The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-01-25

readily enough. "But tried anoth-
er stab," he continued. "Quill helped
me on this too. I asked him to
find out whether any car had heen
stolen around here. Well, there was
one, belonged to man named Hol-
dom, has a summer place down near
Ridgcomb. It was taken Friday
night, out of the garage. Nettie
Pineyard - she's Holdom's house.
keeper-says Mrs. Kell, the chauf-
feur's wife, drove it away"
He hesitated; but no one spoke,
and he went on:
Saturday morning, Holdom tele-
phoned from New York to the po-
lice in Ridgcomb that the car had
been stolen" He turned to Quill.
"Ned you 60 call up your friend, the
insurance man-see if he had insur-
ance on that car and whether Hol-
dom reported the theft to him too"
Quill disappeared and Tope spoke
more softly: Didn't want Quill to
hear what I'm telling you now" he
said. "But Mrs. Tope here saw Led
forge, the Utilities man that lives
down below Ridgcomb, at meeting
once, and she saw the dead man
this morning. She thought he was
Ledforge!"
Cumberland leaned forward, and
Dane leaped to his feet. "Ledforge!"
he whispered hoarsely. "By God
frey! Say, if that's So" His eyes
shone.
But Tope said mildly: "Wait a
minute, Mr.. Dane. I only said that
Mrs. Tope thought the dead man
was Ledforge. But Ledforge is in
New York. He was at a bank di-
rectors' meeting there this morn
ing"
Dane made an exasperated ges-
ture. ''Well, for heavens sake, if
it's not him, why set off skyrocket
here?"
But then Quill returned. Charley
Fay had the insurance on the
COUPE" he said. "But he hasn't any
report about its being stolen"
Tope nodded, and gently he dis
missed the trooper. you've been
a lot of help, Ned" he said. II
wish you'd drop in at Dewain's Mill
and see if Adams there. Tell him
I'll be there soon"
So Quill departed; and Tope looked
at Cumberland.
"Now, I want to do little tele-
phoning, Mat" he said. mind if I
use your name?" Cumberland as
scented silently; and Tope put in a
call for Police Headquarters in New
York.
While they waited, ''There are two
or three things we ought to know"
Tope explained KEEL was at Hol-
dom's Friday night; but he left, and
Mrs. Kell hasn't been back since she
drove the car away. I'd like to know
where they are. And there's anoth-
er thing: There was a man named
Whitlock at Dewain's Mill last
night, said he represented the insur-
ance people, trying to trace sto-
len car. The way he described it, it
was this car. But if Holdom hasn't
reported it to the insurance peo-
pie"
"Where is Whitlock?" Dane de-
manded. "He sounds fishyl"
"He got away before found out
what he was up to" Tope confessed;
and Dane made disguised gesture.
Then the phone rang, and Tope took
the instrument.
'Hello, PATTI" he said in friendly
tones. "Tope speaking. Tope! Tope,
you young whelp! How are you,
Pat? Haven't seen you in five years
Sure, you heard right! I was
married a year ago. Still on my
honeymoon.
He became serious. "But Pat, lis
ten. I'm speaking from Mat Cum
berland's office. He's the D.A. up
here in Highland County. Massa-
chusetts, yes. North Madderson is
the town. He wants some informa-
ton. Ok? All right, take this
down"
And he gave careful instructions:
To find out whether Ledforge was in
New York; to check his recent move
ments. What kind of hair-oil did he
use? Was he in New York over the
weekend? Check up on Holdom,
where he had been, where he was
now.
"And Holdom's plane crashed
Saturday morning." Tope explained.
'Pilot, named Bob Flint, was killed.
Down on the Sound somewhere. Find
out what made the plane fall"
He finished, hung up the receiver;
Joe Dane started to speak, and Tope
looked at the young man, certain
sympathy in his eyes.
"Son," he said, II know just about
how you feel-you're itching to get
action. I'm too old to run around
in circles; but if you want job,
here's something you can do: A
week ago, Mrs. Kell drove down to
Middleford and met Ledforge at the
train there. Where did they go? See
| if you can find out, joe"
And he added: 'We'n know lot
more when we hear from New York.
You know pretty near as much as
/ do, right now"
Then the phone rang. and Joe