The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-20

Cilly went on. "They were thrown down the incinerator just a few minutes after Hutchins was here with me. He went upstairs im- mediately and cleared out any evidence, I suppose. He came here twice just to find out from me how the case was going, to gloat, perhaps, that he was getting away with 1t so nicely. It was that telephone message he worked so neatly, and the trip that night to Connecticut to mail the note from Mrs. Elliot to MT. Johnson, so you wouldn't investigate her apartment Did you check on the phone call, sergeant2"
 "Yes, 1t was just as you thought. Hutchins rushed down from the roof and phoned Gloria Harmon from the apartment upstairs. Then, after he got away from here, he hurried back to his hotel and recorded the call himself on the switchboard operators pad. Neither of the night operators re- membered doing it."
 T was sure of thatl" Cilly ex- claimed. Remember that hotel, Jim? We had dinner there one evening. It's such @ small place, and I guess there's only one man on duty at night, to run the elevator and handle the switchboard and sit at the desk. It was simple for Hutchins to write the number down himself. Probably just about that time-one o'clock or so-there's a change of operators, anyway. Of course, you'd have discovered 1t any, way, sergeant, as soon as the tele- phone bills came through"
 Dolan shook his head. T doubt 1t. If we definitely suspected him we could check, of course, but otherwise" He shrugged. "Tht hotel operator would never say anything about 1t. That would be reminding the telephone company that they'd forgotten to charge fol one call, and few people are that honest. There'd be no specia record of 1t on the telephone bill to Mrs. Elliot because 1t was q local call from here. No, I don't think we'd ever have caught hin on the telephone slip-up. He. slick. He figures things out care. fully. worked all Friday trying to get somebody at the Ralston te identify him: he was there, I know 1t, to plant the bonds and that blue belt, but not soul saw him Oh, he'd have gotten away with the whole thing, If 1t weren't fol that evidence in the safety deposit box. What bothers me is the req. son he didn't try to get 1t sooner Don't you suppose, Jim, that hG heard Amy tell you about it up or the roof2"
 Jim shook his head. "He couldn't have heard everything we said. We were over near the edge, you see, and he must have been behind one of he furnace stacks. We'd have seen him other. wise ." His voice trembled, and he lowered his eyes, as if to hide 6 guilt.
 He would always feel this guilt whenever his meeting with Amy on the roof was mentioned. HI felt personally responsible, as i he alone had lured her to hel 1 death.
 Dolan laid a sympathetic arm across his shoulder.
 "Try to forget how 1t happened Jim," Dolan urged, very kindly He folded his napkin laboriously cleared his throat. Then, in the brusque, severe voice that had so often frightened Cilly, he added Well I enjoyed the supper best biscuits I ever ate, Priscilla What a girl you are! Smart, good- ', looking, and good cook besides Say, If ever the old man doesn't treat you right, just remember me, will you?"
 He grinned, and they all got ur from the table.
 A few minutes later, Cilly and Jim, arm in arm, watched him from the window as he disap. peared down the street.
 (THE END)