The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-17
SIXTEEN

AS we rode back from the CLUB
In the captains a l noticed by
The clock on the Valley bank thai
it was past midnight, but l was not
in a position to refuse his sugges-
ton that I return to the statlon
with him for a talk. ,
At the police station we 1ouno
Coroner Silver standing at TN e
desk talking with the sergeant. he
turned as we entered. He was as
Immediately dressed as ever. l
wondered if business interfered
much with his parties. HIS eye
brows lifted when he saw me.
well" greeted the captain,
what brings you here, Silver
The ron frowned. "a sui
eide" He did not elaborate. 1
see you have the man you were
after"
.sThe man you were after, not
the man 1 was AFTER Mcdonald
corrected him with a smile. He
came to the station of w ac'
cord-after escaping from a kid
NAPIER"
~"Kidnaper!!'
Right"
But"
81 know it sounds improbable
T told him. Il was knocked out by
someone who was in the garden an
hour after Mr.. Markham's death.
Louise Markham and a reporter
from The Morning Eagle found me
today, bound and gagged. You'll
read all about it in the morning
paper" 1 looked at the clock. Il
believe it's just going to press
now"
Hang the papers! Isn't there
any way we can keep them out OF
this, Captain"
Captain Mcdonald shrugged his
big shoulders. I'm afraid Belzer
is two jumps ahead of us again.
He somehow got Miss Louise
Markham to help him, so there
wasn't much I could do after /
.ound out. 1t was too late, anyway.
. didn't learn about it until a cou-
Die of hours ago"
But we can't have the press in
;erfering-"
The captain removed his cigar
and looked at it thoughtfully. 1t
vas badly mangled, but like most
Of his cigars, had never been light
ed. After all, I'll have to confess
hat Belzer has sometimes been a
ielp to us. I'm willing to overlook
his little escapade of his, especial
" if l find he's dug up any new
.acts for us. I'm curious to read
What he's written" The captain,
too, looked at the clock. LAS
Strickland says, The Morning Eag'
.e will soon be off the press. Sup
pose we go somewhere for a CUP
Of coffee, and wait"
If the coroner had any objections
ae swallowed them. He must have
thought he and 1 would be a
strange looking pair. l, too, was
wearing a tuxedo, but it must have
.OOhGu lhC d Id4 1loo AL OSSA liz
| had soaked and dried. My trous.
ars and coat we're filthy with dirt.
One knee was slit where Belzer
lad examined the bullet wound.
Although the doctor, too, had as
,ured me that the bullet had mere
y creased my leg, it still stung.
We found a coffee shop that was
almost deserted. The sallow faced
waitress gave me hardly a second
glance. She'd probably seen Car
ain Mcdonald in queer company
before.
You'll be at the inquest tomor,
low, Strickland" the coroner in
formed me in an off-hand tone as
&c raised his coffee cup.
Perhaps it was meant to be g
question, but it sounded like ar
,rder.
'Of course, but will 1 be requir
ID to testify? 1t would seem tina
# l am under suspicion, anything
said might be held against me-
You are in a rather bad sop
as far as l am concerned. Suppose
you ask the advice of an attor
ney!"
mo one has charged Strickland
With anything" the captain snort
0rT nyH1 ~NvyOr Z