The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-01-18
CHAPTER Nv

some examination. "Twenty-four
hours, anyway" he said. Probably
more" He stripped off those bands
Of black tape that half-concealed the
dead mans countenance. Anybody
know who he ISL" he asked.
They came to look; they saw an
old small man, with eyes twisted
slightly upward at the corners, a
nose thick at the bridge and mar
rowing to point which dropped
above the upper lip. Chin small,
retiring; a mouth framed in deep
graved lines; gray, sparse, wiry
hair; gray stubble on cheek and
chin. They looked, but no one spoke.
Then Cumberland said wistfully:
81 kind Of wish Joe was here; but
Quill said you didn't want anyone
else to know about this right away,
Inspector" And he asked: whats
your idea?"
"Well, Mat, maybe you'd better
send for Joe."
Cumberland wiped his mouth with
his hand. 81 don't know as Joe
could Guido you, on thing like
this" he admitted.
Hes welcome to try" Tope in
sisted cheerfully. "But here's the
way I see it: We can't trail all the
folks that might have done this: but
whoever put him here is waiting,
somewhere, for the excitement to
start. They're in the dark"
"Well, so are wei"
"But we're this much ahead Of
them," Tope argued. "We know the
body's been found, and they don't.
Mat, if it was me, I'd keep the whole
thing quiet, long as could"
''That'd be hard, to keep this
quiet. Some ones bound to find
out"
Young Adam spoke. 81 think you'd
do well to let Tope run this, Mat"
he urged. "Of course, I've no stand
ing unless it turns out this was an
interstate job; but if had any say,
I'd want Tope in it." And he add
ed: "As for keeping it quiet, Amasa
Dewain doesn't talk much; and his
housekeeper's away. We can carry
the body up there tonight, let Doc
tor Medford do the autopsy up there.
Then tomorrow night we can move
It to town."
Cumberland nodded. ''We could
do it that way" he agreed. "Tope,
what do you say? Will you take it
on?"
The Inspector looked toward Mrs.
Tope, standing by the fire. ''We're
on q sort of honeymoon, he reflect
ed. "But I don't know. I don't get
stirred up often, but I'm kind of
mad tonight. This looks to me like
a sneaking, cruel business. I'd like
to nail the man that did it."
II know" Cumberland assented
heavily. "It hits me that way too"
And he reflected: "Joe won't like
your being in it; but he'll have to
stand it. If you'll take it, you can
boss the whole job"
So Tope agreed and made his dis
positions. He sent Quill to awaken
Amasa Dewain and enlist his CO.
operation. Adam and Doctor Med
ford improvised a stretcher for the
removal of the body. Mat Cumber-
land asked:
Anything I can be doing to-
night"
Tope shook his head. ''Have Quill
stay at Amasa's and keep his eyes
Dpen," he decided. adam will come
back and spend the night here in
case anyone comes around. Doctor
Medford can do the autopsy at the
farm tomorrow morning. You and
will get good nights sleep, and
I'll meet you there around nine
o'clock. That's about ALL"
And little later, the Inspector and
Mrs. Tope said good night. But once
they were out of doors, she grasped
his arm with fingers like steel. She
whispered:
II know him."
He stared at her. Know who?
The dead MANI"
Eyes"
"Why didn't you say so? Who is
he?"
II wasn't sure you'd want to tell
them, yet. It's Mr.. Ledforge."
The name for a moment woke no
memory in him. ''Ledforge?" he
repeated blankly.
eyes, the head of New England
utilities" she insisted. II saw
him once at a stockholders meet
ing when ] worked on Wall Street.
That's he, dead back there"
Mrs. TOPICS Identification Of the
dead man as Ledforge seemed at
Arst to Tope impossible of belief. "It
can't be-" he protested. "Or there'd
have been noise about it before
now"
mot necessarily" she insisted.
"If he was kidnapped, his family
may have been warned to keep
quiet; or perhaps his business asso-
ciates eve planning how to support