The Washington times., 1937-05-13

At the post office I bought bull
dog edition of the Public Opinion.
Janice Fowler's picture gazed from
q front page layout. Reading as
I walked, I made my way to the
Express office and up the two
flights of stairs to the city room.
And there, sitting at my desk, his
hat pulled down over his eyes,
smoking his pipe in solitary obliV-
ion of the activities of the night
staff, waS-of all people!-LoWell
Brant.
WE'LL" I said. "Since when did
you join the ranks Of the OPP
pressed?"
At the sound of my voice he
Jumped guiltily and scrambled to
his feet in momentary confusion.
mo" he said, they haven't had
me working. I Just dropped in to
kill time, Went to a theater and
couldn't sit it out. So I decided
to stick my head in at the shop
and see what was happening"
1 grabbed some copy paper and
stuck it in my typewriter. Don't
go away" I called as he turned.
''That is, unless you're in a hurry
to get home"
Brant heSitated uncertainty,
then sprawled into nearby chair
"All right, I'll wait"
I'll put you to work" I said.
'You can read copy on this yarn,
and for the love of Mike write q
decent line for it before that dumb
bell Clark" referring to the night
editor, puts one Of his own on it.
Will you?"
Certainly" Brant said. "Let it
come"
We said nothing more until the
Job was finished. Then, as we left
the office. he suggested a bite Of
supper.
"I've eaten" I told him, "but I
could stand glass of milk. I guess,
after the terrible meals I've swal-
lowed today"
cigarettes and coffee mostly. I
suppose" he Sympathized. ''It's
beastly trying to eat under such
terrific pressure By the way,
did you see the dagger"
Brant Admits Interest in Odd
Phases of Case
We had just stepped out Of the
building. I stopped where was
and looked at him accusingly.
''Brant," I said with a laugh,
"what's the use Of trying to kid
me?"
He stopped too, and returned
my stare. Then he shrugged and
smiled. 81 may as well confess"
he said. This Shannon murder
interests me. Do I show it that
plainly?"
when a man with the reputa.
ton of being the office sphinx
makes two social calls in the same
day Why, you're like a hound
on a hot trail. It's almost unbe-
lievable."
isn't it, thought" He laughed
Telievedly and knocked the ashes
out Of his pipe against the heel of
his palm. well, since you've dis
covered my guilty secret I might
as well make the best of it." More
gravely he added, 81 don't mean
to be SO communicative, really.
It's Just that I feel-well, out of
place. I don't belong in that
crowd Don't misunderstood
me; like the men and I like the
atmosphere. It's just that I'm a
stranger. I came in too late to be
much more than a spectator: I'm
old, and newspapermen have to be
caught young However, that's
neither here nor there. Here's a
restaurant"
After we had ordered I got back
to his question and told him I
hadn't yet seen the dagger. Cant
well guarded it like bulldog and
Cropsy backed him up. And with
reason enough, Brant. They dis
covered Janice Fowler's finger
prints on it,"
He stared at me in amazement.
''Really?"
Its confidential. so we can't
print it yet; but they did. And
the weapon beyond doubt is the
one that killed Margie Shannon"
I explained then that the lead
4 had just written was at Cropsy's
suggestion. Brant'S face lighted
as he listened and he appeared to
be relieved at something.
Good for CropSy," he said. HE
sounds like a man of intelligence.
Your ordinary police Sleuth, with
all the evidence CropSy has to
hand to the prosecutor, would"
you talk as if you believe in
Janice Fowler's innocence" I in
terrupted. "CropSy would call you
q sap. He's convinced she did it,
you know. He just admits that he
wants this missing mans story.
Cropsy's nothing If not thorough"