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r A A//. CHAPTER VH—Continued Ther® were three people, I ' thought, on whom suspicion might Justifiably rest; there were the Prince and Princess Ranclnl and Letty Van Alstyn, bnt there was not a scrap of evidence against any ' of them. No, there were four. I had to be meat with myself; I couldn’t pre tend. There was Alan Deck. And against him was all the evidence they had. I wanted to see Deck. I wanted to talk with him. Not here, with wllancy at hand—yes, here, even though we could say nothing that mattered. If I could see him again, I thought I could find an answer to that worrying uncertainty In me. The testing was a difficult busi ness. The handkerchief had been so thoroughly washed that I began to despair of uncertainty In my ex periments. Not about the rust marks; those I did make sure of. I^Then, In one of the corners, close under the fold of the hemstitched hem, I found traces of stain that yielded a blood reaction. “That’s blood.” I said. In the intervals of waiting and frying I walked up and down the gallery. I found myself wishing to get at the records of these pictures to be gin the real work for which I had come. For a few moments I forgot the nightmare of that murder. I grinned at a Magdalen, attributed to Titian, analogous to the one at Naples, and then I was caught by a lovely little Virgin whose sup pliant, adoring curves and pure, poignant ecstasy made me yearn to prove her the creation of Angelico that she was labeled. ^ As my mind bit on these familiar realities my nerves steadied, and when I went down with the police man to make my report I was feel ing more like myself. iAlan Deck was with Monty Mitchell, and when he saw me he came forward quickly, with a “Good morning, accomplice!" In his mock ing way. Monty said, “Find any thing?" And they both came with me while I had m; moment of Im portance, making my report to Don ahey. I used all the words and tech nical terms that I thought he would hot know but the main facts were clear—blood In one corner, and five Xnarks of rust Donahey nodded, as If he had guessed It all the time, and I moved away with Deck. Mitchell stayed with the inspector: I remember see ing him turn the handkerchief about very slowly in his hands. Deck said thoughtfully. “That blood rather disposes of the theory that the diamonds might have been Sit there by some one who just fcked them up—afterwards." And at my assent he said, “Well, that’s that!” in a bard voice. Grant now appeared before us, announcing that a buffet luncheon was being served In the dining room. As I went to wash my stained fingers 1 saw Miss Van Alstyn In the hall ahead of me. As she paused at her door, opposite that closed door behind which Nora Harrlden %ras lying, I saw the maid, Anson stop her, holding something In her band. ••yes, l .tnrew. it away," 1 neara Miss Van Alscyn say. “It’s broken rthrow It out.”’ “It’s so pretty,” Anson murmured. “If you don’t mind my keeping It—” In the basket by “As you like,” said Miss Van At atyn Indifferently and disappeared intn her room. it of an Impulse of friendliness that pretty Anson I turned and 3 her what she had. ’8 for the hair, miss, only the > Is broken,” she told me. “May couid get another fixed on. It's pretty—” It was pretty—a sharp-pointed escent about four or five Inches glittering with bright brown ea. The comb, at right angles to i crescent, bad been broken sharp off. I picked It up; It seemed little large and too heavy for anywhere except the back of the bead, above a froth of curls. It was of some solid brown metal and I thought another comb could easily i%e soldered on. “It’s worth It," I told Anson, and she said she bad been afraid to carry It away without asking, for fear It bad fallen ^Mistake. I was reflecting tnat Jewelry, to Miss Van Alatyn, was not worth repairing, ond then, stor ing at those hard, pointed ends, that solid if Last night, she told me. When she had been arranging the room for the night "Were the broken pieces of the comb in the basket too.” ”1 did see some broken pieces. But they went with the trash. They couldn't have been fixed.” “With the trash? Where did the trash go?” "Why, in the Incinerator, Miss,” she answered, eyes widening at my questions. "And was the incinerator going?" "Last night miss? I couldn’t say. I know it hasn’t been going this morning for that policeman gave orders not to have anything burned.” I turned the crescent about. No sign of a blood film over any of its brightness—but blood could be su perficially washed ofT in running water. A blow with it, a Jab with one of those viciously pointed ends, would have broken off the comb. ... She might not have thought to wash off the pieces of the comb. . . . In imagination I saw Letty Van Alstyn snatching this crescent from her hair, striking out recklessly. ... Anson was staring at me; I hand ed it back to her, saying some thing about my Interest in imita tions to excuse my absorption in it. . . . Letty Van Alstyn came out of her room, passing down to lunch eon, and in the vague smile she swept over us I felt a sharpening of curiosity. Scrubbing my stained fingers, brushing out my hair, I tried to fit the pieces together In this pat tern. . . . Suppose Letty were guilty —how about that scene at the win dow? Well, that could have had nothing to do with the actual mur der—it might have been Deck, or Rancinl or Harriden for all his de nials. . . . Suppose it bad been Harriden. Suppose he had gone on down to dinner, and Nora bad been in bed, resentful, hysterical, when Letty had dropped in on her way down. Nora might have surmised that Letty bad been stirring up Dan’s jealousy, so there was every reason for a scene between them. A ter rific scene, in which Letty, in blind rage or in self protection had struck out with the first thing at hand.. .. I had to Imagine her picking up one of Dan’s handkerchiefs to wipe off the blood . . . thrusting Nora into the closet . . . waiting till she was sure the rest were down at dinner, then putting her out the window. Perhaps the blood-stalne'd handkerchief had been a crumpled ball In Letty’s brown bag and after dinner she had gone up to wash it out—that was when she had met me in the hall, outside Mrs. Har rlden’s door. Perhaps the yellow diamonds had been in Letty’s brown bag, too. And LrSHil'’ lit .f The Prince Rancini Walked By. late that night—or rather early In the morning—she had torn the Ini tials out of the dried handkerchief and stolen up to my room. - The pieces fitted ‘together. T thought, excitedly. But there was nothing In the world to sustain that wild suspicion but my vivid imagination—nothing unless there should be blood upon the piece of broken comb in the Incinerator. I fairly raced down, then, to the buffet luncheon, eager to pour this out to Mitchell. Mitchell was busily filling a plate so I went over to him. Bis eyes looked darker and more alert than ever; his black hair, which began quite far back on his forehead, was standing up in an excited crest We sat down at a corner of the table— Promptly be dashed my hopes. “Incinerator been going for an hour. Donahey let them start It np when he saw there wasn’t any rags there —Just trash and garbage. Did yon keep the crescent?" When I said I hadn't, he advised me to get it and test it for blood. Bnt he seemed a little detached. He even said, “I think you’re barking qp the wrong tree.” “It was your tree," I told him in dignantly. “You thought she would be a guilty soul.” “Oh, a possibility—yes. But some how—” He left It In dubiety. We went on talking. I remember saying about the Inquest “Why don’t they have It today and get It over with?" And he said that Dona hey wanted to do more work on the case, wanted enough for an Indict ment, If possible. And he said, “By keeping people herded up like this, in an Isolation camp, he can Induce a state of nerves that may cause a breakdown. Anything may de velop any moment That’s psy chology." After luncheon he had me get my bat and coat and, with Dona hey’s permission, he took me out doors and marched me up and down the landscaped road in front of the house where cool winds and sun shine bad their tonic effect. The shore was being patrolled by guards to keep reporters and cu riosity seekers from landing, and I had a feeling of being under mar tial law In some internment camp. Other members of the house-party were out taking exercise, too; the Prince Ranclnl walked by, very smartly turned out with spats and a cane. After we had passed each other twice he turned, smiling, to ask permission to Join us. Without his wife’s presence he expanded Into gaiety; he seemed to me to be a big,- light-hearted pleas ure-loving fellow, with a Conti nental’s casual cynicism about life and emotional responsiveness to beauty. He stopped to show us a particularly lovely contrast of light and dark blue In the sea, pointing' with hts stick, and he told us of his swimming feats at Capri and his skiing records at St Moritz and of his shooting triumphs In Scot land. For a time I was amused at this distraction; no one could have Im agined that we three people, prom enading up and down those stately avenues, chatting of tournaments were three members of an Isolated household darkened by death and shadowed by suspicion. Mitchell said very little—he bad small chance against the prince ex cept through Interruptions. But he created a diversion by suddenly tripping over a root and emitting a succession of fervent damns as be hopped about distressfully. “It's this confounded ankle—strained It a year ago. May I borrow your stick?" he asked the prince. I thought Ranclnl passed It over rather reluctantly. At the time I Im agined he fancied it as part of his own costuming. Mitchell leaned on it as he walked along with us, re fusing to return to the house. “Be all right In a second.” Then llancinl began telling about his palace in Rome that he was do ing over and about his efforts to collect the tapestries and furniture that he had previously sold. I gath ered that he was doing all this with his wife's money. It was when we returned to the house, and Mitchell was passing back the cane, declaring himself completely recovered, that he made a casual-sounding observation. “This is one of those trick things, Isn't it, prince? Isn’t there a spring I feel here—?” “But yes,” said Ranclnl, without the slightest hesitation. “You press this—please take your hands away. I do it—I know this thing. So—like that. And out comes this little toy.” What came out was the point of a substantial looking knife, quite a stabbing tool. “Another press and a bayonet,” said Ranclnl, laughing. “Quite a toy," Mitchell comment ed, eyeing it quizzically. “And not such a toy atdkhat In Rome now, the streets are safe, but In Paris, when one Is late—In the quarters of a little milliner, per haps—•” “With a jealous lover around the corner,” Monty Mitchell suggested. “SI, si!” Ranclnl laughed, then under his breath to me he mur mured In swift Italian. “When the heart is empty one must pass the hours,” and I smiled up at his smile and asked to see the knife again. I looked hard at It The sharp, strong point seemed bright un stained. CHAPTER VIII MITCHELL said very naturally, “A useful thing, that! A pity Nora Harrlden didn’t have one at hand when that fellow set on her.” Not a quiver of Ranclni's face, as far as I could see. Perhaps the fact that there wasn't a quiver, that his voice wns blandly expressionless meant something. Smoothly be agreed, "It might have made all the difference." We were back In the house again. Its walls shut upon us, closing us In to tension and uncertainty and the strain of our own thoughts. Mitchell went off to Donahey, coming back Just for a moment to report that no trace of the pendant bad been found. When I went to Anson to get the crescent, with a little made-up speech about mj In terest lit imitation stones, she told P«!| Alstyn bad asked for It back, giving her Instead a star of bit manta. She was Immensely pleased and I Immensely puzzled. Letty Van Alstyn had been Indif ference Itself before me as to the fate of that broken ornament. Why the sudden, surreptitious change? I tried, on the Impulse, to find her but she wasn’t In her room; my maid at last located her In the Keller sitting-room, with Mrs. Crane and the two Kellers, playing at bridge. “I don’t think they liked my barg ing In on them, and Miss Van Al styn looked frankly wondering when I asked for the crescent. Yes, she had taken It back, she told me, her eyes reverting to the cards; she rather thought she’d get herself an other one and so didn’t want a du plicate about Certainly I could look at It If 1 wished; it was some where In her room, she supposed vaguely. "Just ask Anson to find it” I closed the door upon her faint ly breathed but perfectly audible, “Extraordinary.” But Anson could not find that crescent She promised to bring It up to me when she did. "Maybe she locked it up with her Jewels,” she suggested. I decided to wait for the results of Anson’s search, and I was so sleepy, after the wakeful night and the walk In ,the open air that I curled up In my rose cushioned chair for ten minutes and slept for forty. I woke to find Harriden In my room, sitting stolidly there con fronting me with an air of grim scrutiny. I sat up quickly, pulling down my rumpled gray frock and brush ing my hair out of my eyes, staring at him with something very much like fright. Behind him the door was closed. “You needn’t try to run,” he told me, and I flung back, “Why should I run? What do you want, Mr. Har riden?” “I want to know what you know about al) this,” he growled at me. Hit Eye* Looked Me Through and Through. “You're In with Deck. I want to know what all that row was about —that row with Elkina—" His voice fumbled so at the words that I felt a pang of pity for him In spite of all my other feeling. “I never saw Alan Deck until I came here," I said and spoke as quietly and gently as I could. “I don’t know anything about his af fairs.” “That’s your story, and you can stick to It before the others. But I want the facts, and I’m prepared to pay for them. And I’ll let you off—I’ll let you off whatever trouble those stones have got you In for. If you’ll tell me everything you know.” “I know nothing.” “You know why you went up to my wife’s room last night. You had some reason—even if you saw her slapped you wouldn’t go in like that—” His eyes, grimly skeptical, looked me through and through. “You can’t pull any wool over my eyes. You were meeting Deck be fore dinner. I want to know what he and—what he was threatening my wife about. He wanted money from her—wasn’t that It? If you never met him before, as you say, he’s interested enough In you now to tell you. Your own safety and a jft>od substantial sum of money ought to make you see the light. “I’ll give you five thousand—five thousand for a few words. Only no faking. I want the truth.” “You are utterly mistaken in me, Mr. Herrlden," I said steadily. “I couldn’t sell Information If I bad It... I know nothing at all of Alan Deck and his secrets. Some one knocked. I called, “Come In,” and the door opened. There stood Alan Deck. At sight of Harriden he stiffened, then, with assumed naturalness to me, “About those pictures—’” Harriden got to his feet; his eyes flickered from Deck back to me with a malevolent sort of satisfaction. (TO BE CONTINUEDt “Oldest Citizen of Brassels” In Brussels travelers always seek out the fountain'of the Mannekin, “the oldest citizen of Brussels.” It stands behind the Hotel de Vllle, at the corner of the Rue de 1’Etuve, and the figure was cast about the time the Dutch were settling Man hattan. The story goes that It was erected by a citizen who found his lost son on the spot. In the uncon ventlonal pea* of the statue. Common People for Roosevelt New League Formed to Further F. D. R’s Social Program; French Trade Pact By EARL GODWIN WASHINGTON.—There Is a newly organized outfit with a good name . . . “The Good Neighbor League” . . . headed by an erstwhile Repub lican Dr. Stanley High, a rather famed publicist who believes that Roosevelt’s policy of loosening the tight social structure Is the r.nly thing that will save this country from a collapse. In this league, which has a sort of Golden Rule complex, there are thoughtful peo ple active In church work, labor or ganization work, relief work, edi torial work, etc. They are not poli ticians by any means, but they will undoubtedly turn out to have a vast political Influence by stressing the fact that Roosevelt’s policies are strongly endorsed by the great mass of Inarticulate folks fur down in the social scale. you’ll find in the Good Neighbor league such men as Col. Patrick H. Callahan, the Louisville Industrial ist who long ago began sharing the wealth of his business with his workers, you’ll find Fannie Hurst, the author; A, P. Glaninl, financier and chairman of the Bank of Amer ica; Clifford Gregory, editor of the Prairie Farmer; Dr. James Wil liam Crabtree, who heads a world wide educational association — I wish there were room to list the leaders of this outpouring of peo ple of Independent thought and lib eral tendencies who know that un less some one Interprets events and politics the reactionaries will so completely mis-state the case as to fool millions of people. The league represents a definite movement to help Roosevelt do what he wants to do under the promise “to make America a better place In which to live.” It is a slap at the Du Ponts and their Liberty league, and will give that munitions group a lot to think about It comes along about the same time that a young fellow with a lot of vision named Paul Best forms a nation-wide organization headed up as the Roosevelt First Voters—an outfit designed to reach young men and women who vote for the first time next fall. It Is not a Democratic outfit—Just an outfit in honor of the fact that Roosevelt has touched the hearts and minds of young people who have heard a lot of promises but have seen no per formance except from F. D. R. Es pecially Interested are these Roose velt First Voters in the policy of providing opportunities for young men and young women. Then comes Labor’s Non-Partisan league, which in my opinion is the most striking thing that has oc curred In politics recently. This is an organization of labor union lead ers and their followers to re-elect Roosevelt, whom they describe as the one man to carry on their fight for a fair wage at fair working con ditions. The labor men in this league issue statements declaring themselves violently in opposition to the Liberty league and the Na tional Association of Manufacturers and all so-called southern “grass roots” organizations opposed to Roosevelt, They know that these southern bursts of anti-Roosevelt ism are financed here in Washing ton by the Liberty league or some close affiliation. Heading Labor’s Non-Partisan league Is Maj. George L. Berry, a printing press union man; John Lewis, United Mine Workers’ chief (and I think the most daring union leader in America), and Sidney Hill man, Garment Workers’ head . . . They have a well-knit army of tens of thousands all ready to go. They have 4,000 experienced platform men and women—speakers and campaigners and organizers. • • * SUGAR COAT G. O. P. MEET Plans to sugar coat the Repub lican national convention at Cleve land so that it will have an up-to date stream-lined, show-window ap pearance, are being made by one of these New York super-publicity men named Bruce Barton, whom the Alf Landon element in the party brings In to give life to the unut terably dull campaign as run by Chairman Fletcher of the G. O. P. headquarters here. The fact that Barton has been recruited to pub licize Alf Landon is Interesting in the light of the fact that he is the author of a book entitled “The Man Nobody Knows.” However, anything that anybody can do to humanize a political con vention, now that so many attend them via the radio, is commendable. The Democratic chieftains have been leading the way in publicity, air and printed, for several years. Now that the Republicans have de cided to make improvements, the general public can sit back and have a swell time In a. few days now, listening to the impassioned orators spellbinding. • • TANGLE PREDICTED Administration leadership aged to choke back the ■HI iHH mrn for a low-interest means of pay ing off farm mortgagee, when the house voted down the Frazier Lemfce farm mortgage bllL But while conservatism won a momen tary victory, I look for the episode to start a tremendous tangle In coming events . . . particularly in politics. Wouldn’t surprise me In the least If it Is the touch-off for a grand assault by Father Coughlin and other radicals who have a tremendous following for tholr theory that the way to salvation la through a currency so completely diluted that it will wash the banks and bankers all away. The proposal that the federal gov ernment should pay off farm mort gages with three billions of new money, and then reimburse Itself by very small annual payments from the farmers at a rate of about 1% per cent a year Is attractive enough to any farmer with a mort gage; and had enough support to get 142 votes in the house In the face of strong administration op position. But the method Is looked on by so many leaders as dangerous Infla tion that for all Intents and pur poses It Is too radical a measure to get to the statute books until there is a much more radical fol lowing in both houses of congress. The strongest attack on the meas ure came from organized labor, which feels the financing of the mortgage payments by three bil lions of new money (to be either borrowed or printed), would dilute currency to a state where prices would sky-rocket and wages remain static. That idea killed the bill— and that alone. Scores of men who are sympathetic with the farm problem voted against the Frazier Lemke measure, on the ground that this dllutued money would be ruinous to everybody—explaining that the farm-mortgage problem and the other rural economic , tangles —would be straightened by a price reform and better business, rather than by greenback money. But agrarian movements In the past have never died out as the result of a first defeat. I look for this Frazier-Lemke movement to sweep the Middle West and North west. Father Coughlin and his Union for Social Justice will be come more Important than ever from the standpoint of the make-up of the next congress. A COMING LEADER Representative Lemke of North Dakota Is a coming radical leader. .He was the only Republican to get a bill of any consequence through congress In the first half of this administration; that was the Fra zier-Lemke moratorium bill which granted time to farmers who had come up to the limit on mortgage payments. The Supreme court held the bill unconstitutional. Lemke Is listed as a Republican, but he Is not. Actually he Is a Non partisan Leaguer and when the league captured and ate up the Re publican party in North Dakota he became the party’s state chairman. But no Republican would claim him as a brother, because Lemke has stood for some of the most radi cal steps. As attorney general of his state he drafted laws which have been called revolutionary. They include state banks, state In surance for farmers against hail, state-owned flour mills, and other far reaching changes. This radical farm leader is not without educational background. He studied In two of the most conserva tive Institutions on earth; one was Yale university and the other was Georgetown university here in the National Capital. I look to see this gentleman attempt some great things for himself and his radical following In the future. • • • TRADE PACT WITH FRANCE We have been engaged in a ten year trade war with France; now it’s all over. A new trade agree ment has been completed which low ers tariffs; and permits us to deal more freely with France while they in turn have a better market for their goods (particularly wines and perfumes). Our tobacco raisers see a great opportunity to do a lot more business with the French, and all told every one should be gratified. There is no sharp excitement about a new trade agreement, but world-wide peaceful results are bound to flow because the new style treaties are a part of the new era wherein the seeds of war are being eliminated by a neighborly policy. Of course, there will be criticism directed at certain Items. It will be charged, as In the case of the Canadian trade treaty, that foreigners are allowed to rush in and steal our markets; but all told the French and Canadian treaties together are being praised by some of the harshest opponents of the Roosevelt administration. At last we are getting to the point where we can tear down our fences and do business with our world-neigh bors on the same human, common sense basis as we do In our own town. It has been proven that past wars have sprung from the selfish, na tionalistic tendencies of nations to build high tariff barriers and bot tle themselves up in a ferment of selfishness. The new policy is like going down town and mingling with your fellows and learning that a little give-and-take In trading Is the way to make friends—and at the same time do more business. You lose a little on one item bnt yon make it np on another. Best of all. both sides remain friends. • Watai Ti iieum ualsn. Foreign Words and Phrases Ab lnltlo. (L.) From the begin ning. Are est celare arjem. (L.) Art com slsts In concealing art De mortals nil nisi bonum. (L.) Of the dead (say) nothing bat good. Esto perpetua. (L.) May It (or iftayest tbou) last forever. Imperium In Imperlo (L.) Empire within empire; realm within realm. Les absents ont toujonrr tort (F.) The absent are always In the wrong. Pater families. (L.) The head nf a family. Qul vive? (F.) Literally, who lives? who goes there? Repondez s’ll vons plait (R. 8. T. P.) (F.) Reply, if yon please. Vulgo. (L.) Commonly. Saave qul peut (F.) Let him save himself who can. i :£ % I STOPS HEADACHE AMAZINGLY QUICK The next time you have ache or neuralgic pain, try the Im proved, modem, method of relief— two teaspoonfuls of Capudine In a little water. Being liquid, the Ingre dients are already dissolved — all ready to act. This Is why Capudine acts almost Instantly. Capudine rellevi the nerves. It Is i It contains no opiates. At stores; 60c, 30c, 10c sizes. 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Get Peterman** Ant Food now* 25c, 35c and 60c at your druggist’s. PETERMANS AMT FOOD Watch Your Kidneys./ Be Sure They Properly Ceanse the Blood YOUR Sidneys tie constantly fjfap. 1 ing waste matter from the blood stream. But kidneys sometimes lag in their work—do not act as nature in tended—fail to remove impurities that poison the system when retained. Then you may suffer nagging back ache, dizziness, scanty or too frequent urination, getting up at night, pufmese under the eyes; feel nervous, misera ble—all upset Don't delay? Use Doan's PHk Doan's are especially for poorly func tioning kidneys. They ere recom mended by grateful users the country over. Get them from any druggist DOANS PILLS WNU
The Wallace Enterprise (Wallace, N.C.)
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June 4, 1936, edition 1
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