The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-19

costume.
 "This was last Friday?" asked Sergeant Hagan. She hesitated briefly, then nodded. "Yes," she said.
 Just to be on the safe side, " said MT. Montague smoothly, I've brought in MT. Stout"
 The nondescript man who had followed them into the office looked up. Jean suddenly recognized him as the owner of the Grand river boat house, from whom they had rented their canoe.
 Have you seen these people be- fore, MT. Stout?" asked MT. Mon- tague.
 The boat man nodded.
 Last Friday, about 3 o'clock or 8 little after, they came and rented a canoe," he said. They went ups river in it, and didn't get back un- til half past six"
 And do you know where the Acme plant is?" continued the layer.
 The man nodded.
 How far would you say your boat house is from that plant?"
 "Oh," said MT. Stout. "by road, ] guess it must be 12 or IS miles,"
 MT. Montague looked at the two officers.
 "Is this satisfactory" he asked
 They glanced at each other. Ha- gan was wearing a faint, dissatisfied scowl, but he said nothing. Inspec- tor Thomas turned again to the lawyer.
 T don't see how it can be any, thing else," he said.
 MT. Montague chuckled softly.
 "Then MT. Harkins can go his way in peace?" he said.
 Hagan's scowl became slightly more noticeable, and he grunted dourly. Inspector Thomas was less ruffled.
 "As far as this is concerned, yes," he said. There was a faint menace in his tones that made Jean uncomfortable. MT. Montague adopted severe expression.
 What do you mean by that?" he asked. The inspector smiled.
 Nothing at all," he said, getting up. That was just my way of put ting 1t. No. he's as free as the birds in the air. We shan't be bothering him."
 The conference was at an end. MT. Montague got up, thanked the officers for their courtesy, and shepherded his charges out of the building. No one spoke until they had reached the street. Then MT. Stout, with farewell bob of his head, climbed into a rickety fiivver and drove away, while MT. Mon- tague signaled taxi.
 Well, Miss Dunn, you've done MT. Harkins a service" he said. You ought to be able to rest well tonight; you've done your good turn for to-day"
 Then he lifted his hat and was gone. Sandy led Jean to his road ster and they got in. She discov- cred suddenly that she felt tired, and her head ached slightly, and she asked Sandy to take her home.
 When she reached her apart ment, she removed her riding clothes, took 8 shower, put on a cool linen dress and lay down on the davenport in her little living room. Somewhere, in the back of her head, a, thought was bothering her; an uneasy feeling that some- thing had been done wrong, some- how. She drowned, and tried to bring 1t out. but it eluded her. And at last, as she lay there, she dropped into an uneasy sleep, from which the ringing of her telephone awakened her.
 It was Bobby Wallace calling.
 "Well-at last I've been able to get hold of you," he said in mock anger. "Where've you been hid- ing yourself these last few days?"
 T haven't been hiding, Bobby. I've - been busy"
 
 50? It's a year since I've seen you. Listen, honey, I've got lots to tell you - why not let me take you out to dinner to-night2"
 She was on the verge of refus- ing, but sudden impulse made her change her mind and consent; and so, an hour later, she sat opposite Bobby in a pleasant little chop suey restaurant and saw his boyish, en- thusiastic face beaming at her from across @ little table.
 Bobby was full of news and high spirits. He had had another talk with MT. Montague, who had, in the days since Bobby's first confer ence with him, made a brief check up on the bonds which Bobby was offering him; and he had formally agreed to buy them, so that Bobby was to get them from MT. Lewis that evening and make delivery the following morning.
 Jean, it's going to mean $500 case for me-" he said exultanfiy.