Evening star., 1941-04-15

| Cney are Cnere.
We'll have to find out. Have you
run across any papers yourself in
the last two days?"
Sandra shook her head. mo. The
police told me the laboratory desk
had been rifled the night Joe was
shot, but nothing else was dis
turbed."
Il think I'll take a turn in the
laboratory myself" Mark said sud-
denly. Charles won't be here for
half an hour and I might as well
take look around"
1T won't do you any good" San
dra observed as she went over to
put another log on the fire. you
won't find any one in the place but
DR.. Walker and he's the worlds
worst crouch. The most mercenary
man I ever met. He'd been hound
ing me for two days for money he
says Joe owed him. Now he's ask
ing to take over the laboratory and
carry on Joe's work."
The boy certainly doesn't lose
time, I'll say that for him. Well,
maybe he can help me dig out few
facts. It's worth try. At least he'll
know why Joe'S work was so ter
rlply important. AS layman I can't
begin my scientific education any
earlier. I won't be long"
Charles Under Suspicion.
Mark left a badly worried girl
behind him. 1t was with a distinct
feeling of relief that she greeted
Charles sometime later. He, too,
was worried and showed it.
You know these fellows have me
on a spot" he explained seriously
to Sandra without any preliminaries.
After I left you here at the house
the night Joe was shot, I ambled
along, got myself a couple of drinks
at a tavern on the way back and
thought nothing of it."
That sounds harmless enough"
Her voice was casual, but there was
a note of caution in it that caught
his attention Immediately.
The trouble isl can't prove it,
The guy that gets me down is that
captain who's always noSing around
this place. He doesn't believe me
and had the gall to tell me this
morning that I had such a bad
allbl I would not be allowed to
leave the city for any purpose until
the present investigation was over"
Were you planning to go away?"
Sandra's voice showed sudden in
terest.
Yes and no." Charles eyed her
sharply and his voice was evasive.
who the devil does he think he is
-barging into my personal plans
this way?" He was nervous and ir-
ritable. Sandra began to wonder
why he was so upset over something
which sounded to her only like rou-
tine police caution. Before she could
demonstrate with him, Mark
came in.
Death Held Natural.
Il got nowhere with Walker" he
said. But Capt. Jones came through
like gentleman" His voice sounded
almost gay. Sandra could see he
looked vastly relieved about some
thing
Charles" he explained, Il asked
you to come over this morning to
| give us some advice It's about
Sandras going away for a while
until this blows over. Think it's
good idea?"
why should she do that? She's
the most important witness. They
won't allow her to CO."
All, but they will. That's what
I've just worked out with the CAP
tain. He says it is all right, if she
is at all times available and will
return here if and when needed"
I'm against it,
"Why?" Sandra and Mark asked
the question simultaneously, both too
surprised to say more at the mo-
ment.
There is a lot going on around
mere that needs watching" Charles
spoke slowly. "Parkers death is a
warning to some one to be very
careful. Running away might pre-
cipitate matters"
But Sandra isn't exactly rum
nlng away as you put it," Mark
said quickly. Il agree with you
there is lot going on here and
that's why I think it best for her
to go away"
"All right with me. But going
away won't save her. When the
time comes, that won't make any
difference"
Again that feeling of panic welled
up within Sandra and this time
she knew Mark shared her emo
tons. He eyed Charles curiously.
Did he know far more than he was
telling? His next remark showed
that he had decided to proceed
more slowly with him.
Nothing has to be decided right
away. 1t was only suggestion.
What do you say, Charles-let's 90
see II Jones has received a report
on the autopsy" The words were
spoken just as the captain entered
the room.
Il have" he said succinctlv.
Parker died natural death. No
traces OF poison. He died sof pto-
maine. I should like to see both
you gentlemen in the library at
once"
With curt nod he disappeared
closing the door sharply behind
him.
That was right on the nose"
Mark said quietly. Come on. Let's
60"
But there was a curious specu-
latlye look in Charles eyes as he
stared at the door and muttered:
ut can't be-"
tCopyrisht 1941, Chicago Daily News, Inc,
Continued tomorrow.