The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-29
CHAPTER

"Why-Why," l stammered,
they've gone off and left you'll
"I'm not going to that police sta
ton! 1 think it's SHAMEFUL Miss
Markham told me. George is too
Quick to jump to conclusions. l
tried to make him wait, but he
wouldn't listen"
Then you don't think Jerry IS
guilty?"
81 don't think anyone should
form an opinion-yet. We don't
know enough" She buried her face
in her hands. "Oh, it's awful she
sobbed. Poor Alfred! Do other IN
nocent people have to suffer, too?'
Then you do think Jerry's lnno-
cent?"
She looked up. Her eyes were
Pm sorry" I told her. Lets
rot talk about it. Can l call a al
to take you home?"
A voice from the doorway inter-
rupted us. Hey, there, Butch! l
think we've got something here.
Come on in and take a look"
1t was Belzer Of The Morning
EAGLE, I supposed he had come
from the inquest with the Mark
hams and had been shopping in
side the house.
What is it," I asked.
81 think I've found the weapon,
or where it came from, anyway"
Louise stepped toward him. 1 re-
strained her with a hand on her
arm. please. Let me call a cab"
! repeated.
She shook her head. IF you are
trying to spare my feelings, thank
YOU. Mr.. Strickland-but IL must
see what he has discovered.
Alta girl" Belzer applauded
her. Come up stairs, both of you'll
We followed him into an entry
that smelled of mothballs and up
stairs covered with thread-bare
red carpet to tn second floor
.Jerry's bedroom was at the back.
had been there often. Belzer went
straight to it, and my jaw tight
ened with indignation when l saw
that my friends personal belong
ings had been pulled out of closets
and drawers and spread in dlsar-
ray over his bed.
1--WE didn't have much time
Belzer said. The police missed
something interesting that I found
later in a shoe box. I'm surprised
he didn't hide it better"
He lifted the lid of the cardboard
box and triumphantly displayed a
dozen large knives. The kind used
by knife throwers," he explained.
Look at those blades! Think what
a weapon one of those would be in
the hands of a m~urderer!!'
Louise Markham vas pale. She
started at the knives, fascinated.
"Nonsense!" 1 told Belzer.
Jerry wouldn't hurt anyone, and
you know it! It's not in him. He's
taken up knife throwing as a hob
by, that's all.
"Oh, yes? Well, look closer. SET
the dirt on the blade of that knife
on top of the pile. It's garden dirt
You heard what the doctor testi
fled. There was dirt in the wound
For a moment 1 was shaken, but
only for a moment.
There's some perfectly natura
explanation" l said. Acting on ar
inspiration, 1 strobe to the window
The dirt in the window box hae
been newly dug up. Look. He:
been using the knife as a spade
Here's where your dirt came
from"
II don't care where it came
FROM" Belzer asserted. Il know HI
has knives that have dirt on them
/ know he was in the garden alone
with Alfred Markham. 1 know
Alfred Markham was stabbed will
a knife on which there were grain
OF garden soil. I can put two ant
two together and make four
There's no other answer"
Stubbornly l refused to listen t
him. Il know Jerry Montcalm,"
said. Hes no murderer!"
perhaps Mr.. Strickland i
right" Louise Markham said quie1
ly. 'It seemed to me, too, that thi
young man would be incapable {
doing this-this awful thing"
"Phooey! The incest lookin
murderers are the worst. He wa
poor. He needed diamond.
didn't he? He was going to MARI
r;ob civil Po1zor 4,,rooJ ~ ~,