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ndjfej nldehrk neĺb k CHAPTER Vlll—Continued —l6 Mr. Warwick began without of f*r in- him a chair. “My reasons for penij.i.g 14 >i dm are serious, Mr. Buckley. ’ be staled. “According to the record you tiled on your enroll ment. you matriculated here direct ty from Vnndalia high school. That was untrue; you had already at tended Alierdeen college, from willed. I have learned, you were dis gracefully expelled. You gained admittance here through a frattdu tent high school record, containing no notice of your previous enroll ment.” lie extended the telegram. “What have you to say to this?” Though the detection must have shakei him. Buckley might have heen indifferent as he read the mes sage. “1 don’t suppose I can say any thing. Since you have the facts di rectly from Aberdeen, why deny them?” “You could scarcely expect to get through four years of school, un discovered.” Mr. Warwick spoke in censure. “This means the end of your career here, you understand —or for that matter, at any other college. At the same time." he paused to emphasize his words, "you've placed yourself In an ex tremely dangerous position.” "Dangerous? How?” A slight quiver in the hoy’s voice betrayed Uis first alarm. “This matter is trilling beside another charge against you." the su pervisor replied. “Your one chance of escaping It. young man. Is through absolute frankness. I’ll do my best to help you. and Mr. Kankln has no wish to he hard on you; hut unless you tell us the com plete truth in every detail. I can not do a thing for you." "The truth? What do you mean, sir?” But Buckley’s bewilderment did not ring convincingly and his eyes distinctly rellected the alarm of comprehension. Bankin lost patience at his fenc ing. “Mr. Warwick has warned you Buckley.” he broke in sternly. It is a waste of time to pretend you have no idea why 1 am here. It is only in deference to him that I give you this op|>ortunit.v to exoner ate yourself If you can and refrain from arresting you at once.” “Arrest me for what?" the stu dent protested. “I haven’t done any thing wrong.” “For the murder of Stuart Jor dan last Tuesday night during the initiation at the Mu Beta Sigma house!” If it was Hankins intention to remove the iast vestige of Buckley's assurance, he succeeded. Stark ter ror replaced his boldness, he start ed spasmodically, his features sud denly pallid. But his consternation was leavened by amazement and perplexity, written in his drooping jaw, and this the detective found dis turbing. "Jordan’s murder?” he cried In horror. "Oh. my G—d 1 I had noth ing to do with that—l don’t know anything about it!” “But you didn't like liiin. did you?” Knnkin continued in charge of the situation. “In fact, you hated him because you considered him re sponsible for your dismissal from Aberdeen. Besides, he denounced you as a cheat.” "That was a d —d lie! I always played a straight game!” Momen tarily, Buckley's resentment over came bis apprehension and his eyes Hashed. disregarding bis outburst, Bankin pressed bis attack aggressively. "And when you discovered Jordan ■* at Philadelphia. Buckley, you had even more cause to fear him.” he accused. “He was acquainted with your trouble at Aberdeen, which you hoped to suppress; and he might have guessed the artifice by which you enrolled here. But whether he did or not. there was danger that he would report your past to Mr. Warwick >r some oiher official and again get you dis missed. You heard from Larry Palmer that any chance of your joining ttie fraternity war blasted by Ned Patterson, who was Jordan’s sponsor. Naturally you attributed his opposition to your enemy's in terference and be threatened you still further, ” As the detective paused, Buck ley's silence and twisting features were a sufficient reply; and ne pursued bis indictment with telling effect. "Immediately after that you [•limited young Palmer in his nn guarded moments about Mu Beta Sigma's secret codes and ritual You learned its passwords and cus tonus'; the kind of robes members of the fraternity wore at tlie initl ation ceremonies. About nine days ago. he told you this year’s Initia tion would be held on Tuesday night at eight-thirty. You questioned him ahour the average attendance at them. And during your drinking bouts, he let slip enough of the proper signs of recognition to en able you to enter the chapter’s pri vate chamber past the sergeant at arms." “My Interest was harmless!” Buckley insisted fearfully. “I was just curious about frats. like others who don’t belong to them, Mr. Kan kin.” “Yes, so you gave Palmer to un derstand." Bankin met the evasion almost exultantly. “Yet you made every preparation for getting into the ceremony yourself on Tuesday night You see, I know all about that. too—how you persuaded young Palmer to visit the Morton club that evening, and drugged him to Insure his absence from the house and a place for you to fill.” He stilled the boy’s attempt to speak with a harsh gesture. “You stole his keys to enter the house after the ritual began. You aban doned him at the club at eight twenty five and taxied to your apartment for a robe you had ob tained In advance to pass as a member. That came from Kings ton, the costumer. By eight-forty five. you had entered the house, where you slipped Into the gown In the deserted hallway." He paused before concluding. "Buck ley, the evidence Is too complete and damning to mean anything ex cept that you plotted to murder Stuart Jordan In revenge for. . . In his dread, the student Inter rupted despairingly: “No. no. that wasn't my purpose at all! I swear it was something different —to get hold of something Inside! I didn't hear of his death until afterward.” “You didn’t?” the detective be gan Incredulously. “You can hard ly expect. . . .” But Mr. Warwick snatched at the possible loophole before he could express his skepticism. “To get bold of something?” he demanded. “Just what were you after?” “A check I had forged,” Buckley answered unhesitatingly, almost eagerly. “To prevent discovery, I had to recover It before it was In vestigated." The supervisor knit his brow gravely. "Recover it from whom? I don’t understand; whose check did you forge?” "Larry Palmer's. It was for two hundred and fifty dollars; I need ed that amount to pay for my tui tion this second semester of school. I couldn’t borrow It and I was al most broke; I tried to win It gam bling at the Morton club, but had a streak of bad luck And 1 didn’t want to quit school.” "How long ago was this forgery committed?” Mr. Warwick queried. “You had better make a clean breast of it” he added wamingly. “It’s your only hope of avoiding the more serious charge of mur der." The student’s unassuaged panic drove him to 6peak freely. “I in tend to, Mr. Warwick,” he assured anxiously. "I had been planning it for some time, but only carried it out on Friday, February sixth. The term began on the second; and you know all bills were payable not later than the ninth. Monday, one week afterward. So 1 had to draw the money from Ijirry's bank be fore that.” As he spoke. Rankin saw his carefully constructed case collaps ing. He could not disregard the student’s statements; if confirmed by the bank and the evidence of the check Itself, they explained his activities in away that freed him of all suspicion of the murder. Es pecially as no part of Rankin's ar raignment accounted for where he might have secured the conine. SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS Stricken during initiation into Mu Beta Sigma fraternity, Stuart Jor dan, university student, dies almost immediately. Tommy Rankin, Philadel phia detective, takes charge of the investigation. An injection of conine is shown to have been the cause of Jordan's death. Two students. Ralph Buckley and Walter Randall, figure in the Investigation. A prominent lawyer, Edward Fletcher, present at the initiation, has also engaged Ran kin's attention. A student, I.arry Palmer, was drugged by Ralph Buckley the night of the initiation, and a key of the fraternity house stolen from him. Jordan has been paying, by check. S4OO a mopth to some unknown person. Howard Merrick, Jordan’s uncle, as his guardian, had supervision of his conduct until he was twenty-two years old, when the boy's large fortune became his own. Dr. Arnold Prince, St. Louis physician, is brought into the investigation. Conine is stolen from the university laboratory. A letter to Jordan from Edward Fiietcher’s young wife reveals that Fletcher haa been suspicious of Jordan s attention to her. On the night before the initiation the pledgees were taken to an isolated spot and abandoned, to get home as best they could. The stolen poison is found in the room of Ved Patterson, a student Rankin finds that on his abandonment, Jordan telephoned from a farmhouse to Mrs. Fletcher, who came for him in an auto. In Fletcher's roadster Rankin finds a hypodermic needle. Evidence involving Ralph Buckley, is secured. Rankin learns of a series of thefts in the fraternity house. Questioned concerning a watch he had pawned, Pat terson admits the thefts. He also admits stealing the poison, claiming he took it with the idea of suicide. Walter Randall is forced to leave school on account of his health. He has a doctor’s certificate. “Just how did you manage ItT* He put Ihe next question himself. “The signature, the blank check— and cashing It?” “As you’ve probably found out,” Buckley addressed him directly, “I have been palling around with Lar ry for the past five months or so. When I looked through some of his assignments In his bureau I learned he kept his correspondence and check book In the top drawer. Then 1 also happened to accom pany him to his bank, the Security Trust company on Walnut street near Thirty-sixth, and watched him make deposits; the tellers got to know me. So that when I decided to profit by my information, it was quite easy to get one of his checks and to copy his handwriting from his school notes. My imitation was good and I cashed it at the bank without any trouble. The only danger came later, after the bank statement and canceled checks were returned to Larry. That oc curred monthly. I discovered, at the end of the first week; he al ways received them the following Monday." “Monday, you say?” Rankin in quired sharply. “And you forged the check on February sixth? That means if would come hack this month on the ninth—the night be fore Initiation” •That's right, sir.” the student nodded, “and that was the risk I ran. Once Larry had a chance to notice the discrepancy In the state ment, Investigation at the bank would Implicate me. I had to steal it as soon as he got It But I could “Arrest Me for What?" the Student Protested. “I Haven’t Done Any thing Wrong." never get hold of It among all his other checks and papers In the bu reau while he was anywhere around." “So you planned to remove It Tuesday evening Instead,” Mr. Warwick remarked bluntly, “while the chapter was busy with the In stallation ceremonies.” “Well, I had to use my oppor tunity. You see how lucky I was to have it at the very moment I needed It; otherwise, 1 shouldn’t have succeeded. Except for the chapter room, the house was dark and practically deserted; it was easy for me to enter unobserved. That was why I asked Larry about the attendance —to learn how much chance there was of running into anyone In the halls or upstairs." “And you wore the robe as a dis guise, of course,” Bankin asserted. “Yes, in case that happened,” Buckley admitted. “1 ordered it from Kingston’s a week before in itiation, according to Larry’s de scription.” He shrugged. “Any brother I met would take me for a member and suppose I had just left the services; he'd think noth ing of seeing me enter Larry’s room. As a matter of fact. I met nobody. I merely closed the door and searched until I found what I came for; I slipped off my gown just be fore quitting the house and was in the street by nine o’clock." “And you didn’t return then, to Mr. Palmer," the detective observed severely. “What was your object in drugging him at the club in the first place and letting him shift for himself?" “I didn't intend to harm him," Buckley assured him promptly. "But that was the only way I could go through his pockets. You see. he might not have put the bank ac count away, but be carrying it with him as he had only received it the day before. Then I wouldn’t need to visit the house at all. I hunted through his clothes while pretend ing to talk confidentially to him; the place was empty enough to get away with it But he didn’t have it. At the same time. I took his key THE COOLIDGE EXAMINER which I used to open the ftent tlnor Then, a? you’ve already learned, l took a taxi to my apartment for my costume.” “Well, what has become of the check?” Bankin a>ked next. “Is It destroyed ?” “No, 1 kept It; in fact 1 have It with me now. As long as l hold it, I figured it is harmless. And it was barely possible that for some J reason, as in this very case, it might prove valuable to me again.” “Give it to me. Buckley.” tMo d-*- j tectlve directed, extending his hand, j From an Inner pocket the student willingly produced a small slip of pai»er that went far to substantiate j his narrative. Drawn on the Se curity Trust company by Lawrence Palmer to Buckley’s order, it was dated February sixth; the amount was two hundred and fifty dollars. On the hack, the latter's endorse mont and the single stamp, "Paid 3-7,” the date of the March monthly clearing, proved indisputably it had been cashed directly by the bank. Bankin gave It to Mr. Warwick. "I’m turning this over to you. Mr Warwick.” he stated. “As long as It appears to have no connection with the murder. I shan't take any steps regarding it. You can do as you please.” The supervisor Indicated the cul prit “Then you are satisfied Buck ley Is innocent of the crime. Mr. Bankin?" “Not entirely; I can’t be sure un til his statement has been investi gated thoroughly. But it certainly seems I’ve heen working on a mis taken theory.” Bankin acknowl edged candidly. "Except for your advice 1 might have made a grave error. I have no desire to cause the university unnecessary unpleas antness.” Buckley's audible sigh of relief was echoed by Mr. Warwick’s grati fication. “That’s very good of you, Mr. Bankin,” he said. '‘Now it will be easy to hush the matter up. It isn’t likely that young Palmer will care to prosecute." A few minutes later, when the de tective left Mr. Warwick and the student together and took his de parture, the warrant of arrest was still in his pocket, unexecuted. CHAPTER IX The Stone Wall. IT WAS a disgruntled and dec*.de<V ly perplexed detective who re turned to headquarters at four o'clock Friday afternoon, three days after the murder. In turn two sus pects—Ned Patterson and Ralph Buckley—had cleared themselves; the evidence he had so painstaking ly collected had disintegrated be fore explanations that changed their value. The only Important case remaining was that Incrim inating the lawyer. And ngalnst him Bankin was not yet prepared to move. First he wanted to ferret out and marshal every possible proof of his guilt. Momentarily, Bankin experienced a qualm of alarm lest it again de velop that he was trailing a red herring. Then,unless Jordan’s guard ian was the culprit, he would face a stone wall. So far, he had un earthed only a motive to Implicate Mr. Merrick—the estate his nephew would inherit at twenty-two, If he did not forfeit It by Improper con duct But even supposing that In some mysterious manner, the uncle could have got Into the Initiation chamber, he had no opportunity to commit the crime if he actually came east from Yandalia on Wednesday morning. Nevertheless, as the sole remaining suspect, his alibi de manded attention which thus far in the press of events it had noi received. This was a task for Gil more, the detective decided, nntil he could handle it himself. The most serious weakness In his theory of Mr. Fletcher's guilt, he realized with fresh dismay, was; the extra person at the Initiation It was certain some one besides the thirty-one brothers already identified had attended; but unless he was Ben Crawford, his identity was still an enigma. But Craw ford had every right to be present and hence no apparent reason to deny his whereabouts. Only his peculiar tale of the "pick-up” ren dezvous that had not materialized was responsible for whatever sus picion he was under. And the nurse with whom he claimed to have spent the night could not check his movements; he had not joined her until three-quarters of an hour after the murder. On the other hand, if he told the truth about his absence from the cere mony, then the unknown intruder and not Mr. Fletcher must inevit ably be the murderer he sought. As he reached the central detec tive bureau, Bankin resolved to delay dealing with the lawyer al least until Gilmore reported his in terview with Crawford’s nurse friend. But it was Mr. Fletcher himself who forced the issue, for he was there, waiting to see him. He had first phoned about two thirty, Captain Thomas informed the detective, and learning that Bankin was expected hack later in the afternoon, stated he would stop in when the court closed. “He got here about forty-five minutes ago.” the captain related. “It sounds like something serious. Tommy; I was talking to him just before you came in and he seemed quite upset, though I can’t say what about. Now he is in the emp ty office down the corridor,” (TO BE CONTINUUM BEAUTY TAL K S By MARJORIE DUNCAN THE HOME FACIAL IT AVIXG arranged your beauty ** articles and, adjusted your j head band, you are ready for the first step in your home treatment. : Pour a little skin tonic In one of the small glass bowls. Moisten one of the small pads In the skin tonic and add the cleansing cream to the pad. Start cleansing with sweep ing upward movements on the neck, up and around the neck, then on the face—three upward motions on either side of the face. Then around the chin, around the mouth, down on the nose and across the forehead. Always he sure to use an upward motion. Applying the cleansing cream with a moistened pad of cotton Is the best method and really cleanses the skin thoroughly, not only re moves surface dust, but penetrates the pores. Having applied the cream all over neck and face, remove It with cleansing tissues. They are soft and silky and do not stretch the skin —and are economical to use in the long run because they save your towels and laundry bills. Re move the cream just us you applied it—with upward sweeping move ments. Now, with the face really clean we go to the second step, which is: Saturate the large patter in the Iced skin tonic. Start patting the neck, using a quick, staccato move ment —a quick, slapping movement to whip up the circulation. Now up on the face, pat at the corners of the mouth, then across the mouth, then under the chin, then the other side of the sac patting briskly until your skin tingles. Hold the patter over the Ice for a minute, then knead under the eye and over the eyelids. Ice again. Repeat. This is excellent for puftiness under the eyes. By kneading, I mean a gentle pressing and lifting motion, working from the corner of the eyes out to tem ple both above and below the eyes. Our skin needs exercise Just as our body does, and {Hitting with the skin tonic is the way to exercise it. Not Just sponging the skin, but brisk patting for several minutes. This will stimulate the circulation, will help to normalize the oil con tent If the skin is too oily, or re move the flakiness we find In a dry skin. Don't use skin tonic indiffer ently—use it regularly—dally. The skin needs constant study. Notice that it is inclined to be more dry in the winter and moist, normal or even a little oily in the summer. Notice how certain prep arations affect it. Treat it to the diet that seems to be kind to It * • * APPLYING SKIN FOOD A LWAYS after cleansing skin ** with cleansing cream, spend a minute or two patting with skin tonic. I cannot emphasize this too strongly. A good skin tonic should tone your skin, help to keep it clear, glowing, the pores refined. The tonic in Itself Is an excellent “pick-up” treatment If you have only a few minutes to spare before an important engagement or after a busy day. Most women need a skin food. Dry skin especially. And this type of skin seems to be on the increase. Unless your skin is excessively oily, Include a good, nourishing and preserving skin food In your home treatment. First movement—Apply the cream with long, sweeping, upward move ments ail over neck and face. Then using palm and cushioned parts of the fingers, knead the neck. Re peat at least six times. Remem ber kneading Is pressing and lift ing. Second movement—To keep the contour firm and for the important muscle in front of the ear—use the cushioned part of the fingers, start under the chin and lift firmly —under the chin, under the contour (do not stretch or pull, but press until you reach in front of the ear.) Knead about seven distinct move ments. Do the movements slowly and practice in front of the mirror. Third movement —For the impor tant muscles around the mouth and the line from mouth to nose—to prevent drooping and sagging: use three fingers of etch hand. Start on chin and lift, lift, lift, using about six movements up from the chin —around the mouth to the side of the nose. Fourth movement—Use palms of hands, grasp chin firmly and hold it, tense slightly, use five move ments. lifting each time, lift under the chin, lift under the contour until you reach below the ear. Do this movement every night and morning. It will rebuild and firm the contour. Fifth movement —To keep the eye lids full and firm: Place thumbs in front of ears. Starting in the center of the forehead, bend the in dex fingers. Now lift the brows, press slightly, lift, now move fingers outward a little, press and lift until you come to temple. Repeat very, very gently under the eyes. ©. Bell Syndicate- -WNXI Service. , PERIOD OF FORTY DAYS HAS POINT IN HOLY WRITING In the New Testament the miracu lous 40-day quarantines of Moses and Elijah are repeated in the fast of the Savior, and this still survives in the 40-day period of Lent. St. Lonis es tablished in France a period of 40 days during which no nmn could avenge an injury. Under William the Conqueror no man was permitted to remain in England over 40 days un less he was enrolled in some taxable unit. In Magna Charta it is specifically provided that a widow is entitled to remain in the house of her dead hus hand for 40 days. This period is known in law as “the widow's quar antine,” and it gives a breathing spell during which the widow’s dowry may be agreed on. A man who held land in England under a knight’s grant was hound to respond to the king’s call and be pre pared “well and fittingly arrayed for war” to serve 40 days. The very word “quarantine” comes from the Latin term for 40. In mod ern law we have quarantine periods which are not always 40. Children who have been exposed to contagious diseases are quarantined for different periods, depending on the “period of incubation” of the germs involved. In the Arabian Nights tale of “The Forty Thieves” It was not meant that the gang of highwaymen necessarily had just that number. Forty is re garded by the orientals as a “round number”; it might actually mean more or less than 40 in a particular instance. So, if a senator should charge that Wall Street is a den of “fortv thieves,” it would not be nec essary for him to prove that they Ease Pain, Headache in Few Minutes / PEG, I’M FRANTIC,THIS MUST BE DONE-AND IV’E A | SPLITTING HEADACHE, ] f C sonT worry, get some 1 * REAL BAYER ASPIRIN AND YOUR HEADACHE WILL BE GONE BEFORE YOU For Quick Relief Say BAYER Aspirin—When You Buy Now comes amazingly quick relief from headaches, rheumatism, neuri tis, neuralgia ... the fastest safe relief, it is said, yet discovered. Those results are due to a scien tific discovery by which a Bayer Aspirin Tablet begins to dissolve, or disintegrate, in the amazing space of two seconds after touching moisture. And hence to start “taking hold” of pain a few minutes after taking. The illustration of the glass, here, tells the story. A Bayer Tablet starts to disintegrate almost instantly you swallow it. And thus is ready to go to work almost instantly. When you buy, though, see that you get the Genuine BAYER Aspirin. For Bayer Aspirin’s quick relief always say “BAYER Aspirin.” Cq Qjeaufi/ » -y is more than shin deep Jr Ask your doctor. Ask the beauty expert. GARFIELD TEA—a cup nightly often does more for WRITE FOR your skin and complexion than rnrr, costly cosmetics. Expels poison rntt ous body wastes that clog the pores cgMPI F and eventually cause muddy. t|B blotchy, erupted skin. A week of TEA CO this internal "beauty treatment” will astonish you. Begin tonight. h«w York (At your drug store) rstrtrvsTsn % id w i&IuiUIAUUaBJ A Splendid Laxative Drink Qrt eager wish to please .... tZaHIRLEY : smm: : A hotel of the finest accommodations ... a real home like atmosphere and a low rate that means true economy. Delicious food in the Shirley-Savoy Dining Room and Coffee Shop ... Park your car in the Shirley Garage. J. EDGAR SMITH-Assderw. ..E.C, BENNETT- Manoq& BROADWAY AT 17TH numbered precisely 40 In order to make his case out. l’aihiinder Mag azine. To keep clean and healthy take Hr. I’lfrcf’ii plrnKant Pelleta. They regulate fiver, bowels and stomach. —Adv. No Wonder Then there was the boy who drank two bottles of gold paint and now feels guilty.—Kansas City Star. Why Children Need a Liquid Laxative The temporary relief children pet from some synthetic, habit-forming cathartic may cause bowel strain, and even set-up irritation in the kidneys. A properly prepared liquid laxative brings a perfect movement. There is no discomfort at the time and no weakness after. You don’t have to give the child “a double dose” a day or two later. Can constipation be corrected in children? “Yes!” say medical men. “Yes!” say many mothers who have followed this sensible medical advice: 1. Select a good liquid laxative. 2. Give the dose you find suited to the system. 3. Gradually reduce the dose until the bowels are moving regularly without aid. An approved liquid laxative (one that is widely used for children) is Dr. Caldwell’s Syrup Pepsin. The mild laxative action of this excellent preparation is the best form of help for children —and grown-ups, too. The dose can be regulated for any age or need. Your druggist has Dr. Caldwell’s Syrup Pepsin. Member N. R. A. 2 LATER. LOOK WHAT IV’E DONE, PEG...I BAYER ASPIRIN STOPPED THAT / AWFUL HEADACHE IN A UtFFY... I NEVER FELT BETTER I BduloJ bayer] rue quickest c FROM PAID 5c rgrztsn. WHY BAYER ASPIRIN t WORKS SO FAST \ sh Drop a Bayer Tablet fTR fiT| TO) in a glass of water. IT rOl Note BEFORE it touches bottom, it EjT has started to dis- Ir I jfflf integrate, n I ® what it does in this HI m 3 &l ass >t does in your jfll stomach. 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