The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-09-22
by MARION WHITE
go or CHARACTERS

PRISCILLA PlEkSE-he'o'"
Young woman attorney.
AMY KERR-Cillys roommate
and murderer's victim,
Jim KERRICAN-Cilly's fianee.
HARRY HUTCHiNS Amy s
SERGEANT DoLAN-0ffieerr
assigned to solve the murder OF
Amy Kerr.
Yesterday: Cilly holds another
conference with Inspector po,an;
Then he reveals that Amy mac
been strangled before she was
hurled from the housetoP! ''
~ CHAPTER VII
For a moment Cilly sat there
too stunned to move. mi
"Strangledr she repeated. That
explained the wild shrek she had
heard before the TALL, the shrlli
terrorizing cry which had weak
ened, to an agonized gasp as the
rope choked off her breath;
''Strangled. But why? Why would
anyone do that to Amy?"
Dolan shrugged. l..
Because someone wanted 10
get her out of the way, of course.
Someone wanted to be sure she
was dead. He didn't take chance
on strangulation alone. 1t was too
dark up there to be sure he'd
done the job thoroughly. Or per-
haps he was in a hurry. SO ne
threw her over the roof. If the
clothesline hadn't killed her, the
five-story fall surely would"
"How did you know" .
Doctor found evidence Of
strangulation this morning. He
also noticed some of the hemp
from an ordinary piece of rope
still on the body. 1t had been hid
den by her hair last night"
al can't believe it" Cilly muir
INJURED. 81 simply can't believe
that anybody would want poor
Amy Kerr out of the way. It's
too TERRIBLE" ..
"Now you see," Dolan went on,
"why' we're trying to check up on
her past, on her friends and &C
quaintances. We need just one
little clew to put us on the right
track. ""'' .'". DEL.
One little clew! Cilly's heart
skipped a beat. She thought Of
the newspaper clipping, so close
within reach of Sergeant Dolan,s
X-ray eyes. She remembered sud
denly it was in the vase on the
desk. Of Jim's postcard, hiding
so carelessly under her pillow.
But those weren't clews. They
couldn't be. There was just some
thing curiously circumstantlal
about them. Something which she
must at all costs prevent Sergeant
Dolan from discovering. She knew
what circumstantial evidence
could do: she knew what it could
do to a perfectly innocent man.
To Jim, even.
"You haven't heard from New
Hampshire YETI" Dolan was ask
ing her. ,,
7'Not yet. / should, though.
Amy's aunt must have my mes
sage by this time" :.
The sergeant looked at his
watch. "Nine-forty," he said,
"You ought to hear from her
SOON"
sAs if in response to their
thoughts, the telephone on the
desk tangled. Cilly answered it.
western Union calling she
repeated, aside to Sergeant Do
Ian. Then, into the phone:
"What? Oh. she must be! -. :.
Are you quite sure? Wait, wait
lust a moment. :. :"
ats Western Union,' she said
again. 1.-THE message has not been
delivered. They say there is no
Miss Harriet Kerr in Interlaken."
"What's that?" Sergeant Dolan
demanded sharply. "Here, let me
take it." ."' ,.u
He took the phone fro mCilly's
trembling hand.
"Hellop he said authoritative.
ly. "Can you give me your In
terlaken operator on this line d.
rect?" To Cilly he mumbled:
"Small town. The operators know
know everybody. They can tell
us where to find Aunt Harriet.
Hello-Interlaken? New York
police calling. Sent a message to
Miss Harriet Kerr last night. Isn't
she at Interlaken? Where? What's
that you say"
He replaced the phone on its
hook and turned to Cilly.
"Well, that's hot one" ne
said.
"What is it,"
"There was a Miss Harriet
Kerr in Interlaken, but she died
four years ago."
Ciliy's eyes widened. "You
mean-there isn't any Aunt Har-
riet?"
evidently not. And Miss Amy's
been giving you a cock-and-bull
story about her relatives. NOW
why, / ask you, why did she have
to do that?" :,
al don't know" Cilly said
YEARLY. "I'm sure I don't know,
The whole thing gets more I'M
possible every minute. Whatever
will do now? There aren't any
other relatives, Pm sure. Amy
never mentioned a soul except
her Aunt Harriet"
"Looks as if you'll have. 20
handle the funeral yourself 1
guess. Or let the city do It."