Evening star., 1941-10-15

voice, some disappointment, baffle-
ment, rang true to Franklin.
Would it surprise you to know
she escaped from the home where
he had placed her?"
Escaped? When?"
Last night" The two words hung
in the air and did their work.
Then maybe it was she I saw"
when, Strasson?'
Doubts Arise.
II said few more words to Tar
rington and then I left. had ar
ranged to meet my wife in the sum-
mer house. l left by the front door
and circled through the grounds to
go to the summer house. StraSson
licked his lips, but Franklin had the
feeling that he was reliving those
minutes in the grounds Il lost my
bearings in the dark. had the lights
in the library to go by, but I mis-
judged where the summer house
was. I went too far to the east. SO
that I came close to the music room
windows. I saw light go on there
and then go off suddenly, as if some
one started to get light and
thought better of it,
Who was it?"
II couldn't see, but I noticed then
that one of the long doors into the
music room was open; I saw a white
curtain blow"
Franklin watched Strasson. looked
at the perspiring forehead and sharp
little eyes.
Them"
Then I went to meet Jane"
Them"
That's all"
"Oh. no, it isn't Strasson. You and
Jane came back into the room to tax
Harrington with this doublecroSS.
Jane knew about it, didn't she?'
About what?"
His statement. She typed it"
StraSson turned his sharp little
eyes onto Franklin's face once more.
He was trying to read something
there. The detective remained as
impassive as ever. We've talked to
her, you know"
Still StraSSon was wary. That
does not say what she told you
Didn't it strike you as odd that
you heard no shot?" Franklin asked
suddenly, confldingly. You know,
if you and your wife were in the
summer house. as you say, and you
did return with her. that gives you
an alibi, doesn't it?"
Strasson studied this from all
angles. You cannot prove l went
back into the library after leaving
it."
Il believe I can Franklin said
steadily.
How" Strasson's eyes were burn
ing Goals in his face.
BY something you left there"
Maybe I left it when 1 was there
first"
StraSs0n Is Trapped.
No, I think not. It would have
disappeared if you had" Strasson
was plainly puzzled by that, but he
said nothing. There was a good
deal of coming and going in that
library last night. Mr.. Strasson. You
weren't the only one in there. though
you were the only one. 1 believe, to
make two trips in there
Tom sat back in his chair. trying
to piece it all together. He knew
plenty about the bauXite deal. Tar
rington was to have supplied the
rest. Welcher. Harrington was.
Saw "a better angle and had to get
StraSson off his neck Harrington
probably never knew that, thanks
to Jane. he was caught in his own
web. But it didn't fit into the MUIR
der unless Strasson killed Tarring-
ton in a fit of anger
Tom tried to picture what Tar
rington would do if StraSson had
become violently angry in his pres
ence. Would he have continued to
sit back in his chair, relaxed, with
something loosely held in his hands?
Tom wasn't sure, but he thought
not. harrington was An irritable
man; anger in StraSson would prob
ably provoke anger in Harrington.
In that case he wouldn't have re-
manned seated.
But if Jane had killed him? He
might have remained seated while
she stood near him. He might have
been reading to her from the page
when she raised the gun and fired
Tom brought himself back to the
present.
WAS anything changed, Stras-
~,
together?" There was no reply.
Franklin tried again, IF you had
heard a shot would you have gone
back?"
NO"
Then you did go back"
Strasson crumpled inwardly: the
men could sense it. what puzzles
me I heard no shot; Jane heard no
shot"
"Of course not: the gun had a
silencer. Tarrington's own gun"
The glittering eyes flashed vainly
and then dulled.
Tom cleared his throat. ut might
make a difference for you to know,
Strasson, Harrington wrote my Of
flee that he had some interesting
disclosures to make Frankly, we'd
be glad of your help in that matter
OF course, you are under arrest now
for using a false passport, but still,
if you were helpful -
Strasson nodded
First of all, what do you know