TUB 8TOBT THUS PAH: Adam Brace
TBI operator, ea a trip to Ui old home!
rma PreTloM tell. Inapector Tope
aaS Mis. Tope. Tope loud a all
marderod at auto camp operated hp
Bea Dewala. Mrs. Tope aald the aue
wae Mr. Lodforte, head ad New
atumee. Seldom, frleed of Ledlorfe, was
*??* sacoaacloae la hoopttal. Hie em
^eyas, Bell, had dlaappearod. Tope he*
"ored Mrs. KelTe hod; would he foaad
Is bottom of saarrtee la Holdom'i ear.
Ladfarse was aald h; hie aMce la he la
Haw York. Prtddy, who worked at the
earn p. eaaao raaalnd la aad eald that
?Hero wae a mao la the eooace?Tope
aad Brace foaad KeO looUai where the
merdered mu wae foaad.
CHAPTER VIII
The big man looked from one to
the other. "Why?yes, sir," he said
miaerably at , last. "My name's
Kell."
"That's much better," Tope com*
men ted. "Where's the Holdora lim
ousine?"
But Kell responded with a coun
ter question, his cheek suddenly
purple, his whole body shaking with
a sort of passion.
"Where's my wife?" he cried.
"Where's Mrs. Kell? Where is she?
What have you done with her?"
Tope said simply: "We haven't
seen her, Kell. Was that why you
came here? To look for her?"
"She's gone!" Kell cried desper
ately. "She's gone! I heard in the
Tillage that there was some one dead
here. I thought it might be her?"
The Inspector looked at Kell's
feet; and he demanded:
"Let me see your shoes?the bot
toms of them."
Kell, after a moment, lifted one
foot, standing on the other; and
Tope turned the lifted foot with his
hand to look at the sole. Kell top
pled and almost fell; and Tope re
leased his ankle, caught his arm,
steadied him. Then the old man
asked;
"Do you ever wear heel-plates?"
Kell's eyes flickered. "No sir!"
"Sure?"
"Why?I've got an old pair of
?hoes with plates on them."
"Worn them lately?"
"No sir."
Tope nodded; and he said: "Kell,
there were some things in the pock
ets of those overalls this dead man
wore. A valve-clearance gauge, and
a knife with a steel handle marked
In a scale, inches and centimeters.
Did you ever see a knife like that?"
Kell shook his head stubbornly.
"Well, that's funny," Tope protest
ed. "That's queer! You work for
Holdom; you're his chauffeur. You
live over his garage. Well, this dog
blanket came from his garage; and
the overalls and sweater came out
of the machine shop behind the ga
rage, where you keep your work
clothes. I think they are yours.
They're big enough to fit you. You're
an Englishman. That knife came
from England. I never saw one like
it in this country."
"I heard that the coupe came
here," Kell muttered. "And she was
in it. She drove it away from the
house."
"Well," said Tope, "I don't know
where she is, but I can tell you
where the car is. It's in the quarry
hole, up in the mountains above the
Holdom place. We're lifting it out
tomorrow."
Kell uttered a low, startled ejacu
lation; and Tope stopped, expecting
the man to speak. When Kell did
not, tha Inspector demanded:
"Kbow anything about that?"
"No sir." The answer was prompt.
"1 suppose you didn't put it
there?"
Kell cried harshly, on the verge of
breaking: "No!"
"Ail right," Tope said sharply,
pressing his advantage. "Why didn't
you bring Holdom and Ledforge up
here to their homes last Friday?"
And, quickly: "Now, don't lie! We
know you left New York, with them
'in the car; and we know you got
home alone. What did you do with
? Ledforge and Holdom on the way?"
After a moment Kel! answered:
"Why?I had engine-trouble, sir. It
looked like a long job to fix it; so
they hailed a car and got a ride
to Springfield, told me they'd come
en home by train. I got the car
Axed quicker than 1 expected, and
came on, and met the train at Mid
dleford, but they weren't on it."
"Hah!" said Tope scornfully.
'Took you long enough to think of
that! Where have you been since
then?"
"Looking for Mrs. Kell?places I
thought sbe might be."
"Where?"
"Well, one was in Boston, and one
to Worcester. Then Mr. Ledforge
h hai a lodge back in the hills where
lb he sometimes went for a rest. I
thought she might be there."
"Why?" Tope demanded; and Kell
hesitated, did not answer. Tope
cried: "Well, was she?"
"No sir," said Kell, and Tope de
manded sharply:
"But you found some one there?"
"Mr. Eberly was there. But he
hadn't seen her."
"Eberly?" Tope looked at Adam.
"He's there now?"
"Yes sir. He and Mr. Ledforge
sometimes went there together."
Tope frowned, startled and dis
tnrbed. "Did Mr. Eberly know Mrs.
Kell?"
"Oh, oo air, but ha said no one
tad been there!"
And Tope fuddenly was calm, t
"Kell," he said. "I'm sorry about t
your wife. Don't think me?imper
tinent, unkind. But?had she any f
faults? Were you jealous of her?" t
"She was all right, sir," Kell pro- t
tested. He added: "But I couldn't I
help being jealous of her. She'd go j
away, week-ends when I'd be at s
home, and whea I couldn't go with ]
her, with Mr. Holdom keeping me j
busy all the time." r
"Where would she go?" t
"She always told me where she \
was going, but?I tried to telephone
her, sometimes, and she wasn't i
where she'd started for." He wiped
his brow heavily. "It made me j
crazy, sir," he confessed. <
Adam realized?and his hair pric- f
kled at the thought?that Kell spoke <
of Mrs. Kell in the past tense, as <
though she were dead!
Tope asked: "Where were you last
week-end? Ten days ago? Up here, .
or in New York?"
"In New York, sir. Mr. Holdom j
couldn't get away."
"Mr. Ledforge in New York?" .
"I don't know, sir."
"Sorry, Ken, bat I am aetinc for
the law In this matter."
"Mrs. KellT"
"She went to Boston to see her
cousin."
Tope nodded; and he went on, in
sistently: "You used to work for Mr.
Ledforge. How did you happen to
leave him?"
"Mr. Holdom wanted me."
"Did Mrs. Kell approve of the
change?" ?
"Yes sir. She didn't like my work
ing for Ledforge."
"Did you? Was he a good boss?"
"You could never tell about him,"
Kell explained, almost abstractedly.
"One day he might be as friendly
as you could ask; and the next day
he might not speak to you at all,
sir. You wouldn't know him for the
same man."
Tope stared at the big man for a
long time. Then he asked casually:
"Mr. Holdom treat you all right, did
he?"
"Yes sir!" The big man was at
ease now, quite off guard.
And Tope asked sharply: "Then
why did you, hit him over the head
and leave him beside the road down
near Hartford Saturday morning,
unconscious, with a fractured skull?"
Kell swayed where he stood, and
his ruddy cheeks drained white.
"Why did you?" Tope insisted.
"Why, Kell?"
There had been no warning in his
manner, nothing to stiffen Kell to
resistance. And the man stam
mered now:
"He told me to, sir! Made mel"
Adam, at this admission, whistled
soundlessly, and grinned with de
light at Tope's shrewd guess so in
credibly confirmed.
"Nonsense I" Tope said curtly.
"You mean to say he told you to
kill him?"
"No sir, just to hit him," Kell
urged, almost pleadingly. "Hit him
over the head. He told me to hit
him and leave him."
He stopped suddenly, and Tope
prompted: "Go on! Go on I" And
when Kell was silent. Tope said
harshly: "Come, Kell! You hit Mr.
Holdom because he told you to.
What's the rest of it?"
But Kell, a new strength in him
now, put on a mask of courtesy, of
incredulous surprise.
"I, sir?" he said. "I don't know
what you mean, sir. Mr. Holdom
hurt? Not badly, I hope, sir?"
Tope grinned, and be looked at
Adam Bruce. "This man's too much
for me, Adam," be said. "I guess
he could help us if he wanted to.
I judge be doesn't know that Mrs.
Kell really spent last week-end?"
Kell said furiously: "Keep your
, tongues off her!"
Tope whirled on him. Having
goaded Kell to anger, he was about
to press his advantage; but he saw
in Kell's eyes an insane fury which
t checked him. It waa not fear that
restrained him, but rather a reluc
ant consideration for ihl? harried
nan, and something like sympathy.
He said straightforwardly: "Sorry,
Cell I But I'm acting for the law in
his matter; and Mr. Bruce here
epresents the Federal Government,
department of Justice. I suppose
'?u know that you're involved in a
erious affair. Kidnaping is serious.
Cell. And so is?murder. I won't
>ress you; but if you told us a little
nore, it might help in straightening
kings out, ami?in finding your
vifel"
Kell stood grimly silent, twitching
ind shaking.
"Some one," Tope urged, "tele
jhoned the Ridgcomb police that the
soupe had been stolen?telephoned
!rom New York. You didn't do that,
lid you? You weren't in New York
Saturday morning, were you?"
"No sir," said Kell.
Then thejnll heard a car on the
lnve, and Tope spoke to Adam.
That may be Mat," he said; and to
Cell, while Bruce turned toward
he door: "This is Mr. Cumberland,
he District Attorney, Kell. I'm
tfraid he'll lock you up." He add
:d: "If we get any trace of Mrs.
Cell, I'll let you know."
Then Cumberland came in, Mrs.
Tope beside him. Adam admitted
hem both, shut the door.
Tope made explanations?summed
ip Kell's statements?and silences.
Mrs. Tope spoke quickly.
"Inspector," she suggested, "Kell
would know Mr. Ledforge if he saw
him."
Tope's eyes quickened. "That's
dfht," he agreed. He chuckled.
"Ma'am, I never thought of that.
Of course he would." He spoke to
Cumberland, eagerly. "Let's get up
there?let Kell see him, see if he
knows him."
A moment later they were all in
Cumberland's car, and soon they
turned into the byway that led to
Amasa Dewain's farm. The ambu
lance of Will Banion, the undertak
er, was backed up to the kitchen
door; a laden stretcher was just be
ing wheeled out of the kitchen as
they arrived. Amasa Dewain, heavy,
ponderous, silent, stood in the light
ed doorway.
They approached the stretcher;
and Cumberland said to the under
taker: "Will, let this man see him!"
A sheet was turned back; an elac
oric torch threw its beam on the
dead man's white face. Tope and
Adam thrust Kell forward.
"took at him, Kell," Tope direct
ed.
And Kell?though they could feel
the muscles in his arms -contract?
looked steadily enough upon the
dead man.
"That Mr. Ledforge?" Tope de
manded.
Kell shook his head. In the wait
ing silence his hoarse tones were
clear.
"No sir," he said sullenly
"han Will Banion heard Tope
speak Ledforge's name, he pressed
nearer, Incredulous, astonished He
cried:
"Ledforge? The Utilities man?"
Mat Cumberland started to speak;
but Tope interrupted him. "You're
Will Banion?" he asked crisply.
"Yes."
"Well, I want you to forget what
you've heard," Tope sternly direct
ed. "This isn't Ledforge. You heard
Kell say so. Now get along to town.
Doctor Medford here?"
"He's gone ahead, going to meet
me at my place," Banion said meek
ly, and turned to his task. When
the ambulance was gone. Tope spoke
to Cumberland. "Heard from youna
Dane?" he asked.
"Yes, he telephoned awhile ago
that Holdom can make the trip to
morrow. They'll be here by noon."
Tope nodded, and he spoke to
Cumberland. "You'll want to lock
Kell up, of course. Drop Mrs. Tope
and me at the MiU, and then you
can take him along to town."
Back at the Mill, they found Ned
Quill talking at the door with Bee
Dewain. The trooper reported to
Tope: "Well, sir, I've been up at
the quarry. Got some wreckers on
the job. They say they can get the
car out of there tomorrow morning."
Tope nodded, and he said: "Quill,
this man is Kell, Holdom'e chauf
feur."
"Sure, 1 know him," Ned agreed.
"We caught him in Faraway
awhile ago," Tope explained. "He
probably came in the limousine, left
it around near here somewhere. See
if you can find it."
I "O.K.I" Quill assented.
The District Attorney suggested,
almost regretfully: "You know
Tope, if this had been Ledforge, we
could find plenty of people around
that might have had ? grudge
against him. Most of us put money
into his securities. Amasa Dewain.
for one."
"Whoever killed this man, it
wasn't anyone around here. Mat,"
Tope said shortly.
"How do you know?"
"Because some one from outside
is checking up on H. I told you
there were two men here Monday
night trying to trace the ear?Whit
lock and BeaL They slipped away
early. I'd like to talk to them; but
there's no telling where they are
now!"
Bee Dewain said triumphantly:
"Oh, yes, there is. Inspector!
They're here?came back a few
minutes ago. Mrs. Prlddy's giving
them supper right now!"
(to as comunvkd)
' 1,1 IMPROVED 1
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Sunday i
chool Lesson
Rtltiatd by Wmuto Ihnpwr Uaioa,
Lesson 'for January 20
auMerta and Sartptura taxta aa
*actad and norrtablad bp International
Council at BaUsloua Education; uaad to
aenni avian.
THE (LAWS OF A PEOPLE
LESs6n TEXT? Exodus K i ll.
GOLDEN TEXT-I will dallxht tnysell In
thy commandmenta. which 1 hava lav ad
Psalm IIP-17.
Law is necessary to order. Basic
laws have been laid down by God
for the orderly administration of His
universe.
Physical laws are of great impor
tance, but of even deeper signifi
cance are the moral and spiritual
laws which control the human Ufa.
There is in the world a moral law
?a distinction between right and
wrong?which man may ignore only
to hi3 own sorrow, and which he can
not abrogate or destroy. All laws
of men which are true and right
are founded on this underlying mor
al law, and they are in reality sim
ply a development and interpreta
tion of "God's Code of Morals"?the
Ten Commandments.
These fundamental laws were giv
en to Israel at Mount Sinai, but they
speak to us with remarkable fresh
ness and directness. They merit
more extensive study than we can
give them in this limited space, but
we can note their broad outlines and
certain practical applications. There
are two divisions?one concerns
man in his relation to God, and the
other in his relation to men. We
have:
I. A Right View of God (w. 1-11).
The first and moat important ques
tion to be asked regarding any law
is, "By whom was it established?"
Legislation by an unauthorized per
son or organization has no power
over others. Who gave the Ten
Commandments? Verse 1 tells us
I "God spake all those words."
Men may sneer at theology as be
ing outmoded, but the fact Is that
Christian doctrine is the only safe
foundation for Christian character.
1. Whom to Worship (w. 1-8).
There can be but one true God, and
He alone is to be worshiped. He is
a personal being, ready to enter into
communion with each one of us. No
image or likeness can take His
place. Bowing down before idols,
no matter what they may be called,
is expressly forbidden by God.
I. How to Worship <w. 6, 7). We
are to love Him and to keep His com
mandments. There is to be no sham
about this, for no matter how sweet
and pious may be the praise and
prayer of man, he has taken the
Lord's name in vain unless he keeps
the Lord*! commandmenta by holy
living.
3. When to Worship (w. 8-11). God
has ordained that man ahould not
incessantly bear the burden of toU.
He is to have a day of rest ,n/! a
time for worship, undisturbed by the
duties and responsibilities of daily
tabor.
America needs a mighty stirring
up about the desecration of the
Lord's day. The stalwarts of the
last generation fought a valiant bat
tle against a rising tide of secular
ism and worldly pleasure. Now no
one seems to care. Do you? "Six
days shalt thou labor." Give God
one day out of seven.
II. A Right View of Maa (w. 13
17).
To be right with God means that
we will also be right with our fellow
man. Conversely, the man who is
manifestly wrong in his rela
tion to his fellowman is either not
right with God at all, or he is not
living out his Christian lifa in prac
tice. This should show in:
1. Family Life (v. 13). The fifth
commandment has to do with the
relation between child and parent.
There is a plain and direct com
mand that father and mother ahould
be honored. Only in respect and
obedience to parents can the child
possibly Itnd true and proper devel
opment.
Parent! who have permitted chil
dren to go astray during the war
years wl'l need to stress anew the
God-required obedience to their au
thority.
2. Physical Life (w. 13, 14). God
is interested in our bodies. Already
are have noted His provision for a
day of test each week. Now we
are reminded of the sanctity of hu
man life. "Thou shalt not kill," and
remember there are many other
ways to kill a man other than shoot
ing him.
Let us be sura that are are not
a party to the destruction of any
one's life either by reason of care
lessness or greed.
Note the emphasis on adultery.
Moral undeanness, which is so aw
fully common in our day, is one of
the moot effective methods of de
stroying the body even while de
grading and defiling the aoul with
sin.
3. Social Life (w. 13-17). "Thou
shalt not steal"?and remember any
dishonest appropriation of what
does not belong to you is stealing,
call it arhat you will. And "false wit
ness"?bow it has honeycombed our
very civilization! Not a little at
it is found within the church, more
shame upon us! Lastly, we come to
"covetousnesa" ? which has been
called one of the "respectable sins
of nice people." It is subtle and
often hidden. Let us root H out of
our own lives by God's grace.
Smart . Skirts Can Be <
Bought as '"Separates* j
?? Is
They Come in Black Crepe
And Satin for Evening.
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
Now that blouse-md-ekirt cos
tumes have become topflight (ash
ion in the evening mote, it's good ?
to know that beautifully stylgd eve
ning skirts can now be bought as
"separstes."
This mixing and matching of sep
arates is a thrifty gesture and fasci
nating as well. It's amazing what
can be done in way of stretching
one's wardrobe to do multiple duty
just by keeping a collection of smart
and versatile blouses on hand, to
gether with several skirts that in
clude both short lengths and formal
evening types. The problem has
been greatly simplified, now that '
one i can buy handsome evening 4
skirts in the skirt departments.
You can get these skirts in rich
materials such as fine quality black
crepe, satin and black velvet. The
crepe type is probably the most pop
ular. These are variously styled,
but the favorite is the one-side
drape type with a cascade of the
material falling in graceful lines.
It's news too that it is often pos
sible to get a smart short-length
skirt styled in the same manner.
With a stock of pretty blouses on
hand, one can readily see the pos
sibilities of building a whole ward
robe of day and evening gowns.
In assembling your blouse collec
tion, you will find that it is wise to
buy a simple black waist-depth
sweater blouse. This will always be
ready for every evening occasion,
and the big Idea is to give it drama
with lots of gold jewelry, for black
and gold are very smart this sea
son.
You will be wanting also a lovely
white blouse either in crepe, jer
sey or satin. The prettiest types are
glitter-embroidered, or very new
types are allover braided, highlight
ed with the glitter aocent. Wear a
white ermine headband and carry
an ermine evening bag with your
white glitter blouse and handsome
skirt, and you will have a perfect
evening ensemble.
Less formality but not less chic
is expressed for smart restaurant
wear in the costume that is made
up of a short-length skirt topped
with a satin blouse in a delectable
pastel. When you wear the pastel
blouse with a formal evening skirt,
you will look charming for dinner if
you top your costume with a pro
vocative little hat done in pastel os
trioh.
One blouse you surely will prize
to wear either with the short skirt
or the one of formal length is the
tunic type made of vivid stripe sat
in or crepe.
Corselet Waistline
To have introduced a voguish cor
selet waistline into this chic loung
ing costume presented by Chicago
Fashion Industries is a stroke of
genius, for it achieves a refreshing
ly new and most attractive slant in
pa)ama styling technique. The
handsome wide - striped material
used reaffirms the importance of
stripes in the current mode. The
deep armhole sleeves and the gath
ered peplum are newsworthy style
details.
Style Notes
Pleated, gathered or gored is ad
vance news for skirts.
Officer coat with buttona and
semi-fitted lines heralded for spring.
Junior and collega girls like the
new short nightshirts.
Print suits for spring are styled
with gathered-in at the top sleeves.
Hand bags and compacts of cork
make news for spring. Two-tone ef
fects are favored. The mountings
are also of cork, the top handles
being wound with cord. Both bags
and vanities are leather lined.
Comes news that cork accessories
are planned for spring. These will
link up with Cork-sole play aboes,
giving a gay note of color to town
clothes and sportswear.
DEWING CIRCLE NEEDLEWORK
Strawberry Potholders Look Real
No. SU3 *?
VjICEST pot holder in the coun
~ try?this-ever popular straw
jerry crocheted of bright red
hread, "seeded" with green and
having natural loosing green
leaves which are crocheted sep
arately and then sewn to the berry.
Measures 7 by 7% inches.
? -? ?
To obtain complete crocheting instruc
tions for the Giant Strawberry Pothelder
(Pattern No. S3SS). send 1C cents in
your name, address and the pattern num
Due V> unusually large demand and
the cifrrent conditions, slightly mora
time is required in filling orders for m
few of the most popular pattern numbers.
Send your order to: t |
SEWING CIRCLE NUDLIVOU
use Sixth Aee. New Ysefc. N. Y
No
;
firtrtrese , ,
-
Dale-Bran Muffins, good as cake!
(Take no tugar, no Bhortoning!)
The** delicious, mt ul-bui muffins
made with chapped dates will here a
big appeal far the "sweet toothen" In
jroar family! They're ?o mntrt And
they're eo tender?eo good. That's be
cause xxuocc'e xia-isa* Is mined
extra-fine for golden softness.
J cops Kenan's 1 cop lifted flour
aix-aua 1 teaspoon soda
tt cup mnlemss % teaspoon salt
ltt cups milk H cup chopped
1 e? dates
Add bumTs ilt-nrt to male sets
and milk and allow to soak far 19
mlnntes Beat en and add to first
mixture. Add sifted dry ingredients
and fruit. Fill pee seel muffin pans
two- thirds fall and baka tn moderate
ly hot oron (400*7.) about M mttt
utca. Makes 15 light, luscious mufflna.
Good Null HI mi, loot
iiMiubaadilnaAiwuRB
WMMlntiwi of Um iiiuloiUvo M
Uuotab grata.
dolly mfmlmam lAll'/fi#
Strro XoluVz'a ?????? I
I j I I
Bake sweeter, tastier bread!
m FLEISCHMANN'S
YEAST
?
NO WAITING?no extra steps! Full-ttrtngth?
Fleiachmann'a fresh actiot Yeaat goea right to woak.
Makes sweeter, finer bread! And makes it faeterl
Yon can be eurer of tender, amooth texture?tiffat
neaa?delicious flavor every time!
V YOU BAKE AT HOME, insist on
Fleiachmann'a fresh Yeast with the /
familiar yellow label. It's dependable? /
America's teeted favorite for more than / ^SS^jS;
I ..mm Sen-Gay Gfflorl
? Yet, rub in Ben-Qay quick... and quickly get relief I
from cfeaat-cold symptoms Soothing. gently wanning... ?
Ben-Gay acta fas*. Ask jpoot doctor about the famous pain
relieving agents, methyl salicylate and menthol. Ban-Gay
contains up to 2 times mors of these ingredients than ?
other widely offered rub-ins. Get genuine Baa-Gey t