The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-02-19


tents of the anonymous letter. Si-
lence from the other end of the
wire, then: "Mr. Lane asks if he
may be present tonight at this
meeting"
"Oh, by all means"
In the barnlike waiting room be-
hind the Weehawkin ferries, a
dozen men were grouped, silent
and watchful. District Attorney
Bruno, nervously consulting his
watch at ten-second intervals,
paced the floor like manic. ms
pector Thumm prowled about,
looking sharply at infrequent
newcomers. Quite alone sat Mr..
Drury Lane.
Bruno came over and sat down.
"Forty-five minutes late already"
he complained. ITO tell the truth,
I'm beginning to feel wee bit
foolish"
"You would have more cause
to feel a wee bit worried, Mr..
Bruno" replied Lane.
"You think -" began Bruno,
and stopped, stiffening - as did
Inspector Thumm across the room
lat the raucous commotion en-
anting from the ferries outside.
what is the trouble, Mr.. Bru-
no?" asked Lane.
Bruno's head strained forward.
'There was a cry of Man over
board!' " Drury Lane was on his
feet in one feline movement. In
spector Thumm Numbered:
''Trouble on the pier; I'm going
Quit" Bruno also had risen. "I'll
stay here with some of the boys.
Might be a decoy. Our man may
come yet"
At the farthest end of the roof
ed pier ferry boat had come in
and was grinding against the side
pilings. AS Thumm, Lane, and a
half-dozen detectives reached the
landing, some scattered figures
were hurrying out of the term
inal. The goldleaf on the boats
pilot-house above the upper deck
read: Mohawk. On the north side
of the lower deck passengers mill
ed wildly about, leaning over the
rail, peering out of windows of
the starboard cabin-wall. Drury
Lane looked at his watch. The
time was 11:40.
| Inspector Thumm sprang to the
boat-deck. whats happened?" he
roared to a gnarled ferryman.
"They say he fell from to the
top deck as the Mohawk was slid
ing into the pier"
Thumm and Lane began to push
| toward the door of the cabin,
when Thumm stopped short, ex-
tending his arm. A slight frail
figure was stepping off to the
dock.
"Hey there, Dewitt! Just min
ut!"
The frail figure, bundled in a
top-coat, looked up, hesitated,
then retraced his steps. His face
was white; he was painting a lit
tie. Inspector Thumb" he said
slowly. "What are you doing
here?"
Little assignment. And your
J I'm on my way home. What's
going on here?"
Might have stayed to find out"
said Thumm amiably. "Come
along with us. By the way, meet
Mr.. Drury Lane, the famous actor
Helping out. Mr.. Lane, this is Mr..
Dewitt, Longstreet's partner"
Drury Lane nodded pleasantly;
DeWitt's eyes, wandering before,
suddenly assumed something OF
Difference. 'This is an honor, sir y
Thumm lunged up the brass
tipped stairs amidships, the 9TH
ers following to the dark upper
deck. Roughly between the cen
ter of the boat and the bow, few
feet behind the cleared space at
the tip of the boat, and well to
the rear of the pilot-house above,
Thumm's flashlight showed long,
uneven marks that ran from the
railing to an alcove at the north
west outer corner of the cabin.
"Jim, 60 downstairs and hold
everybody on the boat"
Thumm and Lane, with Dewitt
trailing, walked to the rail. "A
heavy object was dragged across
here" said Thumm. might be
murder" ...
whats the matter, Dewitt?
Hurt your hand?"
The little broker turned and Of
fered the hand for Thumm's in
spection. Lane leaned forward. On
the forefinger, extending from the
first joint vertically, was a fresh
scar an inch and a half long. A
thin scab had healed over the
wound. II cut my finger this eve
ming on some apparatus in the Elk
change Club: gymnasium before