The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-06-19

nOpe N bildb yOu Sal PAO'S AS " Miss Mathews. She seems deter mined to involve you in this af- fair"
 T know she is," Coral replied ruefully. "Who could have told the story around the campus. David? Nobody that I've asked about 1t seems to know just how it got started"
 He shrugged. T give up. Half the time I'm convinced that I have an evil genius wandering around the campus, concentrating all his energies on harming me and my wife"
 Coral squeezed his hand. David I love to hear you say my wife'l But this is no time for romance" She laughed, then became serious once more. Nov that we're here together with no one to interrupt, I want to go over the events of Thursday, Friday and Saturday with you. We've an obligation to Elton as well as to ourselves to solve this mystery. We know that someone took that process from concealed drawer in your desk in the lab. We think 1t was taken on Thursday afternoon when the lab was deserted. But the lab was locked even though the drawer wasn't. First of all, who besides the janitor and yourself could have gotten into the lab? Second, who, outside of Bendorff, Max well and yourself knew about the drawer? When we answer those questions we'll have the thief"
 Well" David pondered, "let's see. Tthe janitor and had the only set of keys to the chemistry lab that afternoon. I kept mine with me and the Janitor swears he did, too. The windows were locked. It seems to me quite impossible for anyone to have entered the room. Yet someone did. How, don't know. As for the drawer, suppose anyone who spent much time in the lab would have an opportunity to find out about it. That takes in about one-fourth of the student body. There were no classes Friday be- cause that was Class Day and the Prom was that night. I worked in the lab myself all the afternoon, and it was locked all morning. The theft was discovered by Professor Maxwell on Saturday morning." He sighed. There's the setup. If you can find loophole in it, you're cleverer than I am!"
 As she listened to his words, Coral had grown more and more excited. When he finished she spoek slowly, yet with excitement brimming in her voice. David, I believe I can find that loophole"
 "Whatl How sol"
 David, think carefully. Were you in the lab every minute of Friday afternoon? Didn't you leave once just for few minutes"
 His brow furrowed in concen- tration. Then he looked up sud- denly. "Yes, I did leave once. About 3 o'clock I went outside to smoke cigaret. I must have been gone about IS minutes" His face fell. That won't work, though, Coral. When came back I found Donna and Hoyt Marquis there, fussing around the equip- ment. asked Donna the other day if they'd seen anyone go in or out of the room while I was out and she said they hadn't, that | they'd been there alone until I came back"
 Coral jumped to her feet. David, take me back to the house. Donna either took that | process or had something to do with 1t. Don't you see how 1t all | fits? She works in the lab and | would have chance to find that | drawer. Her father is chemical She's been trying | to do something to please him, to make him keep her in school. What could be better than your | process and letting him think | she worked 1t out herself? Hoyt | may have helped her, to get even | with me. don't know how much | of this is right, but I'm going to find out. Come on!"
 Twenty minutes later, Coral burst into the room at the sorority house which she and Donna shared. Her roommate sat curled up on the win- dow seat, eating chocolates and reading a movie magazine. She look ed up, her face startled, as Coral spoke. Donna put down that mag azine and listen to me-"
 Dona complied in surprise.
 What's the mater with you? 1