The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-01-11

i ~ AAC ldAS yUu uOuSs -.
mo, want to go to him." The girl
hurried her fathers dragging steps.
i You can't-do anything, my dear.
It's too late for that" Ambrose
gripped his daughters arm in gently
firm fingers. "He's dead"
/ Doris did not cry, then. She was
too dazed for that. And 1t seemed to
her that she had known, from the mo-
ment her father had come to her In
the vestibule. She was conscious, for
the first time, of the curious throng
outside.
II want to go to him, Dad" she re
| peated.
Fifteen hundred wedding guests sat
stunned In their pews. They seemed
unwilling to believe Doctor Aber-
nathy's statement.
''What did he say? Tell me again."
the woman beside Peter Cardigan
sought confirmation of the astounding
news. $780, .- ...--..--..
"The wedding has been postponed"
Peter told her, and made his way
toward the door.
At first, the novelist had no thought
but to hurry away ahead of the crowd.
Now he hesitated. Something serious
must be wrong. After all, Jim Frank
lin and he had been friends In the
past. Perhaps he could be Of some
service. He followed Carmody and
his daughter into the sacristy In time
to hear him ask, GLOW did it happen?
Where is he?" III
I'm the study" replied Doctor Aber--
nathy. He hesitated. looking at the
| girl who was to have been bride.
"He's-he's been killed." he faltered.
Murdered r. s .
Cardigan followed the stunned
group into the rector's study. They
had need of him here.
Sprawled on his back, beside the
rector's desk, was the bridegroom Jim
| Franklin. A limp hand still clutched
at the desk leg. His other arm was
flung across the rumpled rug. A sod
den stain crept across his vest and
darkened the silken lining of his cut
away. His collar, torn loose on one
side, curled grotesquely awry. grim
symbol Of the mans last struggle.
Doctor Alternately gazed in horror
at the body on the floor.
Beside the desk stood Nicholas
Royce. Peter had known "Nick" in
the old newspaper days Now Nick
was managing editor of Topics, the
| tabloid with the largest circulation in
| New York. He had been the dead
mans best friend-was to have been
his best man. r. - e q
Nick nodded at Peter, in recognition.
"I'll call the police he said.
when did this happen" Doctor
| Alternately found his voice at last. 3
"About five minutes ago, should
judge" Nick replied with one hand
over the transmitter. Then he got
his connection and reported the crime
| to the police, before turning again to
| the rector.
81 followed you to the door," he con-
tinued, leaning against the desk easily,
as though unconscious of the dead
man. so near at hand. 81 left the
door ajar. and kept my eye on you, so
we'd know when to start in. Jim was
behind me, in the entrance of the
study, l thought. heard nothing un-
usual. l never realized anything was
wrong until the wedding March be-
gan. Then said, All set, JIM but he
never answered me. When l turned
to call him again the door from the
sacristy into the study was closed.
II thought that was strange, but l
still wasn't suspicious. Not until !
tried the door. and found it locked.
"Of course, then l knew something
was wrong. ran around the out.
side, to the rear door. It was open.
| I found Unlike this .~ "
But why didn't you let us know?"
demanded Ambrose Carmody, who had
left his daughter with members of the
family in the sacristy, and entered the
room during Royce's recital "We had
no idea what was wrong. We were
in the midst of the wedding march
the girls were halfway down the
aisle"
| Royce shrugged. II forgot about
| that" he confessed. II was busy
i phoning."
| "Phoning? Ambrose Carmody's white
eyebrows lifted into question marks.
"Phoning?"
EYES,"
"Then you had already notified the
police" Doctor Alternately put in quick
Iy. why"
There was trace of a smile around
the corner of Royce's thin lips as he
glanced quickly toward Peter.
/ II wasn't phoning the police" he
/ said. "The story"
"You mean you've notified the news
papers?" Carmody's tone was angry.
mot the newspapers" Royce denied
| "Only my newspaper"
/ "Have you lost your mind?" the old
man fared. We'll keep the newspa-
pers out of this" L.
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