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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1942-05-07, Page 2PAGE 2 THE CLINTON lue Geranium by DOLAN ?MKKLEY. One morning, Mrs; Rodman (Nina) Arkwright is found murdered in 0 dressing room of the swimming pool' at a California resort hotel, the Quil- lan. • In her handl; are some old news- paper clippings about a flier, Danny McLeod, who lost his life in an air race promoted by Nina: Danny's lather is the hotel janitor, Mac, who admits having been at the pool •at the theoretical 'time of the awarder. Adele Kramer, er, ex-wife of Nina's husband, also admits having been there, Other possible suspects claim to have come later. A missing:fire ax is believed to be the murder weapon, As this can't be found, the conclusion is that it was taken away by the murderer. but, apparently, no one involved hacl the opportunity of doing so unseen. Janet Cooper, the hotel's swimming teacher, accidentally obtains a mes- sage sent to Nina by her estranged husband, arranging for a r•endezous that evening. She goes to the sneet- Tfe . Clinton News -Record with which is Incorporated THE NEW ERA TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION $1150 per year in advance, to Can- adian addresses; $2.00 to the U.S. or other foreign countries. No payer •di'sbontinued until all arrears are paid unless at the option of the pub- Iisher. The date to which every sub- scription is paid is denoted on the label. ADVERTISING RATES — Transient advertising 12e per count line for first insertion. Sc for each subse- aluent insertion. Heading eomita 2 brie's. Small advertisements not to exceed one inch, such as "Waeted," "Iwst", "Strayed", etc., inserted once for i35d1, each sullsequent insertion 15"c. Rates for display advertising :made known on application. Communications intended for pub- lication must, as a guarantee of good faith, be accompanied by the name .of the writer. G. E. HALL- !--"' Propriete • H. T. RANCE NOTARY PUBLIC Fire Insurance Agent Representing 14 Fire Insurance Companies DIvision Court Of fice, Clinton Frank Fingland. B.A.. LLB ing place, but is followed by Captain Loring of the police. -flee questions Arkwright, but the latter has a fairly good alibi. When Janet re- turns to the Quillen and enters her room, some one hits her with a, floor lamp knocking her down. coat," Adele defended. Janet's eyes.nass•owed. "Are you sure you don't llnow who this person: was?" Adele wether lips. "It—it was the janitor. Old Mac." Janet shared. "Mac? Do you mean you suspect him of the murder?" "Well, I've no proof against him, but it had to be Mae,. It couldn't have been any one else." "What do you mean?" "Don't you see"? The fire ax was smuggled away by the person who used it to kill Nina. Well, who was the only person to leave the pool after we'd all got there? Mae! Jep- person sent him out to call the pe - lice „ • Janet's heart leaped. Of •course!' Old Mac with his shuffling., stiff - legged walk and his baggy overalls! He could have walked out of the pool enclosure with the ax hidden inside a trouser leg and no one would have been the wiser! And there were those clippings about his dead son, his gruesome in- terest in the corpse, and his presence Then, Adele Kramer's face appear- at the pool at, about the time of the edfrmbh' o behind the curtain. It was murder... , like something clone in putty—gray, its lines etched deeply, its dusting of • CHAPTER XV rouge a splotch on each •dheek. "Is he gone?" she whispered. Janet started quickly toward the Janet swung round. "The person hall door. "We must tell Loring this who was in my room when I came at once! It may help to clear Joel!" in? Yes, Whoever it was threw the I "Wait! Don't unlock that door!" lamp at me, then got away while I Adele all but screamed the words. was knocked out." I She rushed ahead of Janet and plan - Adele, looking at her anxiously had ted herself against the door. "Mae teanee, and then, I-h'saw this person coming, so I ran inside," Adele said stumiblingly. "You were otitside in your night throes?" "This robe is/the same as a house - : CHAPTER XIV For several dazed minutes, Janet lay on the floor in the derniess. It seemed to her that the door to the hall opened and sinit again, but wire impression was vague and dream like. When she came toe herself suffi- ciently to sit up, the room was quiet, and the darkness held 'n6 crouching shadows. She rose, found' the fallen floor lamp, set it upright and turned the switch. The lamp had not been damaged enough to prevent it' from lighting. • I,00ldng about the room, she found it exactly as she had left it earlier in the evening. There was tie sign of search or rummaging, She went into the bathroom to bathe her face and to examine the Iuimp she felt behind her ear, She was Iooking into the rniirror on the medicine chest, when she suddenly stiffened. In the mirror, she had seen the shower curtain move! the appearance of being badly niay be lying in wait somewhere out frightened. And yet, thought Janet side! There's no need to go to this could be a trick. Adele herself 'Loring. He's no fool — he knows all could have thrown that lamp, opened we know and a lot more. Let him and closed the .outer door, and then alone. He's doing all right!" hidden hi here to make sure that! Janet hesitated, then backed away. Janet held no suspicion against her, + Yes of course., Loring must long. ago "What are you •doing here?" Janet have made note of the fact that Mac demanded!, had left the pool unhindered — and "I was afraid that—that other per- son was after me, I decked in hero to hide, He must have followed me: As Adele stepped out of th ► shower, Janet saw that, she wore ee chenille robe and boudoir slipper's She turned to pull the shower cur- tain shut behind her — a gesture which Janet was to remember later, though she didn't notice it at the moment. "Who was this person "I—I'm. not sure." "Why slioukk any one be after you' follow yore?" 3, "I can't imagine," Adele said warily. "Perhaps he thinks I know something about — about the mur- der." "Do you?" Janet asked. q Adele didn't answer. Instead, she walked into the bedroom, went to the outer door and turned the key in the lock. Then, she came back. !"Now I feel safer." "If you think you're in danger, you'd better go to the police and ask for protection," said Janet. It's fool- ish to take chances," Adele's eyes. wavered. "Yes, I'd thought of that, but — but I might lose a lot that way," Janet considered this cryptic state- ment and drew the obvious conelu cion. "If you are thinking of black mailing some one, you'd better give• up the idea.. Murderers don't black- mail easily. They're .more inclined simply to go on killing," • Adele was silent for a minute, seeming to digest what Janet had said, "I wasn't thinking of blackmail," she said finally. "Well, you do seem to know some- thing you're trying to hide. Person- ally, I've come to the conclusion that we might as well tell, the policeallwe know, because they" find it out, any- way, sooner or later." Janet went on to tell briefly of her own experience in withholding Rod man's fake telegram from the police and tracing it to its source, •only to be followed by Loring. "So you got that telegram," Adele said, when Jlenet had fineshed. "I wondered where it would land when I threw it over the partition, there in the dressing rooms. I picked it up, when' Jepperson dropped 'it. Just curiosity. Then, l didn't want to take the chance of having it found in my possession, so I threw it away." "I see." Janet frowned. "Well, I :still say that, 11 you know some- thing or think you know something, your best course is to go to the po- lice. "Perhaps I'll do that in the morn ing. I'd like to stay the night with you If you'll let me, 'Phe thought of going bank to my room now through all those deserted corridors! gives me the shivers." A new thought popped into Janet's head. "By the way, how did you, hap- pen to be in this wing of the hotel! in the first place?" "Well, I-1 was outside by the en - Barrister, Solicitor, Notary Public Successor to W. Brydone, K.C. Sloan Block — Clinton, Ont. DR. G. S. ELLIOTT Veterinary Surgeon Phone 203, ' - Clinton IL C. MEIR Barrister -at -Law Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ontario Proctor in Admiralty. Notary Public and Commissioner. Offices in Bank of Montreal Building Hours: 2.00 to 5.00 Tuesdays and Fridays. D, H. McINNES CHIROPRACTOR Electro Therapist, Massage Office: Huron Street, (Few Doors west of Royal Bank) Hours --Wed. and Sat. andbp appointment. FOOT CORRECTION by manipulation Sin -Ray Treatment Phone 207 HAROLD JACKSON Licensed Auctioneer Spggecialist in Farm and Household Sal Licensed in Huron, Perth Counties, Prices reasonable; satis- faction guaranteed. For information etc. write or phone Harold Jackson, R.R. No. 4 Seaforth, phone 14.-661. 06-012 THE McKILLOP MUTUAL Fire Insurance Company Head Office. Seaforth, Ont. Officers: President A. W. McDwing, Blyth,; Vice -President, W: R. Archibald, Seaforth; Manager and Sec. Trease M. A. Reid, Seaforth. Directors: Wm. Knox, Londseboro; Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth; Chris, Leonhardt, Dublin; E. J. Trewartha, Clinton; Thos. Moylan, Seaforth; W , R. Archibald, Seaforth; Alex, 1VIcEw- ing. Blyth; Frank McGregor, Clinton; �. Hugh Alexander, Walton. I lest of Agents: J. Watt, Blyth; J. 1;. Peper, Bruce- field, R.R. No. 1; R. b'. McKercher. Dublin, R.R. No. 1; J. F. Preuter, :Brodhagen • Any money to be plaid may be paid to the Royal Bank, Clinton; Bank of Commerce, Seaforth, or at Calvin iCutt's Grocery, Goderich, i Parties desiring to effect Insmr- anee or transact other business will be promptly attended, to on applies. - tion to any of the above officers ad- dressed to their respeetive poet °fl- ees. Losses inspected by the director 1 ANAI)IAN ATIONAL RAILWAYS TIME TABLE Trains will arrive at and depart Clinton as follows: Buffalo and Goderlch Div. Going East, depart 6.43 Going East, depart 3.00 Going West, depart 11.45 Going West, depart 9.50 London—Clinton Going South ar. 2.00, leave 3.08 • from a.m. Pan. a.m. p.m. /MIL must have realized, that the old'inan's overalls were an ideal ]siding place for the az. e 1 Adele waited until she was .sine that Janet did not mean to leave the room. • Then, she moved away from the door and prepared to go to bed, + She turned clown the covers, re- moved her robe and slippers, and climbed in between 'the sheets'. "Good night," she said shortly. Janet was none too pleased to have her as an overnight guest, but felt. there was nothing to do but snake the best of it. She 'undressed, turned out the lights, and crawled in beside .Adele. However, she tossed and turned for a long time before she finally drifted into a troubled •sleep. She was awakened, is•ours' later, by the creaking of the bed and, realized that•Adele was getting up. Drowsily opening one eye, she saw that dawn had come. She caught a glimpse of Adele go- ing into the bathroom and, a moment later, heart! the swish of the shower curtain. Into her sleep -drugged con- sciousness strayed the thought that Adele bad left something hidden in the shewer. What was it? Raising on one el- bow, Janet rubbed her eyes. Just then, Adele reappeared and padded softly to the hall door. She was carrying something but had wrapped her robe around it. She unlocked the door ,opened it a few inches, and peered, out. Then, as she slid through the opening, Janet saw what it is was she carried. A flowerpot containing a blue : ge- ranium! The door closed; but Janet con- tinued to stare at it dazedly. Nina Arkwright had a flowerpot with her when she was killed . . , Now Allele was carrying one about with her .. , What did it mean Adele must have got .hers .last night from the brick wall next to the'servants' wing. That's why she had been out there. Then, elm had• seen okl.Mac - or so she claimed --- and, had dashed in here to eludehim. Had he followed her because of the flowerpot? . Janet lay back and tried to make some sense out of the puzzle'.' Her thoughte .became more -and more con- fused. Finally, she fell asleep again, but her subconscious mind continued busy: • She awoke with a start and with a sudden realization of what she must do. It seemed evident that 'Adele knew more about Ninna's murder than she had admitted. She must be made to go to Loring at thee, give, him whatever information she was with- holding. Otherwise, harm might come to her. As Janet rose, she saw by her watch that it was seven o'clock. She dressed quickly, then left her room, and berried through the corridor to the main part of the hotel.' • She took an elevator to the fourth neer, where Allele's' suite was loca- ted. Reachirig the door, she knocked sharply. There was no answer. She NEWS -RECORD THUR':y MAY 7, 1942 be glad you gave the cry You'll w not turn d the � g of i11 a deaf ear to d Orae su ern bombs maY the injured as Cross is just your One of these days ei hboxhood. crashing down in your n !;ruins. You your house may be left in feebly or your cYourufri nds, your f eeblug.. ay be lye for help. may be left homeless.ens, you 11 ¢ever re matter youwhag app ed Cross. help your 1 ave to the R z 'rhe. Canal o her Canadian hearts heart compassion for suffering beating is U want to be a part of thmagreatYmission of mercy, you will g our Red Cross. Open wart and purse strings --GIVE egret that you °£ mercy to ri generously. War Service Ennals Reach out the hand and pole. Xo those crushed by grief sign this year tion�i.Caaa>tgs Pia The only Y.� _ �.�- ��a ,_'�� � � �� • .. COSS The Canadian Red Cress Society's ascet tseritti)ZS rt the A ditect tos' General of Canada. efekeve r,' eeee -era A. J. McMURRA.Y, Chairman Clinton War' Services Committee — Phone 156 knocked again and again. ruin the hotel." Finally, she tried the knob and, to "It will ruuin it if this murderer her surprise, found the door unlocked. goes on stalking your halls at night," It swung inward.. , ,' Loring snapped. "You'd better go Then, she was clapping -a hand to with Corcoran and help him." her mouth to stifle a scream. She stood rooted in the doorway — par- alyzed with horror and. shock. Adele lay about a dozen feet inside the room. The carpet all about her was stained a deep red. There was no need to go to her to see whether she was dead. One look at her head told the story. Scattered by her, were the pieces of a broken flowerpot, bits of earth, and the blue geranium plant,. Janet found, at last ,that she could move, that her hands could shut the door and her legs carry her away. When she saw Mr. Jepperson turn the corner at the end of the corridor, the called to him, began to run. "It's Miss Kramer!" she gasped. "She's dead! Murdered,! Just as Mrs. Arkwright was; I—I just found her—in her room." Jopper•sonee round face paled. "Oh, my! Oh, my!" he groaned. "This is awful—awful! I'll go down and phone Captain Loring!" He hastened toward the elevators, with Janet' following. In the lobby, Janet waited on a stiff-bached chair until the arrival of Loring and his squad of assistants. Ile paused to tell her he wouidi talk to her later, then went up stairs with Jepperson. Itwasn't long before they returned; accompanied by Corcoran. Loring sat down beside Janet. "Now then, tell me all you know about this." She related the events, of the pre- vious 'evening and of that morning. At the last moment, however, she de- cided to omit any mention of old Mac, simply saying that Adele had ,been followed by some- unknown person. Somehow, ;the couldn't bring herself to accuse the • old man, ,After all, she had only Adele's words that he had been her pursuer, and Adele might have been mistaken. "You should have got in touch with me last night," Loring said shortly. "Then thisesecond murder might not have happened. There's no doubt you caught the murderer trying to earner Miss Kramer." Janet said miserably, "She would not let me call you." "Weld,, she .paid for that!" Lor- ing turned to Corcoran. "Get hold of all the people in this case and bring them to -the same room where we questioned them yesterday. Don't forget Arkwright — he checked in here last night," "Yes, sir." Corcoran hurried away. Jepperson, whimpered, "This will As Jepperson departed., the polies captain turned' back to Janet. IMMEMINIk "Come on we'll wait for them in that private dining room." They left the lobby and went down the corridor that led to the "little banquet room" When they reached it, Loring flung the door open, then stopped in amazement. "Good lord!" he exclaimed. Janet, standing beside him, stared meet, into the room with equal atsonish- (The characters in this serial are fictitious) (TO BE CONTINUED) Help The Red Cross HeIp Them The Red Cross needs your support as never before in order that its great humanitarian work may ex- tend with the growing needs of war. Whether you've given before or 'not, give NOW. Enable the work to go on. 9,000,000 Needed Now Give Generously! THIS SPACE DONATED BY Clinton News-Recor