Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-05-02

mendous crash and the alarms and
everything. looked up and there was
a mana great, tall. dark man, sort of
foreign looking-and he ran into the
street and jumped in the car and away
they went. Oooh, was I scared! And
she looked up at Sergeant Mains, let.
ting her lashes fall across her dimpled
cheek.
"Ckay, folks. Leave your names and
addresses with the Sarge, and then you
can 60" Inspector Piper turned away,
then suddenly confronted Miss Hide
garde WitherS. Now what are you
sleuthing at?' he demanded. Il thought
told you"
Nothing, Oscar Nothing at ALL" she
insisted. Which was mostly true. 1t
had occurred to her that the sergeant
ought to be taking Marcie Lee Smith
address and telephone number down In
his official notebook instead Of in the
little red address book which he had
produced from an inner pocket, but
that was nobody's business but his
own.
The last witness to be interviewed
was the Vanderbock in charge of the
store.
Il was in the rear of the store with
the staff, making plans for the ami
versary sale tomorrow he admitted.
II heard the tinkle of glass. and looked
up to see mana man with hat
grabbing things out of the display win
shrugged Anyway, the most valuable
piece in the window, flawless Is
carat emerald set in ring, was over
looked by the thief. And the diamonds
he took were fully insured"
oscar, I've something"
Later, Hildegarde! Run along now"
And the Inspector turned his back on
her. Miss Withers shifted, shrugged,
and marched toward the door.
The Inspector caught Miss Withers
on the sidewalk, very ruffled Miss
( Withers indeed. "Okay, Hildegarde, =
he apologized. I'll buy you a cup Of
coffee to make up for throwing you
out. Only it makes us all Short-tem-
pered to have anything like this hap
pen. A cop shot down in his tracks
and We don't know thing about the
guy who did It'll"
mo, Oscar?" Only slightly Modified.
Miss Withers sank down on a stool in
the drug store.
KNOWING nothing about the bandit"
Miss Withers said thoughtfully as she
looked into her coffee cup. nothing
except that he is man between 80
and 40 years of age, about five feet six
inches tall, wears light tan raincoat
and dark hat, is an experienced crook
known to the police, and is new to the
Jewel racket. And that he is an ego
maniac with twisted sense Of humor.
That's all2"
The Inspectors cup clattered in its
saucer "What?"
Elementary, my dear Oscar. Who
else but an ego-maniac would wrap the
brick as gift, with Happy Birthday
stickers on it, just because it was the
tewelry stores 50th anniversary? He
was an experienced crook. because of
the neatness and swiftness of the job.
Wanted by the police-or else he
wouldn't have been desperate enough
to shoot his way clear. A first offender
asks for mercy and a light sentence.
And the bandit Is new to the jewel
trade. or he wouldn't have missed the
emerald. see?"
Piper nodded slowly. "Shrewd guess
ing. But the rest Of this height and
age and SO ON 80"
II know that" Miss withers con-
fessed, because I looked. came
around this corner Just as the killer
jumped for his car. Oh, don't glover at
me that way. I tried to tell you. Any
way, no man over 10 Is spry enough to
Jump as he jumped. didn't see his
face. or the drivers, because they were
headed the other way. But saw his
height, and he vas no giant"
mot bad. Hfdegarde, not bad at III"
Oscar Piper was forced to confess. Now