THE LAUGHING GIRL MYSTERY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12865, 20 May 1936, Page 2

THE LAUGHING GIRL MYSTERY

SUMMARY OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

Sheridan Dinara, a young expert at a museum when on a visit to his fiancee who lives in an apartment house, is amazed at finding a replica or, a statuette recently excavated in Egypt as a door-knocker in one of, the apartments occupied by, Mr. and Mrs. Coggs, an elderly couple. He hears laughter inside but it stops suddenly. He pictures the person laughing as a beautiful blonde. That night a blonde girl is found, murdered in the room and Mr and Airs Coggs who had been absent, know nothing of the girl. Sheridan rings up Marlin, the caretaker of the museum, who after a search states that the sfatuette is missing from the museum. Marlin then disappears. Tlie police find that the hole inside the door in which the strange knocker rested has been closed up with putty. Sheridan takes his fiancee home and in procuring her a smock sees a long new scratch at the hack of the cupboard. On his way home lie is attacked in the street but is rescued by the police. Next day he i' 1 told„that Dr. Coe, his employer at the museum, will not be down that day, and finds a Florentine dagger missing. The police arrive at the museum for signs of Marlin and ascertain where he • resided. In an interview with his former landlady they learned that he left the place some time beforp because lie was asked for his rent. At that time lie was keeping eumpang with the landlady s daughter but had informed her that lie was married, and as his wife was insane he could not get a divorce. At the apartment | house next day Sheridan’s fiancee j tells him that on the papers on her desk in her room she found a strange baggage cheek, and being frightened I tore it into small pieces and threw it away, though she remembered the number, 8—14—663. Nexl day thepolice find the dagger in another case in the museum and in course of con- ] versation one detective builds rap a caso against Sheridan, whom lie suspects of murdering the girl, whom they ascertained had arrived from England.

INSTALMENT XIV. MAN with dark glasses and a walrus moustache sat at a corner desk in Alby’s office. Alby greeted Sheridan casually, but Sheridan felt a sudden uneasiness. “It’s my conscience,” he told himself, “about the baggage check.” Aloud he said, “M.iss Sayre wants to tell you something, Mr Alby.” “Presently,” said Alby. “First there are a few formalities. Can you tell us exactly what you did yesterday afternoon, when you left Dr. Coo and up to the time you called for Miss Sayre?” “Of course. ’ But Sheridan’s feeling of discomfort deepened. “J left Dr. Coe at one-thirty, had a sandwich and some coffee in. the’station, and then walked back to Madison and Fifty-ninth street to get Miss Sayre’s wedding ring.” “The jeweller’s name?” “He’s not a regular jeweller. His name is Cosgrove and ho does special work for the museum—restoring, mounting and repairing. He was cutting down an old Italian ring for me.” “So you got tlio ring. AVhat then?” “Yes, and also the ring whose piong made this scratch .you noticed. He had them both 1 ready.” “How long were you. there?” “Two or three minutes.”

“To return to the'early afternoon. What did you do after your first visit to Cosgrove?” “I went to my tailor’s, and then to the public library, where J. worked till time to go home and dress.” “What time was that?”

“I say, Alby, isn’t this rather a foolish inquiry? After all, .t’ve not pretended an alibi for the time of the murder. I was almost present.”

“It’s not a question of your alibi. We happen to want all the data about everybody’s afternoon, yesterday. So it you’ve no objection—”

“It was then five-thirty. f went home, bathed, dressed, and walked down to Miss Sayre’s on Twelfth St., arriving there at six-forty, as you know.”

“What time did you leave your apartment ?” “I didn’t notice. Probably at sixtwenty. It usually takes 'me about twenty minutes ”

The telephone interrupted. Alby •sat suddenly forward on the edge ol Ids chair, his eyes gleaming behind bis big glasses. His mild manner vanished, in a volley of sharp questions and orders. “At exactly what time?” and “What name?” and then, “Get that belt hop here at once, and the desk clerk, too. Can’t help it. Lock up tiie hotel if necessary, or put a policeman in charge—get them here at once. And bring the hotel register—at least last night’s page. And hurry. He hung up the receiver, pressed a button, and lifted it again. “Harrod? Come in when you’re through there.”

“Have you found something?” Sheridan asked, eagerly. “It’s too soon, to know,,”. Alby replied. “Now what time was it when you left the Bullards after dinner?” “About eleven, finally.” . “Finally?” •

“Yes. A curious tiling happened. Shortly after, dinner I. was called' to the telephone. An Englishman named Howard Switliin, an anthropologist, said'he had called at the museum for Dr. Coe, who was away; and that Marlin, the caretaker, had known whero .I’d be dining and had given him the Bullards’ number. Said he had just landed off a liner.; and was leaving at midnight for Washington. He had some document foT him from Dr. Wc'iliiigton. He wondered'if lie could leave it with liie,' and offered' to bring it anywhere I might mention before his train left. He; said he. was staying a< the Waldorf, So I excused myself for aVfciv minutes, arid took ' a taxi down to the Waldorf—” “Flow long were you away from the Bullards ?”■ ‘ . “About an hour. For 'when I rear died the Waldorf, lie wasn’t there. He wasn’t registered, and though I had Uiin ,paged'li’e couldn’t be found,” ' “You ..think it.\w;i.s n- : . sell?”

By VIOLA PARADISE

(Copyright to the Gisborne Times)

“No. Because I telephoned Marlin at the museum. He said Mr Swithin had called about four-thirty. Then again, later—about seven—to .say he hadn’t been able to reach Dr. Coo at Stamford. Marlin knew who he was. He had seen him when lie worked for Dr. Wellington.” “Had you met him?” - “No. But we had a long correspond dence about some findings of the Royal Anthropological Society. We would surely have discovered each other at the Waldorf, if he’d been trying to meet me. I waited a while. Then 1 gave it up and went back to the Bailor ds.”

Hamid, had conic in during this recital. Sheridan finished and Alby asked him to send Miss Sayre in.

“As Sheridan left Hamid said, “What’s up?”

“Plenty.” But Adelaide entered before Alby had time to elaborate.

Alby rose and placed a chair for her. Then, before she had time to i [ say a word, lie demanded sharply, ‘‘Why do you think Mr Dinard is involved in this murder?” “1 don’t’ He isn’t!” “Yet you destroy an important piece of evidence—”

“Ho told you about the baggage check! Oil, 1 knew 1 shouldn’t have told him!”

“But why, if you believed him innocent, if you weren’t frightened, did you destroy the check?” “I am sure. But I’m also frightened.”

“Why? If lie’s innocent there’s nothing to be afraid of.” “He is innocent. But there’s such n tiling as framing!” “It’s much less frequent than the public believes. Who are Mr Dillard’s enemies?” “I don’t know. I should have said, he had none. But all this—” She stopped in wink back the tears.

“And the murdered girl?” Alby continued. “You don’t know who she is?”

“No. Neither does he. Truly he doesn’t!” “You really believe it?” “Yes, I believe it.” Alby shook his head. “You are trying to believe it. But you can’t quite succeed. You do believe lie is innocent.”

“Mo is innocent,” she said quietly. “And I believe he doesn’t know who she is. 1 think, as lie told you last night, that ho • saw her some place, and heard her laugh, but that was all. I believo lie never spoke to her, and never even thought of her afterwards, and that lie imagined lie was making up that description out of his fancy.” , “You sound as if you were repeating the catechism. Hew do you explain the baggage check?”

“1 don’t.” “You didn’t leave your apartment this morning?” “No—unless you count, going into my aunt’s part of it. But 1 didn't go through the outer hall.” “Just when did you go into your: aunt’s rooms?”

“Once right after breakfast.” “Wluit for?”

“To water her plants and feed her goldfish. Moruldu, the maid, doesn’t come Sundays.” “And you went in again later?” “Yes. Right after Mr Dinard telephoned.” She told him her conversation with Sheridan, and how Coggs had interrupted it. “Did Mr Coggs come in?” “No. 1 talked to him at the door.” “What did you do in your aunt’s apartment when he had gone?”

“1 turned on the radio and tried to listen to some music. That was when 1 found the baggage check. And all of a sudden a silly panic came over mo. J know J shouldn’t have destroyed it.”

Alby looked at her a while in silence. “How long was Mr Dinard absent from the Ballards last night?” he asked at length. “I didn’t notice exactly. Perhaps three-quarters of an hour. Why, Mr Alby?” ■Ho ignored her question. “And Wilcox?”

“Ho didn’t go with Mr Dinard. But lie left early. 1. didn’t notice the time. Shortly before Sherry—-Mr Dinard—got back.”

“That will be all for the present, Miss Sayre.” When she had gone into Llie next room Harrod demanded, “What’s up?” Alby lounged back in his chair and enjoyed a brief moment of relaxation while he explained. “Last night, about eight-fifteen, an expressman brought a trunk with a cerise baggage check number 8 dash 14 dash 663 to the-Hotel Astrakan, on East Ebrty-eighth Street. A little later a man named Dennis Swift registered, asked whether the trunk had come, and had it put in a. room. A few minutes later the 'bell hop brought him some ice water, knocked and entered just as the man was closing the lid, a package of letters in his hand. A few minutes later the man left tlio hotel. He’s not returned.” Hafrod* whistled.

‘‘Tlio man”’ Alby went on, “hadn’t taken off his overcoat. But the bell liop noticed that he wore a dinner coat under it.”

Harrocl’s' snapping eyes glittered “Oh, hoy,' oh; hoy, oh boy !”

(> Alby si.it forward again, giving or)tiers. . f‘Get Coe ‘ down here. But 'don’t take him into tli.e : ' waiting:room. Take him into your office and lot mo know when he gets here. Any handwriting,men on tap? Rankin? Good. Uiiyq him make out a liand- , writing, .test,, using tlie letter sequen- > cos In. tlio name ‘Dennis Swift’. A ! pledge of co-operation* and, secrecy ;wilhcib. Tell, logins Fin.plaiimngTo , get- tlie .whole crowd in here. *9T • W? ensemble act ;; but ask him, no -mat- ! ter? what happens,- .riot to iiiako any < arrests till"I give the; word.' Remind

him that .tko D.AI .ljas to try the ! case; I want something more juryproof. than/,-circumstantial'' .evidence. Now see what they’re getting out of Oswald, and send Wilcox to me.” Wilcox entered with quicid impatient step. “I’m glad .you’ve got round to me. Your chairs are damned uncomfortable/’ . ; “Tho. State has one in reserve even more so. Meanwhile you might sit . here;” said Alliy, drily. “I say, Alby; .you don’t think for a minute that f—”

“We’ll save time if you answer questions. ■ What were you doing in Twelfth Street, when you saw J)r. Coe)” "" “I was about to cross fifth Avenue to, get a taxi uptown-—” “Yes, yes, when you saw Dinard and Miss Sayre . But where were you coming from, and how long had you been there? w

“I was coming from a tea at the Tidewell’s. .[ had been there about an hour and a-half.” “The Tidowells? What are their first names? What do they do?” “Sam and Sarah. They live right across from the Coggs’. They do nothing just now. When they have pubs they’re on the stage.” “What other guests were at tho tea?”

Wilcox hesitated. “Some people named Harrison. A few others. I don’t remember. The Tidwells are careless about introductions.” “Did you go there alone?”

“Yes.” But lie had hesitated a fraction of a second before ho answered.

Alby was impatient. “We’ll save time if you tell tho truth. Who was with you?” Wilcox was silent. Alby tapped a pencil against his desk. Finally Wilcox said, “A lady, whose name I refuse to give. She had no connection with any of this.” Alby pushed a button and Smith entered. Then, without taking his eyes off Wilcox, he said, “Get the Tidwells—Sam and Sarah—who live across from tho Coggses at number

He turned questioningly to Wilcox, who reluctantly gave tho address and telephono number. “Have them come inimediatelj',” Alby ordered. Then he continued, “We’ll leave the Tidewells foi a moment. What about Dr. Coe?”

(.To be Continued Daily.)