The Wilmington morning star., 1946-04-21

Deane's cigaret stubs. It hadn,t
downed on me, up to then. thai
there might be connection be-
tween my find and Margot's s mur-
der. Now that it did the shock
struck me SO dumb Claire had to
coax and drag the story out of me.
She glanced at me pityingly
when she had it all straight in
the end, and then asked the in.
evitable question:: "Are you in
love with him, Jane?"
It was the last straw. mo, no,
mol" 1 almost screamed at her.
"Why does everyone ask me that?
Can't 1 go Out with man a few
times without being crazy about
him?"
"Sure you cam she admitted
calmly. Il only wanted to know.
And now that I do, and see you
kept mum to the Berwick man ont
of good sense only, ! say More
power to you'll You didn't know
there'd been a crime when you
found those stubs, SO why should
you tell him? If you want my ad-
vice: Just you stick to what you
said yesterday when he mentioned
it in front of the police, which
he's sure to do. If Deane killed
Margot ingalls, they'll find it Out
without you. And if he didn't, it'll
save him, and us, a lot of grief .
but you don't really think he
did it?" I worried.
Claire shook her head. "No,
don't. Mainly because / don't see
why he should. Okay, she was
rude to hill Wednesday. But thai
isn't sufficient reason to murder
her, is it?''
''Not exactly" I agreed.
Besides, he may not have beer
in the apartment with Margot a
ALL" Claire went on reflectively
Someone may have planted the
cigaret ends to make him look
guilty"
1t sounded wonderfully convinc
ing.
'Then whs+ shall tell the po
lice?" I asked.
1.-The truth. With that one ex
ception,' Claire advised. 'Concen
trate on Ingalls, goofy tall
Wednesday night. They're boune
to get some clue out of it.
Yes, and on her demand tt
have the place to herself for the
afternoon yesterday" I supple
mented Claire's suggestion. l wa'
just going to go into details O
what I was going to say whe1
deep voices. from the direction O.
the living room, announced the ar
rival of the police.
The next moment Hunt knocked
at my door.
II thought you might like Il
have me in on the investigation.
he told me in a low voice insteae
of a greeting. $50 now, I am.
asked Jim Wortley-the friend i,
the district attorneys office
mentioned to you-to assign me t.
the case, and he made me ;
special deputy for it. Inspector
Barry of the Homicide is waiting
for you in the living room, Jane
come on, let's co." he added, loud
er and more formally.
The living room was full Of men
There were uniformed policemel
by the score besides, as I foune
out later, fiager-print men ane
Photographers, and the medica
examiner, DR.. Rosen-a smallish
rosy-cheeked, white haired man
complete with several assistants
Hunt led me straight to ths
most important of all - Inspector
Nelson Barry of the Homicide
squad, a tall, broad shoulderee
man around 40, very Irish looking
and with a twinkle in his blue
eyes even murder couldn't quits
extinguish, whom I liked instantly
"Sorry you're having this trou
ble,' he greeted me pleasantly
'Tf you don't mind we'll have
little talk about it later. You may
be able to help me. But first have
a look at this. Ever seen it be
fore?"
The "tais'' he held out to me
in his handkerchief was Neal:
white jade paper knife, its blade
stained suspiciously.
eyes. It's from my sister:
DESK" I said family. "And I know
it's what - what Margot wa:
stabbed with. saw it before you
pulled i. out"
The inspector put the knife back
in his pocket after wrapping the
handkerchief around it carefully.
"Glad you recognize 1t, too
Your housekeeper has already
identified it, he told me. 1T won
do lis much good, though, beyond
that. TOO much carving to SHOW
finger prints
Then he smiled at Rosa, wkt
was ju-- coming in with a tras
full of scanning cups, took on1
and toll her, ITS against al
rules, but I never could resist
| cup of good Coffee" and startee
slipping the strong, hot brew Will
relish.
H 1 didn't know anything about Po
lice rules, but I was somehow slat
he accepted, and liked, Rosa's cof
| fee, And how I welcomed 1t my
self!
When presently we both had re
turned our empty cups to Rosa