wall. They
heard the key turning in the lock
and then the door swung open.
Someone entered the living room.
Bannister could hear Coleman's
heavy breathing. There were voices
In the living room--low, indistinct.
One of them was Matthew Holli-
ster's, but the other was unfamil-
lar. Now tho men In the outer
room were moving about. Bannis-
ter heard another dor open but
the voices did not seem to go far
ther away.
What happened after that took
place so quickly that Bnnnlster
was never able TO describe II clehr-
~. He was erOuohlng closely
against the wall. He remembered
/ that c0leman's head was Just bare
~ visible IN tho dArknoss. sudden
~ there were footsteps coming to-
ward the bedroom door, The foot
st0sa paused, aud then the door
WAS hung open. There was u cry
and n rush and the lights cnno 0n
IN n binding GLOW,
"iIsfo they arei" Matthew noI'