Evening star., 1935-09-29
INSTALLMENT Xxx.

mn 3 lie during the three weeks
~ following their return from
~ Boston was as unreal as had
been the news of Deane Run
brecker's brutal death. One was as in
credible as the other.
She seemed to be two persons now
the girl she had been in Elmville and
this Ann of Washington-being ques-
toned almost daily by the police, try
ing to hold her mind to her work
through the long days, sleeping At
fully at night, momentarily expecting
to be pulled out of bed and piled with
questions again.
Mollie had observed the change in
her and tried to persuade her to take
a week of and 60 home for the Christ
mas holidays.
Lee, too, had been worried about her,
and though he had been to the apart
ment several times each week and had
twice taken her to lunch, he had had
the good sense not to talk about the
subject nearest his heart. Once only
had he referred to it. That was the
second time he had taken her to lunch
near her ONCE Suddenly and without
the slightest warning he had said:
i've got to be heading West again
soon, Ann. I've got work to do. Why
don't you pack your thing and come
along? There won't be any fuss.
Well Just run over to Elkton some
early morning come back and hop in
the old ship and take of for parts un-
known"
Afterward Ann wondered why she
hadn't jumped at the chance. 1t
meant getting away from Washington
and starting afresh.
She told Lee: Il wouldn't be fit to
live with. Lee. Not the way things are
now. There1l be an end to all this
some day, I hope, and then III be able
to think and know what ought to do.
You 60 on back to California and when
you come East run in to see me"
But Lee had stayed on, without
knowing exactly why himself, and only
tonight he had come up for few min
utes with Bill and had gone of with
out saying anything about going back
to what he called his job.
In the darkness of the bed room Ann
watched the nightly procession OF
memories that began with her first ar
rival in Washington, every somber re-
flection pulling another along behind
it. until. step by step, she came back
to the present.
After three weeks the police were
not able to throw any light on the
mysterious murder Of Deane Run
brecker. At s:l2 Deane had been
with them in the lobby Of the Boston
Lecture Hall. Within the next five
minutes he had gone down to the
mems lounging room. Less than eight
hours later his dead body had been
found in the Speakers chair in the
House of Representatives in Wash
ington.
As far as she knew. the police had
added but one important detail.
Walking his rounds at $50 in the
morning, a member of the Capitol
police had noticed chalk writing on
the locked door Of the House Of Rep
resentatives and on closer inspection
read:
Look in the Speakers chair"
The man had reported to his su-
perior, and together they had gone
into the chamber and discovered
Deane's body. That was all.
Ann had not been questioned alone.
Always they were called together
Bill. Carl, Rita. Mollie and Ann.
Though none of them had seen Selma
since her brothers tragic end. Mollie
brought the information that Selma
has been questioned twice, once alone
and once with her father.
It was the same tireSome examina-
ton each time, as if the police thought
that by perseverance they would wear
their nerves down to the point where
there would be disagreement. Z.
@. believe you said, Miss Winslow,
that Deane Runbrecker had lunch
with the rest of you at about ! O'Clock
Monday afternoon. Is that correct?
Mollie: Yes.
Q. Do you, Miss Rogers, recall where
he sat?
Ann: Vaguely. yes. Between Miss
Winslow and his sister.
Q. Is that your recollection also.
Miss Manley?
Rita: Yes; but It wasn't important
then, and I might be mistaken.
@. To get back to your statement
q few moments ago, Mr.. Balmer. you
told us. think, that after lunch you
and Mr.. Hudson and Deane Run
hrecker left the hotel together In Mr..