The Washington times., 1937-06-16

Have a couple OF men Euu W
there until I relieve them. If he
leaves before I get there I want
him followed. I'm going out to eat
III be at Weber's." He hung up
He was at his club, all right,
he said. you've made me miss my
dinner at home, and I'm hungry
How about eating?"
MY treat" said Brant. I'm
sorry. Lieutenant. if"
Forget it," Cropsy interrupted
brusquely.
THE d" ner," announced to
settle all arguments, "iS on the
Express. You can move right in
on a planked steak, John"
We had come from the station
in CropSy's own car, a coupe.
Dinner over at last. we dashed out
into the rain and crowded in and
drove out Euclid Avenue. At Thir-
tenth Street Cropsy turned off
and pulled up in front of Rine-
hart's club. A bulky man in plain
clothes, seeing us stop. came
promptly forward and spoke to
Cropsy.
Hes eating dinner, Meuten-
ant"
We'll wait" said Cropsy. He
backed the car UP, diScreetly away
from the entrance, and settled
back behind the wheel to puff APT
preciatively at his cigar.
We waited. Three-quarters Of
an hour passed. Brant said, hest
family, alphabetically: Maybe I'm
crazy, Lieutenant"
/ Don't let it worry you" Cropsy
replied. I'VE all are now and
then"
Then the plain-clothes man de-
scended the steps with word for
us. Hes finished, Lieutenant.
He's going out; he asked the
porter to have his car brought
around"
GO back and keep your eyes
open," Cropsy ordered. When
you see us follow him, you can
beat it,"
Right"
A few minutes later big sedan
pulled up to the entrance, not
more than two car lengths ahead
of us. It had hardly stopped
when the uniformed doorman
opened a large umbrella and Mel
son Rinehart, wrapped in a heavy
camel's hair overcoat, came out Of
the club.
Keep quiet" Cropsy warned,
and we sat still. Beneath the UNI.
brella, Rinehart came escorted
down the steps and climbed in be-
hind the whee' of the sedan.
After a discreet interval we fol-
lowed him-east on Euclid Ave
nue., south at Trinity Cathedral,
east again on Carnegie Boulevard.
Where do you suppose he's
going?" I asked, addressing no one
in particular.
Cropsy answered me. "Out to
his girls house, most likely. We've
trailed him out here plenty Of
times-juSt between you and me
and not for the prosecutor"
I glanced at Brant then. He
nodded and said nothing. His pipe
had gone dead and he lit it again.
whats the name Of his fan
cee?" asked casually.
Cropsy grunted. You're a hell
Of reporter. Your socity editor
ought to know. Dorothy Menefee's
her name"
"Oh," I said, remembering GER
tain lovely pictures in our society
columns and on the sports pages.
She was one of the best among
the city's women golfers. "Quite a
gal" I said.
Yeah" said cropsy. what
time is it?"
twenty-five after eight"
A mile or so farther and Rine-
hart's car swung again to the
right. Cropsy slowed up. He knew
the street. knew, he said. where
Rinehart would turn in a drive
way among the trees.
Headlights Grow Dim
As Rinehart Energies
We rounded the corner just in
time to see the lights of the sedan
go out and Rinehart step out of
the car. The house, a big white
colonial. shed warm light upon the
sodden lawn from the downstairs
windows. Rinehart went up the
walk, the door swung open and
then closed behind him.
Nov for a place to wait" said
CropSy, and looked about him.
"Ah!" He peered intently at the
house almost directly across the
wide street. It was completely
dark. Cropsy ran down his window
and looked more closely.
"For SALE" he said. We'll drive
right up in the driveway. No one
will notice U.S."
We waited. We smoked. Brant
presently spoke. Imagine your
self" he sail, "in the shoes of
Nelson Rinehart. On Monday the
newspapers will print his name in
96-point type. If I were in his
place I believe I'd break the news
to my fiancee myself instead of
letting the papers do it. I think
that's what Rinehart will do"
"Tonight?" I asked.
IF not tonight, then certainly
tomorrow night"
and then what?" said Cropsy.
Brant shrugged. Desperate
mon oIANf 20