Evening star., 1941-04-12

what I saw, not what I think or be-
lieve. You yourself have already
cautioned me about that"
Il see" The close-clipped words
were full of sinister meaning. Sew
eral of the jurors stirred reStlessly.
Now I would like to ask the
medical examiner a few questions"
The examiner polishing his glasses,
looked up expectantly as the captain
turned to speak to him.
He was shot at close range by a
.32-caliber Colt. The autopsy showed
that the bullet took a downward
course, diagonally across the front
of the brain to point about two
inches above the left ear. Grains of
powder were found in the wound,
showing the gun was fired at close
range"
Gould it have been a self -inf1ict-
ed wound?"
Sandra Reaches Conclusion.
mo" The positive assertion elec-
trified the room. 1t hit Sandra with
all the force of an unexpected blow.
Il am positive on that point" the
examiner continued The course of
the bullet shows murder beyond any
question. 1t would be physically
impossible for man to turn his
head and hold a gun at the angle
that gun was held"
80 the question of suicide does
not enter into this caSe?"
Sandra held her breath, too
amazed to move or even think.
1T could not enter this case in
the slightest degree. DR.. Starr was
shot by someone who entered his
office by the laboratory door, That
door is just few feet behind his
desk. Hearing it open he involun-
tarily raised his head, turned slightly
and was shot down from the rear
before he could see his assailant." /"
For a stunned minute Sandra's
mind refused to grasp the fact which
she instantly realized must be the
truth. But who had shot Joe? Why
had his pistol been placed directly
under his lifeless fingers as if it
had fallen there after he had shot
himself? Anyone finding him as she
had would never think of anything
but suicide.
Ideas raced frantically through
her mind that was this mur-
derer had deliberately placed the
gun where it was to make him ap-
pear suicide. BY hiding the gun
she had simply reiterated the
obvious fact of murder.
The slanting rays of the sun were
blurring the tall windows at the
far end of the room behind Sandra
with golden haze of light. They
caught the silver letters of the huge
monogram on her bag with a tiny
spot of light against the dark SIM
plicity of her dress. Joe had not
killed himself!
Sandra Is Frightened.
A tremendous wave of relief swept
over her to be followed the next
instant by a new. gripping fear
fear for herself. Stark, black facts
stared at her from the swiftly moving
events of the last "a hours. In this
very room, yesterday at this time,
she had told Joe she would divorce
him. Not many hours later he was
killed. She had taken his gun and
hidden it while police investigated
her story of the man with the scar.
The police believed Joe was killed
with his own gun, and all of their
friends knew-must know of her
bitter unhappiness with him. What
did it all add up to?
If anything happened to that
gun-if any one discovered that she
had it-she would be arrested for
Joe's murder.
An invading faintness made the
room swim before her eyes. Every
move she had made in some diabol-
ical way would work against her
now. For an instant the world hung
in that black void-then crashed.
Returning at last to consciousness
she heard the coroner say to Crystal:
Mrs. Singleton, we will adjourn
until tomorrow. Mrs. Starr has had
too hard a day. Well arrange to
have her finish her testimony the
first thing in the morning. Well
call the last witness then, the but
Ter, and be ready for the verdict by
noon. Tell Mrs. Starr the police
guard is taken from the house when
we leave this afternoon. Good night.