The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-17

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
George Markham was in a daz'
as we left the police station. Let
not return home" he begged. g.
can't 60 back and face Louise
I reminded him that in another
fifteen minutes Jerry would bt
brought into the justice court fol
his preliminary hearing and tina
we ought to be there.
But I couldn't stand it," OBJ
jected Markham. IF they started
talking about my brother ane
his You don't understand
what it means to us, Strickland
I put a hand r~eassuringly on his
shoulder. ut won't come out. Why
should it? They won't even bring
the dope peddler to the hearing
He won't have anything to do with
the case until it actually comes tt
trial. Well be able to stop it be
fore then"
Markham shuddered. II dom
see when I'm willing to with
draw my charges 1 visited
Jerry Montcalm in Jail this morn
ing. He's not the kind of man who
would commit murder. l see that
now. And that sweetheart of his,
Muriel, her heart is broken. I'm
afraid 1 made a mistake-a terri,
BILE mistake"
so she's been working on you,
too?"
Game to see me before break
fast. It was she who induced me
to go to the jail"
I nodded. Il wondered for a
while if she was going to stick
with him. There's no doubt of it
now. I'm glad, for both tn e r
sakes."
But suppose he is convicted
He won't be. 1 promise you
that"
How can you promise? Do you
know something the police don't
know"
81 believe I do"
Then for Gods sake tell me
what it is"
mot yet. Our job now is to think
of some way to prevent this case
from going to trial. What evidence
can we present at the hearing to
prove Jerry's innocence, beyond a
doubt"
There isn't any evidence. What
do you mean, Strickland? No one
saw what Jerry actually did in the
garden"
That's what the police believe.
I've already told Jerry's attorney,
Harvey Mcclure, differently"
George looked at me with a sud-
den light of hope in his eyes. 3FYou
mean, there was someone on the
river? Why didn't l think of that
before? That boat you were on last
night, did someone"
NO" I shook my head. mo one
on a boat could have seen what
went on in the garden. There are
too many willow trees"
That's true. Then, what evi.
dence is there?"
"Your brother was killed by a
man who is left-handed."
George halted in surprise. LEFT
handed? How do you know that?"
TT was obvious to me-from the
angle at which the blow was
struck.
1 don't know why the cor
oner didn't think of it."
"And Jerry-is not left-handed?"
mo"
We were walking toward the
courthouse. Perhaps we had turned
toward it unthinkingly. George
Markham quickened his pace.
Bill, John St. Clair is lefthanded."
I grasped George by an arm and
halted him again. Nov, look
here" 1 said. Don't go jumping
to any more conclusions. St. Clair
was in the clubhouse, standing by
the piano, at the time your brother
was killed in the garden. We know
that. A dozen persons have testi-
fed to that. He's not guilty, so
don't get any more wild IDEAS"
But 80"
The wide stone steps of the court
house invited us. I was afraid OF
what awaited us there, but I urged
George to ascend. We passed be.
tween the tall white pillars.
A crowd had begun to gather.
This was to be no ordinary hear.
ing. There were a half dozen re.
porters with fash guns and cam.
eras. I saw Belzer coming toward
Bella LANAN-COURT F