Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-10-31
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~ -"1l'H<Aof.D BY CENTRAL PRESS ASc0CI 1T-7--
..,rrR TuIRTY-FOUR

,l1A47TFR THIRTY-FOUR
,aL,-I LANCY said he would
ii ,N,f5,l IN. | looked at Alan and
,..l.,.9 ri me. I don't know what
.,.,s thiu1zing. but my thoughts
H. something like this: How on
.., can even Il detective call a
III INTO his" 1fice and question
,''., about his successful love affair
60, the discarded lover, without
5al.ing The latter look ridiculous
~. vas reckoning without
Iar,v's years of experience. Such
r.+,,ition was no obstacle to him.
when Eruce Orion appeared,
orcv merely asked him to sit
t,vr and remarked pleasantly that
IL had some questions he wished
=, discuss with us there. Orion
roFse5. There was, apparently,
no.bjng in the grouping of us to-
...thor 10 disturb him. He took
,,rompt advantage of Lancy's PEI
mission to us all to smoke if we
nfeased. but the lighted match
hirned down to his fingers and he
sropped it with a yelp of pain with
ort Iehtine the cigaret he held.
The iubilance faded from his face
and a beWildered stricken look
crew there as he listened to
Iancv's words.
you may be surprised at the
+.,,,i, wish to discuss, Orion" be-
ean Lancv. suavely, but it is nee
essarv to the course of this inves-
tigation.'
He looked searehingly at Orion,
VINO again nodded affirmatively,
ana the detective went on:
II want to know what you told
Miss Peake last night which caused
her to break her engagement to
Murray and agree to marry you?"
It was a sledge hammer blow de-
iivered in a crisp authoritative
manner which held Orton's eyes
sDellbomd on Lancy's until the
flame of the match licked his fin
gers.
~Ouchl" he cried, and dropped
the match upon the floor, where it
Hared for an instant and then
turned to black cinder, unnoticed
bv either Lancy or Orion.
so THAT was it." he muttered
under his breath. Then, quickly:
Who says Josie was engaged to
marry Murray?"
Il DO" Alans voice was steady
and even. q
Orion wrenched his gaze from
Lancy to Alan. The truth must have
been plainly discernible in the lat
ter's blue eyes, for Orion turned
promptly back to Lancy. He rum
pied his thick light hair with an
unsteady hand, as he said:
This is a blow to me. I didn't
dream what I said to her influenced
her decision. I'll tell you about that
later. 1 suppose I'll have to-" His
voice held questioning infection.
You will" Lancy's voice was
hard. You had no business to tell
her anything which you had not
told the police"
II didn't tell her. At least, not
the way you mean" At this about
face on Orton's part, Lancy's fore
head wrinkled into a black scow'.
He started to speak, but Orion con-
tinued:
Il think I'd better go back and
tell you a bit about things so you'll
understand my position"
The scOWl slowly faded from
Lancy's face. "That would be best"
he commented coldly. 1t was easily
seen that Orion, by his cOntradic
tory statement, had aroused the de-
tectives distrust.
II met Josie Peake last winter.
knew I wanted her for my wife
the moment I saw her. Butt do
not want q woman who loves an
other man. His voice hardened.
That long chm Of his, which I had
previously declared determined and
ruthless, jutted forward in a threat
ening manner.
IF she loves you," his pale eyes
swept to Alan, you can have her.
But if she says she loves me, I'll
keep her though the devil stands
back Of you"
Agreed" raped out Alan.
We'll abide by her decision"
II came here this summer for
one reason only: To win Josie.
was about discouraged and ready
to go home. I couldn't pin her down
to anything, when her mother was
murdered. Since then I haven't said
a word to her about marriage un-
til-last night. I shouldn't have
then, except for what happened"
He was silent for a bit while we
waited eagerly for what was COM
ing next.
Il hate to tell you this, but I