Nogales international., 1936-01-11

,egOW GO ON WITH TIE STORY.
Wisely, Miss Edmond made no
effort to deny the charge. Where
did you learn that?"
From Harvey Willard, of course
=. and Mrs. Rowland" Rankin re-
burned pro7ocative1y. "They in
formed me of your entire part in
the coilusion - how, as secretary,
you agreed to pretend an affair with
the husband. And how you climaxed
,the intrigue with the affair at the
Inn" He smiled contemptuously.
AS he intended, anger burned in
che girls eyes, as much directed
against her erstwhile confederates
as against his insulting comments.
"They told you that? But it was
their plan; | had nothing to do with
it and had no interest in it, until l
'innocently took the job as secre
tary"
Just the same, you've conspired
20 defraud justice and commit per
jury under oath," the detective put
in cold1y.
Jill Edmond's resentment increas-
ing with her alarm, loosened her
tongue.
4 won't be fool for them" She
,clenched her fists They may have
told you lot, but they left out even
more. You haven't heard yet that
they tried to double-cross Mr.. Row
land There was a woman he really
,loved-for whom he wasn't taking
ian affection; and they attempted to
icatch him with her-his real mis-
;tress."
His real mistress? What do you
imean-he was unfaithful. after all?"
''Yes, he had mistress; and here
Is more news to surprise you"
Miss Edmond spoke triumphantly.
"They didn't tell you her name,
either, Mr.. Rankin; it was Barbara
Keith--Mrs. Mortimer Keithl 1t
was with her, not me. that he went
to the Sunset Inn February first, to
spend the night"
Mrs. KeithI" Rankin calculated.
"Good heavens, how can that be
possible3"
He could hardly credit his ears.
He had expected information from
the girl, but never, in his widest
Speculations, such a startling, over
whelming revelation.
"To clear up this whole business
for you, Mr. Rankin" she related
81 had better begin at the begin
ming What they said about hiring
me and planting the impression
Allen and 1 had an affair is prob
ably correct; they'd have no reason
to lie about that. Up to the day
we chose for the final discovery,
everything went according to plan.
1T was arranged to catch us to-
gether, Thursday, February second;
you know, as secretary, had every
Thursday off and usually spent it
with Allen to increase suspicion.
He was to write note, making an
appointment to meet me that night
at eight o'clock in town. Mrs.
Rowland would supposedly dis
cover it, turn it over to her brother
and Dorkin, and the three of them
would watch our meeting. Then,
to produce proofs of our relations,
Allen and | were to drive to the
Roadside Hotel, thirty miles out
along the Lancaster Pike, and there
be trapped in bedroom together"
The detectives face screwed into
= bafled, uncomprehending frown.
"This was set for Thursday, the
second? But according to Mr..
Willard and the testimony" he OBJ
jected, "the climax really was acted
fhe day before, Wednesday, Febru-
ary first. And it took place at the
Sunset Inn, instead"
Jill Edmond smiled vindictively.
~Yes, that's so; that is where the
double-crossing comes in. The
whole program was advanced one
day by Mrs Rowland's treachery in
trying to drag Mrs. Keith into the
scandal. She failed only because /
was too much for her At the hear
ing afterward, she couldn't prove
anything against Mrs. Keith, SO she,
Mr.. Willard and Allen had to stick
to the story they originally planned
and change only the necessary
minor details, such as the date and
the scene. After all, so far as Dor
kin was concerned, he witnessed on
Wednesday substantially what we
Intended him to see on Thursday;
and that was the evidence he Of
tered"
Still Rankin wore a puzzled look
"I'm afraid I don't follow at all,
Mia EdmQnd. How SaE that be i