The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-04-26
Characters figuring
in our new serial
The Wedding
March Murder
2
CHAPTER x
A Fresh Trail

Inc memory Ol sCdlilS ohiplCS %
agonized expression when he refused
his assistance tortured Peter after she
had departed Perhaps If she had
made that appeal to him at first, be.
fore he had detected her in two efforts
20 deceive him. he might have enlisted
In her cause Not now. The very
admiration which had almost betrayed
him into blind belief in her had also
made him wary. He felt that possibly
she was acting role; that this might,
In some manner, fit into the chain OF
her other receptions in subtly cal
culated effort to make him serve her
own interests, whatever they might be-
Grudgingly, he admitted to himself
that his instinct had been to offer her
his assistance. He almost wished
he had called her back and made such
la promise Her argument as to Rylie's
Innocence had appealed to his sense of
treason. Her defense of Spears had
Icoincided, in measure, with his doubt
THAT the latter could have grasped the
knife that ended Franklin's life from
its position high on the wall of the
lrector's study.
His reverie was interrupted by the
Isharp jangle of the telephone. 1t was
Sergeant Kilday calling.
"Grab taxi and come on over here"
he urged. SIN at Franklin's apart
Iment.'
"Has anything happenedT
.Some one has broken into the
department. But come on over. tell
lyou. You can see for yourself"
It was as Kilday had said. During
the late afternoon, Fletcher had been
absent on some errands. He had been
gone about two hours. When he re-
turned. he had found the apartment
Itopsyturvy. the rugs thrown back, the
drawers pulled out. the closets ran
sacked. He had, of course, immedi-
lately notified the police.
slave you discovered what is miss
Iingf Kilday was asking when Peter
larrived.
Everything is so torn up, don't
KNOW" the servant replied obviously.
IsT can't think what the burglars were
latter. There was no money in the
house. What little jewelry Mr.. Frank
lin had. shirt studs. . watch and one
lring, was not taken. There was no
lsilver Of any consequence. Mr.. Frank
lin seldom took his meals here"
A cursory examination could reveal
nothing missing. It was apparent that
1.-THE burglar, whoever 1t may have been.
had searched every corner of the apart
lment thoroughly. Whatever he had
Isought had been well concealed, If it
were here at all. This was evidenced
Iby the confusion evident In every
room.
"Now what" asked Kilday, was he
lafter7 It wasn't money. II 1t had
been an ordinary prowler he would
have taken that jewelry. There isn't
much Of It, but it's of considerable
value. And II 1t wasn't money. what
was it and how does this fit in with
the murder?'
He surveyed the wreckage grimly.
His first effort, after his arrival, had
been to find finger-prints. and although
Ian assistant had made thorough
search. only one set had been found.
These had quickly been identified as
having been made by Fletcher. The
rooms had been busted thoroughly that
morning and, with the exception Of
the unknown visitor who had left no
marks. there had been no one but
Fletcher in the apartment since.
zone thing Is certain" declared
Peter. ut couldn't have been Webster
lSpears. He was already under arrest"
"It wasn't Rylie Carmody either"
the detective added obviously. "If he
had tried anything like this. we'd have
had q report from the man who's
!shadowing him.. That leaves the Ship
ley girl. II this had any connection
with the murder. 1t was she who
searched this apartment. But why1
What was she afterT'
Peter turned to the servant with
lquickened interest. "What time was It
when you left the apartment, Fetch
Ier?'
Il can't tell you exactly, sir. Prob
ably about four-thirty."
"And when did you return?"
ut was quarter to seven. had
dinner while l was out There was
nothing in the house"
COULD It have been Calls Shipley,
Peter wondered7 Certainly it had
been fully five-thirty when she left his
apartment, probably later. He tried In
vain to think of some circumstance
which would help him estimate the
hour of her visit. Aside from the fact
that he remembered turning on the
reading lamp when she arrived, there
was no way he could accurately check
the time. His library windows opened
toward the east. on narrow canyon
Of street bordered by high apartment
buildings. where dusk crept In early.
For Kilday's benefit he related the cir.
icumstances Of that visit. 81 don't
think It could have been the GIRL he