The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-01

really was OliV all
siance. l could hardly control my
self enough to place the pencil point
Or the break in the sole. It wasn't
necessary. The print had served
its purpose.
7 had found the fleeing odor OF
that awful night.
Not only had l found it, but l
had recognized it for what it was
Spice from Old Herb Gardens, or
some such thing, was the name lts
creator had bestowed upon it, and
every store had carried it the
Christmas before. Why I hadn't re-
membered it before. l couldn't I'M
agine. And, also, why hadn't l
smelled it on Alan before this late
hour?
There are just two answers to
those two questions. The first:
Well, my memory definitely isn't so
good as | have always thought i.
And second: Alan is SO tall that
] hadn't been near enough ID MS
hair to catch the faint scent which
was barely distin2u Unstable.
Lancy scarcely waited for Alan
negative shake of the head before
he spoke crisply:
'"Thank you. You have all been
very patient. I want to ask you.
Murray, some questions about Miss
Newcomb. Will YOU come to the
office with us, PIE. sc? Miss Cor
don, will you continue taking
notes"'
The compression Of Lancy's lips
into a grim line and the sternness
OF his voice told me lie knew what
] had found. Poor Jcsie' Was she
to suffer the agony of hearing Alan
accused of murder?
But the detectives tact sur
mounted that difficulty. His:
You will excuse Mr.. Murray for
r. few moments, Miss Peake," eff
f~cctr"'lv prevented her from COM
ing to the Office, as I was sure had
been her intention.
I'll be with you in a moment"
Lancy said, and turned aside to
speak to Haines at the door, while
the chief, Alan and 1 entered the
office.
The chiefs face was hard ami
determined. He motioned me to my
place at the table and Alan into a
chair alongside. His voice was grliff
as he said:
captain Lancy is the II who
wants to ask the questions. We'll
wait for him."
1t seemed to me that Alan should
have suspected something, but his
face was placid as ever, as he re-
piled:
"Okay, chief. I'm glad to help if
I can"
Chief Forrest gave him a sharp
glance at that, but made no further
remark until Lancy came in. They
must have exchanged some sort OF
glance. for the chief grunted out:
Nothing" and subsidized again into
silence .
Lancy walked straight to his chair
and laid a loosely wrapped parcel
on the table. His eyes looked Alan
up and down for the longest minute
] ever lived through. Then he barked
rather than spoke.
Murray, why didn't o admit
that the footprint is yours?'
Alan bobbed up out of his chair
and back into it again like an old
fashioned jack-in-the-boX.
1T isn't miner
The establishment depicted by
10th face and voice at Lancy's
charge just had to be genuine. NO
one on hearing such an accusation
could so counterfeit an emotion.
And I suppose you'll say this
shoe isn't yours, too?" Lancy made
a lightning nov | failed to follow
The parcel was gone. on his hand,
extended toward Alan, was a worn
shoe
Alan's face was a picture. He
can't be very bright. l don't mean
that he is sin but certainly his
mind doesn't work with the clarity
and speed of-Neal's for instance.
He just sat there, his face getting
whittier and more worried every in
slant. No one spoke. He had to
break the silence.
at looks like NINE" he admitted.
Lancy rose from his chair, pick
ing up the print which he had laid
down with the parcel. He turned
the shoe over and held the two be-
fore Alan.
at Is mine, but-but-I didn't
know it. Honest, l didn't" Truth
and nothing but truth was expressed
in the broken words. His eyes wild
ly appealed for understanding.
Lancy looked at him, critically.
judiciously. Abruptly his body re-
taxed. His voice changed.
"All right, Murray" he said in
a ~.entler tone. "Nobody's railroad
ing you into anything. Suppose you
sit back and tell us exactly what
happened before you ran into Miss
Gordon. Or are you going to deny
that, too?"
NO" Alan spoke soberly. Il ran
into her right enough. l didn't
know who she was, until tonight.
H. - hoo - ~ 1,o,,,, oo,for
ences BEFORE"
That's right, you haven't. Go
on"
perhaps 1 should have told you
about that before, but as ! didn't
see anything, only heard voices and
that awful scream, l just kept still.
You know, at that time I wasn't
supposed to be over here at all and
-hOneStIy. Captain Lancy. Chief