The evening world. Newspaper, October 11, 1922, Page 32

Detective Furneaux and Capt. Stuart Question Montagu Toyn, the Clubman. HIS VOICE ON TELEPHONE. His Interest in Proving Erning- ham Innocent, He Agrees to Assist Police. THE STORY TO DATE. ROWN, the butler of the Fifth Avenue mansion of Anthony Van Cortland, finds his em- Ployer dead and twelve guests unconscious around a table where the thirteen -had gathered for a convivial celebration of the Ace Club the night before. A goldfish in a bowl in the room is floating, dead. A strange odor fervades the room. Capt. Stuart, an army officer, calls for Van Cortland to go for a ride in tral Park and discovers the state of fairs. After talking with Morrison, the chauffeyr; Roberts, the valet; Ma- ric, the majd, and Brown, Capt. Stuart calls Police Headquarters and in a few Minutes a queer-looking little man ap- rs at the mansion and introduces imself as Mr. Furneaux of the detec- tive force. After looking over the Found he orders that Dr. George right of East 83d Street be called pt. Stuart, chosen by Furneaux ‘o notity Miss Mary Dixon, Van Cort- land’s fiancee, of his death, performs the disagreeable task, but is impressed by the fact that she shows nc deep grief. Meantime Willie Dixon, Mary's young brother, one of the unconscious group, awakes after Furneaux has emp- tied the pockets of all the Ace Club members and taken their fingerprints, *Capt. Stuart accompanies Willie Dixon to his home, meets Mary again, but learns nothing of her feelings re- “garding the death of the man she was ry. He joins Furneaux and Gilet Detectives Winter at vrezk- fast, re they discuss the case. Discovery is made of a threatening typewritten note in which Van Cortland was told he could never marry Mary Dixon. The writer has attempted an Italian dialect. Furneaux’s theory is that the mur- derer, after administering a knockout, draught to the part pouring the’ balance into the gold fish bowl, admin- istered a deadly dose to Van Cortland by h rmic or otherwise and going to a balcony outside the window threw the syringe of viher instrument into the Central Park shrubbery. He elim- inates all save three of’ the Ace Club members, Durrane, Kerningham and Baker. The butler tells of a visit by Miss Baker and her father to Van Cortland and a conversation in which the dead *~ man made light of the threatening note. Stuart 01 fs a conversation in which Montage Toyn says that Mary Dixon to marry Van Cortland because he saved her father from fail- ure in a deal in rubber stocks. Capt. Crossley, precinct commander, manoeuvres the arrest of a tramp who has a ye he claims to have found in a Central Park op) land: mansion. died. It is found that the poison that killed ‘Van Cortland and Flanagan has come from an antique ring such as was used in Italy ‘two or three centuries ago. Some of the .contents are sent to a taxicologist. Willie Dixon invites Capt, Stuart to in the Dixon flat while his father sister are in the Adirondacks and makes it clear that the ifvitation is ex- tended at Mary's suggestion. Mary Dixon adds the fact that Frank 's -ollection comprised a poison fing but she believes him innocent of Van Cortland’s death. A man calling h...self Paul Forster ts the Dixon apartment and is questioned by Furn- eaux and Stuart about the mysterious phone call of the morning. CHAPTER VI Wherein a Pieture Intervenes, 6 ONTAGU Toyn!" cried Furneaux, with eloquent Pantomime of surprise. “But he said his name was Luke Forster!" “I saw him yesterday ina club, and was credibly informed bis name was ‘Toyn.” “Ab, in @ club! Yéung men like you, with a fine career before you, shouldn't visit such disreputable Dlaces."* Toyn, feeling that Stuart's recogni- tion had in some sense rehabilitated Nis’ social rank, if nothing more, be- gan to bluster. “Yes, that's right," he said, “I Femember seeing Capt. Stuart, though We were not introduced. However, as this present farce is played out, I'll “No, You're going into the library again~—by force, if necessary—isn't he, cap’? “Yes. If you say so,"" Toyn was not a coward; and he had vital reasons for avoiding the inquisi- tion. which he felt impending. “You have no right to detain me,” he shouted. **I came here for a legi- limate purpose, and it 1s no concern of anybody's that I did not choose to give my right name. Ah, would you?” and he swung a vicious left-arm blow at Furneaux, who had grabbed his right shoulder, Stuart knocked his hand up, und closed witn him. Toyn, who had some notion of the principles of jiu-jitsu, ducked sud- denly, and caught Stuart's left ankle, meaning to throw him heavily, Stuart The Master Myste of New stiffened his right and lifted the left. one promptly that Toyn lost his balance, whereupon the detective took a more decisive part in the strug- gie, and the three bodies closely locked, swayed to and fro, with muc stamping of feet and heavy breathing, lew, Stuart's dificulty, of course, was that hi he could hardly strike his adversary merely to detain him, but he had one arm in an iron grip, and Furneaux was quite capable of mastering. the other, so their vertainly have resulted in‘ bundled into the library had irresistible force been upplied three, and, in a second, they sprawling over the centre table “1 took it for granted you gentle- men wanted this other gentleman to go into this room, here he is said a calm, courteous voice, and Stuart and ix found them- selves staring at the portly figure of the van Cortland butler, Blocking the doorway, and grinning brendly, was Benson Brown, the van Courtland was called and questioned. “Brown, you're a scream!"’ broke in the detective. ‘But let the luggage ave you ever seen this fellow and he whirled about on ‘Toyn, who was gazing red-eyed at his captors. not to an all were so butler sir."* “So he couldn't very well figure as an intimate friend of Mr. van Cort- land?" “Not an intimate friend, sir, He may have been a street acquaintance. He knows wh the van Gortland mansion because he called there this morning. “At what time?" “Half past nine, sir. He inquired if Mr. Kerningham had left a handker- chief in the drawing-room, and I told him there no handkerchief there."* “Did he, indeed! That is most in- tergting. Now, Montagu Toyn, at last you are going to tel! us the truth, the whoie truth and nothing but the truth, even if we have to persuade you by ungentle means, You agree with me, Capt, Stuart’ For reply, Stuart took from a pocket & small roll of strong twine. He had not lost the habit, acguired in’ the trenches of Picardy, “Yes," he suid siowly. “Sometimes we had to induce Heine to be candid Didn't we, Brown? “Yes, sir. Personally, 1 preferred the point of the baynit,’ “Not ‘ound his neck!" protested Furneaux, gazing at Stuart's pr ation jn mock hor “ The thumb or suMces, Or a big. tor “Stop this fooling!" bellowed Toyn, feeling his ribs ginger! since Brown had applied some scientifice method of propulsion practised on “drunks and disorderlies’’ by the London police, “What's it all about? And who are you, anyway?’—this latter Question being aimed at the detective, “Ah! We are about to see light,” grinned his chief tormentor, “I am Inspector Furneaux of the New York Detective Bureau, and it now becomes my puinful duty to warn you that anything you say will be recorded in writing, and may be used in evidence aguinst you.” “On what charge?” “Being accessory after the fact to a murder."’ “What nonse anyone.” fou are distraught, and quite in- se! I haven't, mur- de: t ork Life coherent, Evidently, you are incap- able of understanding plain Mnglish. How about a highball? “1 could do with a drink, certainty “Brown, will you officiate? The lady in the kitchen has stopped screaming." Brown came in with the refresh- ments, and Toyn gulped down his share at a drought. He showed a sudden return of memory and talked Quite freely about the case. “Um glad your memory is improv- ing. And what did Mr. Kerningham say? Don't you know?" “You tell.’ “He gave me a yarn about the Ace Club, and a big supper at van Cort land's house, where he and Frank Baker bl@rted ovt some \stupid things as to the forthcoming marriage. Then he doesn’t know what happened, but he woke up the following morning in the same room to find some queer little jink of a detective—. Well, [ sure im" —— ‘Get on with your story." “This detective, whoever he might be, was screaming at him to tell why he had killed yan Cortland. Bob said ye hadn't killed anybody, though he ‘certainly had felt Ike wringing van Cortland’s neck for taking his best girl from him, ‘Then he was bundled into an ambulance, and really came to his senses in the police-station, It was some hours before he missed his handkerchief. “Why should he miss {t? thing he needed was brought his house in a suitens “How the blazes should I know?" Every- from ‘THE EVENING WORLD, | HOY LOUI COPYRIGHT sald Stuart. “Don't lose heart,” said Furneaux, with a queér little laugh, ‘I've barked up the wrong tree many a time. You did us a splendid turn by getting on th ourse pened Stuart was convinced that \Fur- neaux's unwonted humility only con- cealed some theory he had evolved but was unwilling, as yet, to formu- late in words. » he forebore further questioning, though his own ingenuity was work- full pressure. “Won't you give 2 he inquired. “Why?” Furneaux’s expressive eye- brows “registered astonishment,” as the movies put it. Stuart laughed “Don't ag me for reasons,” he said. “I told her you might wish to have a chat with her, and she promised to be in at 12.20." ten to me, cap’,” sald the detec- tive seriously, “You'll arrange mat- ters with that young lady far more skilfully than I, If 1 want to get any- thing out of her I'll send you.” A carpet ran the whole length of the hall, #0 his footsteps were inaudt- ble when he weht toward the kitchen, though he took no pains to tread noiselessly. It was evident that the butler and the valet were fraternizing with tie ready/ camaraderie of men who had faced a common enemy. "Gee! I kin fix that day well,” Benson was saying. ‘‘We had just come down to billets after seventeen days tn the front line when a regi- ‘phone go smartly. Of you don’t know what hap- Miss Dixon a “TOYN WAS NOT A COWARD, AND HE HAD VITAL REASONS FOR AVOIDING THE HAVE NO RIGHT TO DETAIN ME,’ “One more remark like that and you will be marched down Fifth Avenue in handcuffs.” You daren’t do it. “Brown! outed Furneaux, going to the door, yes, sir," and the butler came majestically from the kitchen. “Run down and find the pearest cop., Tell him I want him, and he'll come on the jump."" Tony grew more communicative again and gave Kerningham's anxiety as the cause of his ‘phone message to the Dixon flat, “But Show was I to know that?" “You are guessing pretty hard now, eh? There are others than Bob Kerningham who wish to stand well with Miss Dixon, This mere statement seemed to dis- concert Toyn more than anything Vurneaux had said thus far—more even than the threat of immediate a st, “Speak plainly to me and I'll equally outspoken } with you.” muttered after a. marked pause “Good. You see now just where you-stand,” said Furneaux enigmat- feally. “I'll make you an offer. Promise you'N work faithfully for the police in this matter and I'll let you go, I'll come to your apartment at § o'clock and tell you what 1 want you to do, But make up your mind to run straight or Ui drag you 3 notoriety by th seruff of your neck, and you can't afford that.” be he really to his surprise and relief Toyn found himself being escorted to the elevator and to freedom “Well, ['m cured trom Jumping at conclusions, [ was sure f spoke with van Cortland’s slayer at 10 o'clock," INQUISITION HE FELT IMPENDING. ‘you HE SHOUTED.” mental sharp bit, Gen, parade was ordered for 10 next morning. We cussed a naterally, until we heard that Mangin was goin’ to give him the Croix de Guerre, with double palms, ‘Then it was O. K., as the boys all loved him," Stuart halted. The conversation struck him as having a distinctly per- sonal bearing. “Well, { must say it’s more like him than the average newspaper por- trait,"’ said Brown. An’ it’s good of Pershing too. Curious thing Miss Dixon shoulg have cut it out and kep’ it."* he'd be real know she had it mad if he got to put in Catherine, “My land! You ought to have heard my instructions this morning. I was just going to pop it,into an envelope when that row started in the passage, but I was sure you gentlemen would like to see it.” “What's the date? said Be: “July 4, 1918, Yes, that’s right. was gassed a week afterward.” Creeping back to the hbrary. with thievish feet, Stuart sank into a chair, He had, as his humble friends in the kitchen would have expressed it, “gone hot all over.” Mary Dixon, a girl of whose meresexistence he had then no knowledge whatever, had cut out of a newspaper a photogmph of himself, taken on the great day of his Ii In oie won. 1 five minutes Riehard was him in, but this time he ring, and ked Catherine nd in Brown “Didn't [T gather that you had something to say to me?" he began “Yes, sir, It was about Miss Dixon." Stuart blushed to peony sed, but SE S TRA BY EDWARD J: CLODE managed to laugh. “That young lady keeps herself on the map,” he said, grabping at the first lucid thought that .presented it- self. ‘I—er—I have heard her name @ great many times to-day.”’, Brown recited a ‘phone conversation with Miss Dixon in which she had emphasized her belief in Kerning- ham's innocence. “Of course,’ continued Brown “there's a heap of difference between guessin’ an’ knowin’, But that's as may be. Miss Dixon believes that among all those young gentlemen at the party there was three only who “Quite correct. But the real trou- “I shall never forget Durrane’s while, oddly enough, he forgot to had sufficient intelligence an’ perve ble was that she didn't care a straw black looks when my master an- telephone Mary Dixon, after having to plan and carry out a deadly crime about any of ‘em when it came to nounced at the fatal dinner that he practically arranged it with her, those are her very words, sir. One marriage. She was—rather afralid— was to marry Miss Dixon."' (Continued To-Morrow.) AREA AN ST le ° THUD VIN USSSA NNVUISUULVEULTSEOUNOOVRARE VETS VR ASTRON) ER ERATE AAAS >< a \\!/ START TO-DAY. (Copyrighted.) HEN the man in the gray suit and gray hat entered the smoker Rawson's pulse auickened and he forgot to answer the desultory question of the commercial traveller sitting opposite. There was plenty of time and Raw- son felt that he had a bird in hand and wanted to make sure of it. The man In gray took the seat next to the detective and carefully selected and lit @ Rood cigar, The newcomer was a man of me- dium height, slender, smooth shaven, with shrewd blue eyes and carefully parted light hair. has made his way through every car of the train and twice he had made up his mind that this man, who had been sitting just outside the smoking compartment, more nearly fitted the brief description and mental conception he had of Dakota Morgan than any other. The detective had been on the trail of Dakota Morgan for the Paulina bank robbery for two weeks. He had tracked his man to Washington and had there received definite informa- tion that Morgan was boarding this train for New York. : After operating with astounding suc+ cess in and around Chicago for a long period, Dakota Morgan, still free from conviction, had invaded the Fast, beginning at Paulina, and Raw- son's chief had put teat able sleuth on the case in the hope of being able at once to check the newcomers's career in its early stages and to dem- onstrate to Western confreres the su periority of the Eastern methods. The superb carelessness of Morgan's methods had made it both difficult and easy to get on his trail. His habit of appearing freely if public almost im- mediately after turning a trick enabled him nearly always to lose himself in any one of a dozen American cities; while on the other hand, it was knowl- edge of these very methods that made Rawson overlook no possible clue. Even now, as he studied the man from the corner of his eye, the de- tective felt a great admiration for Morgan's absolute ease of manner and freedom from the haunted air that is frequently a detective's greatest aid. “When do we get to Philadelphia?" It was the commercial traveller on the opposite seat who interrupted Rawson's thoughts with the question. The man in gray, whom Rawson had. spotted as his quarry, gave the desired information. ‘The detective and the man in gray glanced at each other swiftly, while the commercial traveller, apparently Now. FINISH THE STORY YoU STARTED YESTERDAY. HE Professor returned from Win- I ifred's room with a face of woe. “It isn't money," he said. “I offered to lend her any amount she needéd, but she wouldn't take a cent,” “Of course she wouldn't take it from you said Percival, “Do you think she would from you, young coxcomb?"' ‘m going to try it, anyway. y She's had your inter- trouble enough without ference. It's awful to see a woman suffer like that!"* “Like what?’ “Why, smiling when her heart is breaking! It was terrible!”* At ten o'clock, Percival went dis- mally downstairs to the dining room for his glass of milk, He saw a dim figure at the window, gazing out into the dark. It was Mrs. Amoret. She too was weeping. “What's the matter?” he demand- ed. Women, well as he thought he knew them now, were getting a bit too complicated. “Oh, it isn't her money at she moaned. she’s told me about it, It's worse than that! Oh, what bdasts men are! They never think of anything but themselves.’’ “Can T help her, d’you think? “Oh, I don't know! I don't know! Men are #0 selfish!”* He forgot bis milk, and ran light- ly upstairs, tapped softly on Winifred allt" all Mack's door, When she opened it and saw him, she cried a modest "Oh!" and tugged at the bredst of her kimono, For all practical pur- poses, it might have been a lace ball Twice Rawson , WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1922 OF of the three, Mr. Durrane. “Did Miss Dixon state any ground® for her belief?" “She's only a young girl, sir, an’ now I'm comin’, in my opinion, to the reason why she sent me to you. wanted me to chip in, so to speak, with a bit of guesswork founded on she \didn't say so. two were fact. Mind you, This is my own. crazy about he vh jose “What, in addition to van Cortland, and Kerningham?” one of those men who cannot bear to * sit in silence in a Pullman smoker, ex- tended his hand. “We're travelling some distance to- “Let's name's Nor- PERIL Illustrated by gether, I take it,” he said. get acquainted. My man." eenly’s mine,” accepting the hand. “Morgan,” grunted the She said Rawson, man in Frederic Dorr Steele van Cortland 1.tm- self, was the victim. That leaves two —Mr. Francis Baker an’ Mr. Philip of Mr, yan Cortland.” “IT hate doing it, but T suppose F thust ask—why did she utimately ac- » cept him? “To help her father, and get rid of the others/* “You're\a sensible sort of chap, Brown," ie said at last, “and have had many opportunities for observing thése two men in particular. How do you sum them up?” “Mr, Baker Is a very frank, out- spoken lad, and Mr. Durrane is re- served, but I've an idea that what one hides by plenty of talk the other hides by being quiet. A. LITTLE SOUVENIR - By Sidney Rittenberg. put wheré he géts off this trip I can't see,’ “You work this territory, Mr. Nor- man?" the detective inquired, glad of a diversion, because it gave him more time to consider a course of action with the daring and dangerous crimi- nal he was about to land. “Yes. Bank stationery out of Bal- timore. mM KK AN i i satel LA i HH WW) ri NN ! | i fl ty “THEN HE SANK BACK WITH A GRIN AND SPREAD HIS HANDS IN HIS LAP.” gray and looked at Rawson with what seemed to the detective a glance of sheer defiance. “He's the coolest ever, all right," thought, was Rawson's unspoken WISHFUL gown—but its name was a scandal— in a night dress! Percival Winifred was “What is it, demanded, Winifred?" ment, ‘‘I love you! Winifred fell into his arms. Madame Lilith had won. “T have a right to know He ended with the passionate state- Bank stationery? It was a coinci- dence, and Rawson turned to note the effect on the man at his side. The latter returned the gaze steadily. The detective saw a good opening, hows them frantic with suspense. The storm must surely break out before long. Mrs. Amoret tucked Winifred Mack's check into her purse, and her slippers into her dressing bag. She did not intend to return to the boarding house—she would spend one “The thing can’t go on any longer,"” night in decent comfort ut ‘the best said Percival. ‘‘It will kill you, and hotel in the world. She could well af- it will kill me too if it does. You just ford it. leave it to me." Yet Miss Mack had implored her to witness the ceremony, and she “But what can you do?" she won- eu dered. ‘You don't know how savage Could not refuse. At any rato it he is. You're brave, I know, but you WUld be amusing. Miss, Mack ny can't fight a man twige your size, you revealed to her that Percival and she y" were to. meet at Schuyler’s candy ate y vay, that's an store at 8.80, and go from there to We've cot to run away, that’s all t46 tenth Congregationalist Church, there is about it! We've got to vicge pastor had been engaged to aes hd perform the rites at 9 o'clock. Then “Elope! rang in Winifred’s ears, asked. with" —— He waved it off with a heroic ges- expect to get a raise next month, or the first of the year What does that matter?"’ The elopement was planned ‘for the next Saturday, and he needed every ture. “Oh, I at least. cent. Two days to wait! Winifred was a statue, like a new Joan of A How musically, the word Yet she was practical; she did not lose her head. “Can you support me, Percival?" “I don't want to burden you She stared, seeing visions. she Miss Mack, or rgther Mrs, Truax, was to flit with her husband into New Jersey—and all would be over, At 8.30. Mrs. Amoret left her room and walked slowly downstairs. She noticed that Percival's door was open, and thinking she eard groans, she pushed open the door. Percival was lying in his shirt- sleeves, with tumbled hair and no collar, writhing and moaning upon his bed. Mrs. Amoret walked in and shook him. ‘*What in the world does this mean?” she demanded. “or heaven's sake, don’t you know you Love's young dream, she dreamed—at have to meet at Schuyler’s at 8.30? eighteen dollars a week! Her hero!— Mercy, It's that now! Get up!" aged twenty-five, Surely love {8 ghe shook him flercely, but he eluded blind. her, rolled over on his side and mado Mrs? Ashley and the boarders won Their only ex- planation was that some of them had nossible to tell «ortainty drove dered what was up quarrelled. It wr whieh one, and thi a horrible face sick!"* he wailed “Sick!'' she repeated. ‘'D'you mean to say you're too Ill to be married? The idea! You've got to go,,dead or alive; and I'm going to make you, , “Tm sigk! I'm “We must tell the detectives Brown:"* agree, sir.” ll tell you what, Brown. You and 1 must keep in touch. Come and see me any day you like." “Thank you, sir. 1 would like to hear what those two detectives think of Miss Dixon's ideas. They're @ queer patr, but I'd hate to have them on my heels if 1 bad done wrong. y 4 When Brown went home ‘Stua giabbed bis hat and hurried down- town to a newspaper office. HO wanted a print of a certain photo- graph taken in France in 1918, Mean- ever. “Visit banks exclusively, eh “Well, pretty much so,"’ Norman re plied: ‘We specialize on that and ean do the work better and cheaper than local houses,’* There was silence for a space. The man in gray took a newspaper from his pocket. Rawson ostensibly oom sulted a memorandum book, but real purpose was to make certain Various instruments that he carried upon his person were in their proper Places and easily reached. Norman looked out at the scenery. Then Raweon decided to play a dar ing card, in an effort to-make his man sive himself away more clearly than he had done. “You say you work out of Baltte » more?" he asked the commercial * traveller. He could feel that the at his side was listening. Norman nodded, Then I suppose you cover Mary- land towns."* “Oh, yes; practically all the larger ones. Are you acquainted in that tere ritory?”” “Only slightly. Do you happen to make a town called—er—Pauline, 1 believe it is Paulina, you mean, corrected smilingly. several times, there?" “Only the Farmers’ and Merchants." Rawson saw the man in gray very distinctly and he felt satisfied, “Old customers o’ mine,” the com- mercial traveller continued. Then, a light seeming to break over his face, Say!" he said, “I'll bet you've been eading about the robbery there, Thar ight?" ‘Why, yes," he replied. “That's the principai reason I asked about tt. Friend of mine—Williams—was con- ne@ed with the bank some years ago and L was interested in the case when I read about it.”” “It was a slick little affair,” Nor- man returned; “from what I hear from some o' the men who travel down there." Before Rawson could reply, man in gray broke in, “You're right about that,” he calmly. “I was in that section when it happened and I followed the case for a few days." Rawson was amazed at the iron nerve of the man. “Bvery- body's convinced nobody in the bank did it, in spite of appearance: They tell they suspect an especially clever crook who''—here he paused and deliberately stared at Raw- son— FINISH TO-MORROW. the other “I've been there, Got any friend What is your idea of the end of the story? Get up!" She prodded him with h umbrella, : He clapped his hand to his mouth, stumbled horribly to his feet an thrust her forcibly from the room, was true, he was sick, far, far too st for a wedding. . But Miss Mack was not at Schuy. ler's. No one had seen her. Whel Was she? At the church, perhaps, in a wild, despairing hope that Per. cival would find her there, Mrs. Amoret dashed into ther cab agat “To the Tenth Congregational Churel door! Hurry!" She alighted, tripping In her haste; and as she ran into the yard tw figures me to meet her. One wi Miss Mack. “Hurry up, we've been waiting fo} you! We're all ready!" she cried. “But Percival—he's ill—it's awful Winifred, but""—— i t's his own fault!" said a deep voice, “He onghtn't to have dru that stuff. Especially with what put in it! [It was the Professo Middle age, too, ean be desperate youth Mrs. Amoret stood dazed, staring I him, “What—what d’you mean she demanded, ‘You've drug; him?" Winifred interrupted, * just changed my mind, that's all, couldn't quite make up my mind get married on $18 a week—and Professor was so dear! He re loves me more than Percival! I just swept off my feet by him— after all, it's a much better mate! you know. He's forty-nine," “The minister's waiting!"’ said ti twinkling groom; and the wedding party filed gayly into fhe church, THE END, “Oh, aad A ~ nae