Evening star., 1941-04-10

God help us! DR.. Starr-Oh!
Madam-we must do something"
He started forward but Sandra
motioned him back.
"I have done all I could. We must
get help"
Parker looked at the telephone,
but Sandra shook her head. Joe's
hand had fallen over the instrument
on his desk. The telephone in the
laboratory, hurry" she gasped.
Call DR.. Walker and Mr. Cotton.
Tell them they must come at once"
Her decision was made. She
would follow through with it, That
gun would never be found. Early
in the morning she would drop it
in the creek that ran at the foot Of
their garden. It's bed was quick
sand. Then every one would think
Joe had been shot-murdered-but
who would want to kill him?
Swiftly she made her second great
decision She would tell of see
ing that face at the Window-an
unknown man, out there in the
night. Then they would think
Calls 1t Suicide.
Before she was aware that he
had returned, Parker was at her
side explaining that he had had a
hard time waking DR.. Walker, but
that he would be right over, and
Mark Cotton was coming. No turn
ing back now.
Time seemed suspended in void
In that silent room until running
footsteps on the veranda announced
the arrival of DR.. Walker. He burst
into the Office and was kneeling
down beside Joe before Sandra could
speak. She heard him mutter, as
he bent over the motionless figure:
Another tragedy in the Starr
family. I was afraid this would
happen"
The girl swayed slightly as her
hand graSped the side o. the desk
for support. DR.. Walker sprang to
his feet to steady her as he led her
gently to a sofa at the far end of
the room.
Mrs. Starr, this is terrible
shocking" His tense, vibrant voice
seemed to come from a, great dis
tance, but his next words cut
sharply through her fainting con-
SciouSneSs. DIR. Starr shot himself.
The powder burns on his head are
unmistakable. He died almost in
stantly."
Turning to Parker who had not
moved since he entered the Office,
he said: II think you had better
notify the police. Ask them to come
at once" The butler Immediately
left the room, closing the door
noiselessly behind him.
Says She Saw No Gun.
With a start, Sandra came back
to the stark reality of death in that
silent room. Every sense alert, she
waited. The hard impact of the
doctors words cleared the fog in
her head Leaning toward her, he
continued gravely:
You we're the first to reach him,
Mrs. Starr. Did you see his gun?"
A slip now would mean disaster
disaster for Joe. Rousing herself,
she looked steadily into the non
committal brown eyes watching her
so intently and answered slowly,
weighing every fatal word:
What gun, DR.. Walker? I saw
no gum"
The man before her gave a
stifled exclamation But that's
impossible! There must have been
T. 80, InJ
on. II only thought, in cases of
this kind-it should be here" AS
Sandra remained silent, he con-
tinued in quieter voice:
The police will ask for the pistol
he used, that is all I meant, Mrs.
Starr You must have seen it when
you first found your husband lying
there"
Sandra's voice was clear now
steady, sure.
But saw no gun, DR.. Walker.
DR.. Starr did not kill himself. He
was shot-murdered"
AS Mark Cotton stood in the open
doorway, Sandra's words struck
him like blow in the face. With
a bound he cleared the distance
from the door to the sofa and both
her hands were in his as he looked
down at her and gasped:
"Sandra! Who shot Joe? Was
there a flght?"
Urges Silence on Sandra.
Before she could answer him an
unearthly wailing of police sirens
came from the driveway. Instantly
Mark slipped down on the sofa be-
side her .as DR.. Walker started to-
ward the door. His arm was around
her shoulder as he whispered in her
ear: Never mind. You can't tell
me now, but remember I am here
to take care of you, darling. Don't
talk. The police are here, but don't
be afraid. It's all routine stuff any
way. Don't volunteer information.
Above all, don't talk until you have
a chance to tell me what happened.
From here on, I'm your lawyer"
Evidently DR.. Walker changed his
mind about meeting the police, be-
cause when the door opened to ad-
NIT the district captain and two
plain clothes men he was once more
standing by the sofa. Under cover
of their entrance, Mark turned to
him and asked him what he knew
about the shooting
mot a thing" DR.. Walker an
swered promptly. 81 just got here
myself. I was sound asleep when
Parker woke me. You can see how
hurried" He indicated his dress
ing gown and pajamas under his
overcoat. "Dr. Starr was dead when
I arrived"
"Is there a doctor here?" The
captains imperSonal voice rang out
over the hum of conversation. DR..
Walker stepped forward.
II am a doctor. DR.. STAIRS as
sistant." The captain turned his
head toward Joe's silent figure and
his eyes asked the question which
the doctor answered with a nod
and low eyes, he is dead"
Tells of Seeing Man.
There was notebook in the cap
A.. 4 - a