Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 87: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MARKED ‘DOWN, Exts- ana entrances seemed to be run- 7 ning through her investigations with clock- like regularity. The matron now returned. Her large hand held out a small, two-blad- ed penknife. Its larger blade was slightly under a quarter of an inch in width and an inch and a half long. The smaller blade was slightly narrower and about an inch in length. Both were sharply pointed. Nancy ran her thumb along the edges. They were razorlike. Answering this discovery, Margaret Seav- ers explained directly, “ Mr. Cunningham keeps them sharp for me.” Thoughtfully Nancy deposited the new bit of possible evidence in her leather case. “ Why are you keeping it?” demanded the girl, her eyes widening with a sudden thought. “Surely you’re not -supposing—” “T am supposing nothing. It is merely wise to keep anything even remotely con- nected with my search. Now,” she went on briskly, “if you will give me your address, the matron will bring you wraps for you and take you to the door. You under- stand,” she said, addressing the matron, “ that her hat and coat are to be searched thoroughly.” “ Certainly.” “ And,” continued Nancy, “she is to take away with her only her hat, coat, and pocketbook. Gloves, rubbers and whatever else she has must be left here.” As the rain had ceased this order was not as autocratic as it seemed. Besides, Nancy had a-very definite purpose in mind when she gave this order. Nothing new was discovered in the girl’s : outer clothing, and she was soon dismissed. Upon the matron’s return Nancy laid be- fore her the wraps of Mile. Mignonne, which a carved cabinet had disclosed. She herself summoned a plainclothes man who shortly left the building. The medium was obviously greatly as- tonished that-she was to be allowed to go home. At the same time her vast relief was unmistakable. “You are not,” Nancy told her in part- ing, “to leave the address you gave me at any time to-morrow. You must be where — I can find you if further questions are neces- sary.” 3 ing,” she announced. = Then in accordance with Brevis instruc- ee tions she merely changed subjects with — ex > oe “JT shall not run away,” ee Mile. Mignonne proudly, Then she, too, went on her escorted way. “Come now with me,” suggested Nancy to the matron awaiting her next bidding. The two walked across the corridor to — the Fulton & Kent offices. Nancy mur- mured a few low words to Jenkins. Obedi- ently he bowed, stepped into the room where Mr. Shoreham was still incarcerated, and closed the door. As he began his search of the highly indignant bank president, the police matron in the next room was per-_ forming the same service on the person of Miss Ivy Greenwood. _ In the meantime Nancy sat in the recep- tion room with the shrinking Dorothy Cay- endish. The girl was too spent with grief — and fear to voice any objections. She mere- .— ——_" — — —— ~ on ——— — en ly sat, dumbly miserable, awaiting her turn S = = for the highly distasteful ordeal. Had she — noted Nancy’s dark eyes she would have —__ beheld pity and understanding there. — For the girl investigator knew at once : es how the thing must breathe indignity to the sensitive girl. to sentimental pity. Whatever lay before her in the darkening shadows surrounding - the violent taking-off of Hugh Cavendish — must not in any way be bungled at the outset. on the scene of the tragedy. It behooved — her to see that nothing, however trivial, = was overlooked. The police matron appeared on the = a ~Noth- eae threshold. She shook her head. Nancy. So, as the girl waited in the ante- room with the freshly searched aunt, the ~ matron was closeted with Dorothy Caven- dish. “Miss Greenwood,” queried Nancy, seiz- ing upon the opportunity for a few addi-— tional questions, “ how many hatpins did — Miss Dorothy start out with this morning? cc Two. 33 You are positive?” She was. Moreover, her reasons and her — testimony corroborated what Dorothy had — stated to aS Neither of the two wom- S S oO Comicboo She had been almost immediately = a €O = -_- >-~ — ee ko — Sate = eg, But she must_be adamant = = ~— —_ Le,