page six
The DIVOR
MUR
11 kit m< ? v
fl
SIXTEENTH INSTALMENT
Rankin's eyes widened in surprise.
''Deserting?" he repeated. "Of course
that would explain his secrecy about
his past and why he destroyed the
evidence that he was ever in the service.
He wasn't caught, was he?"
"No. he evidently escaped successfully."
I suppose that's his picture, on
the next page.'' the detective observf
ed.
"Yes, the one that was taken at
Si". Diego." Mr Roche held out the
pamphlet.
Rankin reached for it eagerly
enough, but without anticipating the
shock that followed. Suddenly, at the
sight of tne features staring at him j
from the portrait, he gasped. Exper- .
ienced as he was in extraordinary
developments in his investigation of j
crime, he could not control his astonish
merit. The passage of eight
years was insufficient to prevent hi3 |
jegrutloi: of the face in the pic-,
ture.
Such was his overwhelming arnaze- \
ment that Air Roche eyed him won- J
deringly.
"What in the world is the matter, ,
Mr. Rankin ?" he demanded hurried- ]
v. ;You're not ill, I hope? You aeL i
as if. you're acquainted with the j
man."
The defective wiped his brow, i
"That's just it, I am. Rut it's abso- |
lately incredible; for the life of inc. i
I can't understy nd how it can be possible.
You see'* In time, he recalled |
how little Mr. Roche knew of the j
true reason he sought the ex-soldicr.
"He's' a notorious isecond-slory man,
and wanted badly in many cities."
With this revelation, he grapsed
in one fell swoop all the elaborate
mechanism of the murder. At one
inonienf he was blindly following* his
nose; the next, every piece of a com- ;
plicated and ingenious puzzle, the j
sheer originality of which he had not j
even dreamed, fell into place. He
needed no mere information from the
marine records. Now he knew how
the crime had lieen engineered and
when it was committed. Ho perceiv.
. i, ... - mm - ... I
eii an me sou lie saicguarus oy wjucii j
the murderer prevented suspicion j
from lighting on him, the daring that j
revealed his perverted mind. Aiways i
ready to allow his opponent due
credit, Rankin appreciated his plot, I
as brilliant and audacious as any he
Jhad ever encountered. The measure
of its success was the completeness
with which it had baffled him until
I his very moment. With the solution
confronting: him at every turn, he
had been a victim, throughout the
case, of a cunning with which he
could r.oi cope. :
His only consolation lay in the
fact that hack in Philadelphia he already
possessed his quarry's fingerprints.
Hence, even without the pro- ;
tograph, he would eventually have
discovered Dennis' identity at headquarters,
when lie compared his i
prints with those he took early in j
the investigation. j
Yet, despite his information and:
certainty, he lacked positive proof of 1
the criminal s guilt. Xot one iota of
his evidence was more than circum- |
siantiai nor could it be established |
directly. Though he could show the I
man's motives and opportunity, and !
a dozen suspicious nerves, they had |
only the force of supposition. Den- j
nis had no eyewitnesses to positive
acts that linked him inescapably to j
Barbara Keith's death. So incrimi-1
nating were the circumstances that
Rardcin depended on rhem alone to
convict mm: but he was not satisfied.
He wanted to leave no loophole by
which the man might escapa and
tiiis he could accomplish only with
' some testimony that brought the
deed ali-aignt home to rum.
While he continued his conversation
with Mr. Roche, Rankin's mind
raced in search of some fact that
would close his net. Step by stop* .
he reviewed every transaction of the j
criminal, his preparations, precau-1
lions and final act; and each detail i
of the plot he discarded as being incapable
of direct proof. That is,'
until he. considered Dennis" purchase I
of the chloroform. In obtaining
that, he committed a distinctly incriminating
act, which lent overwhelming
significance to the purely
circumstantial evidence. The difficulty
was that, despite a thorough canvassing
of all city druggists, Rankin's
assistants had thus far been
unablo to trace it.
Unless his quarry had never
bought the drug at all! Tile idea
that occurred to the detective at
that instant caused him to break off
his conversation with Mr. Roche. J
Suddenly he had recalled an item of j
?
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CE COURT
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DER
PROPPER
! information Mortimer Keith had casually
dropped early in the case. At
tiie time he could attach no importance
to it, and quickly forgot it; now
it suggested a startling possibility
thai made him stiffen and breathe
excitedly as he pondered it. He did
not believe some one else bought the
chloroform for Dennis: that was too
great a risk.
And if he figured wrongly, he
could fail back on the canvass of the
city, though that would delay the
final anvst. In one conclusion he
had faith. Sooner or later, if he followed
the man's movements during
the entire two weeks prior to the
tragedy, he would discover the source
of the weapon be used.
The detective immediately acted
on his theory and decision. As soon
as he finished his business with the
secretary, he returned to the Union
Station and at 6:35 caught a train
for Philadelphia.
Three hours later the train deposited
him in Broad Street Station and
ne went eirecciy to uaiy nan to complete
the necessary formalities. Then
armed with the warrant, he departed
4hd walked briskly down Broad
Street to Pine. Here he turned, and
i just past 16th Street he stopped bei
fore a bleakly respectable hrownstor.c
house, four stories high. Hie
| lower windows were dark: but a
; brass shingle on one front sill? "Dr.
Anton Brantman"- -indicated that
; one of the most eminent specialists
in ailments of the head lived there.
Though it was long after since
hours, Rankin rang the bell. Five
minutes elapsed before footsteps
echoing aio: g the stairs announced
Dr. BranUnon's approach.
Without any comment he led Rankin
into the lofty waiting* room for
patients.
Rankin apologized for the intrusion
and then came directly to the
point. His first query caused Dr.
Branimon to shake a solemn head
and tighten his lips with a sigh.
"Yes. 1 was well acquainted with
Mrs. Keith," he replied; '4I treated
her for headaches ... A dreadful
! business that." He paused and made
commiserating sound3. "Only I don't
j *hink it was Wednesday evening,
I May twenty fourth, that she consulted
me last; it was seveia! days later.
He went with Rankin into his private
office. "Yes, I am right." He
pointed a finger at a scrawled, almost
illegible notation. "Here it is,
two days later, at eight-thirty p.
on Friday, May twenty-sixth."
"Of course, doctor, that fits in
perfectly after all," declared Rankin.
*4She couldn't have visited you
Wednesday. She was accompanied,
wasn't she. Dr. Brantman?
At the physician's reply, his face
d with a half smile of confidence.
After that more eagerly and
I rapidly he began to put his ques|
insistently pressing upon Dr.
iHrnnnimn Viic ofo*-H5?or ?
.?. tiio^uauk/u.
Finally, the doe :or could no longer
contain his uneasiness. "I don't
doubt, Mr. Rankin, that what you
suggest is possible," lie admitted.
My r.urse. Miss Vickers, wasn't here
to watch and I had no other patients;
and my drug shelves arc quite
open. If I happened to be occupied
at this desk. I might not notice
what went on behind the screen. Only
it's so difficult to believe."
"Not if you knew the person we're
dealing with as well as I do," Kanltin
returned.
"But wouldn't Mre. Keith be curious
about the theft ? She'd question
it. or stop him, or inform me of it."
"She was in no position to prevent
anything," Rankin explained. "She
didn't dare interfere. . . You had better
look, doctor, to find out whetliorI'm
mistaken. But just point out the
drug; we must be careful r.ot to destroy
any clue3 or prints."
"I hope to God you are wrong,"
Dr. Brar.tman murmured fervently.
More pallid than usual, he stepped
behind the screen. The detective located
the bottle.
"I fear that you are right after all,
Mr. Rankin." he announced gravely.
"The amounts don't check at all;
I should nave seven ounces left.
Even if my judgment is only roughly
correct, at least four ounces are
missing."
Delighted by the substantion of
his theory, Rankin lifted the vial
with extreme caution.
"And that means there should be
fingerprints," he commented, "if this
hasn't been disturbed since.
hp nrrtwoivtkr ?
. . r?ww.?ij uivugin uiong a
small container instead of taking
this."
Fifteen minutes later, with the
evidence upon which he relied and
i)IVANT BURIAL
ION, INC.
. . BOONE, N. C.
>R THE FAMILY
iber . . . Dues Thereafter
lows:
rter Yearly Benefit
0 4? $ 50.00
JO .80 100.00
i0 1.60 100.00
0 2.10 100.00
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT?EVE
J Bethel High School
| And Community New;
j Jtiss Lorenn Lawrence who ha
been spending part of her time fo
j the past year or so in the state o
' .WW lorn, visucu x>cwa mg'
i School last Wednesday. Miss Law
: ' once is a sister of Misses Lossie an
i Mf.c and Dean who are attendin
j school at this place. Their fathe
! lives just across the Watauga an
! Avery county line in the edge of th
I latter county
, Mrs. Gordon Winkler, one of th
J grade teachers, was out of school las
, week on account of sickness.
! Notwithstanding the inciemen
j weather, quite a number of patron
attended the P.-T. A. meeting Wed
! nesday night. The meeting was call
ed to order by the president. Mr. C
A C ay. Mrs Carl Farthing, score
tary, read the proceedings of the las
meeting. The following business \va
transacted and program rendered:
Mr. Dickson, principal, mapped ou
j the general plans of the school an
| heralded the news that the projec
] for the new building has been ap
! pre jd by both the state and the na
government and that work 5
xp.cted to begin immediately. Vol
1 ur.leer wcrl: in the way of haulin,
J rock on what is locally known as th
! " Pick-Breeches" Road ?o that th
jrock may be crushed by the roa
i machine which is working in th
, community.
{ S-.--rsi musical pieces were rcnderc
y Messes Mary art Perry ami Belt
O'Neal. The most interesting part c
.: hprogram perhaps was an olc
r": .10 spelling match in Webster's oi
"-Blue-Back" speiicr. Two points c
i interest were very noticeable: 1. Ou
more modern spellers did r.ot remai
on the floor long enough to tire thci
iirnbs: 2. These who are old enoug
I to remember having studied this cl
i speilcb wore delighted to hear tt
| familiar words and to revel in th
me rnri-'S of gone-by "ays.
At the close of the meeting ri
freshmerits consisting of hot coffc
cookies, potato salad, etc., \vei
served by the teachers.
The meeting adjourned to meet or
month hence, at which time an intci
esting program is expected to Vie git
cn and refreshments will be serve
by some of the patrons of the dii
tr'.ct.
A very interesting program ws
given by ttie students of the Litci
ary Society Friday evening.
CROP ESTIMATES FOR THE
UNITED STATES IS GIVE
Washington.?The com crop th
year was reported today by the Agr
culture department, in it3 prclimini
ry production estimate as 2,211,268
000 bushels.
A month ago 2,213,310,000 busl
eis were indicated. Last year's cro
was 1,377,000,000 bushels and th
1028-33 average production 2.502
000.000.
Preliminary production estimate
of other crops (in bushels excel
where stated) with last year's pre
deletion include:
Peanuts, 1,280,000,000 pounds an
I.OS3.000.000; apples, 168,000,000 an
121.000.000; grapes 2,330,000 tons an
1,93>i,000: pecans 95,300,000 p.-.unc
and 10,400,000; potatoes, 354,000,00
and 355,000,000: sweet potatoes, US
200,000 and 67,400,000; tobacco, 1
300,000,000 and; 1,046,000,000.
Dr. Brantmon as a witness, the >lt
tective left the house on Pine Strei
On the warrant in his pocket he ha
filled in the criminal's name. HI
eyes glistened with excitement a3 h
summoned a taxi. Experience
though he was in the pursuit c
wrongdoers, he would have been les
than humar. not to be stirred by thi
momentous occasion.
He gave the cabman directions a
he climbed in. "And on the way," h
directed, "if you notice a cop, sto
so 1 can pick him up."
The taximan obeyed. Near 441
Street two- uniformed men stood o
the corner, conversing, and the las
drew up to them. Rankin bcckone
them in; and by the time he ha
identified himself and explain?
what he expected of them, the
reached their destination.
It was an exclusive, somewhat ele
gant red-brick apartment house, 11
shaped, each of its three wings hav
ing a separate entrance. The deter
tlve dismissed the cab and se'.ecte
the entrance into the left wing, i
the vestibule of which he paused a
the leter boxes.
He indicated one. "That's the on
we want, hoys?three-C, third floor,
he declared. "Now remember you
orders? to stay out of sight while
enter." He drew out a whistle, bo;
rowed from one of the officer:
' Don't interfere unless I blow this,
he continued. "I expect I can mar
age him by myself; but he'll be del
perate, 30 stand by, ready in case h
is troublesome."
With that, he pressed the butto
beneath the name e? O10 c
sought; and in a moment, a buzzin
sound released the catch on the ir
ner door. The three men trooped ii
over a red-tiled floor, and, disregari
ing the elevators, ascended the staii
on the right. On the third floor, th
softly-lighted corridor stretched i
both directions, lined with regulai
spaced, numbered doors, 3C so cloe
to the stairhead that, to prevent ol
servation, the policemen retreate
down several steps toward a midwa
landing. Then Rankin advanced I
the apartment door and boldly selzi
the brass knocker.
(Concluded Next Week)
IRY THURSDAY?BOONE. N. C.
Forest Grove Items
Saturday, 2 p. m., Nov. 10. Rev. J.
' C. Canipe met his regular appoint
ment at Forest Grove Church. Then
S ; Sunday following Rev. Canipe gave
a brief report en the Baptist conven.
tion held in Winston-Salem. This
. came during the Sunday School hour.
" , Immediately alter Sunday School,
c : pastor delivered an able sermon
^ to a great number or* community peo\
r?Ie as wel! as visitors,
a *
e Among the visitors were: Mr. S.
C. Eggers and two daughters, of
Boone. Mr. arid Mrs. A. E. Bunigar?
n-: r and son from Willowdale Church.
iL Mr. Jerry Cook of Bethel, Miss Jennie
and Catherine Sherwood of Bethel
it and Mr. Ernest Henson of Cove
s Ci ek.
l" Miss Carrie Eller who has spent
the past few weeks in Boone, visit'
J c>. home folks here the past weekend.
j Mis> Kate Whieharger of A. S. T.
s i C spent the week-end with home
t' folks here.
(i | A number of the community people
.i S have been attending the revival at
K i upper Beaver Dam.
L_ ; Farmers of this section are maks
1 kjg good headway on the grading of
I* | tlieir tobacco.
Z '
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e aEHBBnBSaBHHEHrae; - iimdcj
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il'? f'riiatgld
Iuijioiaid
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WATAUGA DRUG
CTnn ir
id g Oi UIVL4
ls
V-8 L
is
;; \ j ? " T" 1
4an k'? map ;pr
d On October 31 ol last
n announced his intention
Ford V-8s in 1935. We a
port that this goal was re
r ten months instead oi a i
1 One million cars and
i. pressive totaL But figure
mean nothing. It is whe
i- that counts. Selling a V
has brought a new kin
] FOR
builder of
THE NEW FORD V-8 FOR 1!
Z
1 DANIEL
y
d AUTHOR1ZEL
NOVEMBER 21, 1935
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rear, Henry Ford within reach of the people. Producing it
to build a million has provided steady work for hundreds
xe pleased to re- of thousands of men in the Ford plants, in
cached in exactly associated industries and on the farm.
Kill year. These million Ford V-8 cars and trucks
trucks is an im- hare helped to make things better all
is by themselves around. In the first ten months of 1935 the
rt they represent Ford Motor Company paid out, in the
8 at a low price' United States alone. $140,119,326.00 in
d of automobile wages and $523,111,389.00 for materials.
D MOTOR COMPANY
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>36 IS NOW ON DISPLAY. THE CAR THAT LED ALL OTHERS IN 1335
nrmi ?
IW kuujl STILL BETTEH FOB THE NEW YEAH
, BOONE MOTOR CO.
) FORD DEALERS BOONE, N. C.