Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-15

secretary, answering storm teleSra
she stated, was on vacation cruise
and the document which Storm
wanted-the codicil to Stephen
Billiards. will-WaS kept in a spe-
cial safe. the combination known
only 20 the lawyer himself. How
ever, if the matter was really urg-
ent. she would try to reach her en-
ployer at the ships next port OF
call and would relay Storms re-
quest to him at once.
Storms answering telegram left
no doubt as to the urgency OF the
information he requested. At the
end he added: Ask Lorrimer why
contents of codicil are so secret that
they must be kept even from conf
dental secretary
Afterward he was glad he hao
sent that requeSt-because the an
sver to it was of material help TO
him in solving the case.
Since Storm would not be able TO
see John Coventry until that after
noon he decided to carry out prof.
ect which he had been contemplate
ing ever since Stephen Ballard had
been murdered in his presence
namely, a re-exploration of Hurri-
cane Cavern. Although he was aware
that Sheriff HUMPHREYS and his men
had gone over the premises care
fully, he was troubled by the per-
sistent intuition that the full secret
of the cave had not yet been revealed.
His premonition seemed Justlhed
when. after passing the guard who
had been stationed at the entrance
to the cave and who assured him
that no one had been allowed to
enter it that morning. he heard
voices as he walked silently down
the passage to the Giants Ballroom
which had been the scene of the
first crime.
Storm paused behind one Of the
basaltic columns, hoping to discover
the identity of the intruderS and
their mission before he confronted
them with his presence. His pre-
caution was wise, for in moment
he heard a voice which was unmis-
takably Joan Billiards. saying in
low tone:
I'm frightened. Paul Maybe We
shouldn't have come"
Nonsense" The voice was that
Of Paul Kenyon. Stephen Billiards.
secretary. 1T was just pure luck
that I discovered the map showing
the secret entrance to this cave
amoung your stepfatherS papers
before that fatfoot HUMPHREYS went
through them And I have bunch
that there's something in this cave
that may give us clue to the muir
derer."
But it's so risky. If we should
be caught here"
Don't worry. We won't be. But
after that spot you were in yester-
day I'd take any chance to clear
you"
oh. Paul it was so dreadful!
And it would have been even worse
If they had discovered that Stephen
threatened to leave me out of his
new will if you and I got married"
We'll, that's all over now" Paul
said. There was a long wordless
pause in which Storm surmised
that Kenyon had taken the girl in
his arms.
Finds Motive.
In the darkness of the passage
way, Storms mind was working
with lightninglike rapidity. Hither-
to he had been unable to discover
any motive linking Paul Kenyon
to the case. But now he saw that
the secretary had as much motive
as anyone else for Stephens death
left him free to marry the girl he
loved, and made her an heiress in
the bargain.
We'll, we better get to work to
see what we can discover" Joan
said at last, her voice breaking
across the train of Storms thoughts.
Perhaps I can help you" Storm