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#I1} It}i Howaver, he did arrive at certain conclusions. Harry Carter was wiped off, So were the farming couple and the boy. But there still remained Agâ€" atha Hanson, Huntley Young, John Smith and Jeremy Withers. One of them was guilty. Which? There wers {far too many unresolvable symbols to arrive at the final answer. - Mr. Sharpe carefully folded up his paper, stowed it away, and looked up into the quizzical eyes of Supenmcnn dm MQ}’ o S en t 0 4 94 Another puazle sir?" he asked. ‘"Â¥es, rather a novel one, It gneqjlf ‘A‘" murders ‘B‘ and so on.‘‘ On the way to Netherton the little man busied himself with a sheet ‘of paper, covering it with queer words, figures and symbols. They were underâ€" standable only to himself. Resolving a murder into a mathematical equation‘is a nice little hobby, but hardly a pracs‘ tical one. Suspicion, however, moves swiftly to Withers, the bus conductor. A revolver is found near the scene of the crime in circumstances suggesting that he is the owner. He admits that he is, and that he threw away the weapon from moâ€" tives of fear. The story told by Huntley Younk the commercial traveller is tested and proves to be false, but the man cannot be found. The inquest discloses that the suiâ€" cide was JOHN WINSLOW, a defgultâ€" ing bank clerk, wanted by the police. He was not connected with the murder. He, the mysterious ‘"missing" passenger happened to be on the bus, and, realizâ€" ing that he would be interrogated by the police, slipped away and committed suicide in a state of panic. Inquiries now turn to‘: GARDOâ€" POULOS. Although discouraged by Superintendint MAXLEY, who is now in charge of the case, Sharpe contrives to attach himself to the police officers, detailed to visit the Levantine merâ€" chant. In the interview; Gardopoulos admits that he knew Wainwright, who vwas an Australian. His story is that Wainwright wanted to sell him stolen goods but ‘he would have nothing to do with the proposal. Consequently, Wain. wright followed him to Colborough and boarded the bus after him; but they did not speak. Before the bus leaves the point at which the shooting occurs, Sharpo sugâ€" gests a search in the coppice running alongside the road. He and Matthews and a police doctor, who has arrived, have hardly begun to look for foptprints when they come upon the body of a man. There is obviqus evidence that he has died from cyanide poisoning. The ‘doctor considers the man committed suicide while Matthews was inten'o- gating the passengers. case, He is a traffic specialist, unfaâ€" miliar with serious crime. Impressed by Morrison Sharpe‘s grasp of the situâ€" ation, he allows the puzzle solver to sit by him during the roadâ€"side interrogaâ€" tion of passengers, and to make suggesâ€" tions. He psrmits Sharpe also to see the search of the dead man‘s pockets. Among the contents is a fine diamond necklace. admits to having been in gaol. GREGOR GARDOPOULOS, a [Ievan- tine importer of dried fruits. HUNTLEY YOUNG, a commercial traâ€" veller. Mr. and Mrs, WYLLIE, a farmer and his wife. AGATHA HANSON, a dour nuddle- aged spinster. From the ‘beginning Sharpe takes a keen intsrest in the occurrence, and he has a vague impression that there was another passenger. â€" * Sergeant MATTHEWS, patrolling the roads in a police car, comes upon the stationary bus and takes charge of the erton, a country bus develops engine trouble and backâ€"fires several times. Undsr cover of one of these explosions a male passenger is shot with a pistol. Those on the bus at the timr ar the tragedy are: 5 B . 12e CARTER, the driver. WITHERS, the conductor CALEB WAIN\WIIGH’P the .mm who was killed. MORRISON SHARPE, a mildly tric little man whose dominating in=> terest in life is solving puzziesâ€"chesk problems, crosswords and the like. JERRY TUCKLEY, a schoolbay. JOHN SMITH, who, when interrogatad, Travelling from Colborough to Notwtâ€"x. (Now‘Read On) CHAPTER XI (Continued) _ _iie was going to point the moral when two plain clothes men came in |'the search was resumed, taking his chance that we should accept it as being left after the tragedy. When the subâ€" ‘terfuge was uncovered he spun his story on the spurâ€"of the moment. Does that hang together?" "Perfectly," admitted Maxley. "Witâ€" hers couldn‘t think up a better cxcuse for himself." f ; “Sounds harsh doesn‘ t it. Truth ofâ€" ten doés. °If you were to ask me I could submit a thesis worth consideration." on!" â€"â€"*Merely this Withers did buy a reâ€" ;volver ofâ€"sorts, in Belgium last _year. But not‘tMs one. After the murder he found the fatal one stuffed down tween the back of a chair and the seat. Being scared, it kept it on one side until ~"Unless I‘m mistaken he‘ll recount the same one when his back is to the wall...Even confirmed prevaricators fall back on strict accuracy as a last reâ€" "Absolutely impossible," said the Suâ€" perintendent, shocked at the very idea. "Mr. Sharpe did not seem taken aback. ‘"Well, it can’t be helped,"he said regrotâ€" fully. "I might have saved you making a. fool of yourself." usir'n * 4 _ _‘"‘We shall see. Anyway I‘m taking no chan es. Orders have already been given to bring him in." "Under arrest?" "Not exactly. â€" Technically it is for the ‘plirpose of making a statement. If there is enough information forthcomâ€" ing he wxll be detained." f ‘"Presumably my presencs would be out of order on that interesting occaâ€" sion?" "By the ‘murderer‘ you mean Withers of course, Personally I don‘t think he‘ll do anything desperate." ‘‘Now, sir, that isn‘t fair. Young Witâ€" hers has told us he bought the revolver on the,Continent. Dozens are smuggled in every year in a similar way. I was very dubious about that yarn of getting rid of it because he had the windâ€"up." "So was I." "There you are then. The case is simple now . . . unless the murderer deâ€" cides ‘to run away." "Lots of them. Sometimes you find out the truth before it is ‘too late. I wonder how many victims have sacrificed to the idol of scientific jurisâ€" prudence?" ‘"‘Then it must be Withers. There is an admission of possession and subseâ€" quent disposal. Men have been sent to the gallows on far less circumstantial Mr.â€" Sharpe did not dispute it. "I Lhaven‘t the least doubt but that you‘ re right," he concluded. He was going to "But look at there bullets," remonâ€" strated the Superintendent, almost piti. ful in his defence of the official findings. "Mark for mark they are twins, No cther gun could duplicate them." For, according to the information, which was ‘beyond dispute, the fatal buuet_bad_ been fired from the Belgian revolver which had been picked up in the coppice. "And I stillâ€"say he hadn‘t anything to do with the crime," observed Mr. Morrison Sharpe sturdily. Microscopes,., calipers. photographs other scientific apparatus were brought into use. Finally the findings were complete.. . Maxley received the written report. .. ‘"‘This," he pronounced, puta young Wlthers in bad." Then came the measuring of the bulâ€" let. its peculiarities being charted one by one. Withers may have been unable toâ€"acequire bullets, but the police had no such difficulty . A shot was fired into A dummy, and this wasâ€" afterwards placed alongside the missile that had taken,. the life of Caleb Wainwright. "Thank you, I accept with pleasure." ; 8o, for the first time, a layman was | present when tests were made with the revolvers ~ He saw the fingerâ€"prints materinlize under a succession of powâ€" ders, watched them compared with those of Jeremy Withers, and shared the general satisfaction when it was discovered that one part of the conducâ€" tor‘s story was true. | ~>"Come into the department when we arrive, sir, and I‘ll show you a much betâ€" ter method than fiddling about with . Maxley smiled a superior smile. "Neat if I may say so. But you can‘t work real mysteries out on paper." w "Don‘t be too sure. One of these days I‘ll tell you what ‘X‘ equais." _ _ Curiously enough this rather obvious device hadn‘t occurred to Jeremy. He was unaware that two plainâ€"clothes men were shadowing him {from the moment Maxley said "You may go." A more observant individual might have recognized the shadows from what they were. Ancient jokes have handed down the tradition of heavyâ€"fcoted deâ€" tectives and one might have thought Reporting at the office, it seemed that the clerks were regarding him suspicâ€" iously. "You‘d like to prove I‘m mistaken for once," retorted the little man maliâ€" clously. "What is the meaning of this?" Jersaâ€" " my . Withers was saying, indignantly. is | "I‘m suppose to be on‘ duty and two of e | your men yank me away as if I was a ts | criminal." ve t- h Jeremy Withers was not surprised to find that he had been left behind. His place as conductor had been filled by a relief hand, and there was no doubt a lot of scandalous talk already going round the neighbourhood. Instead of that Withers had blown it down like a heap of cards. Patiently and carefully they would have to start all over again from the very foundaâ€" tions. And neither persuasion nor those halfâ€"threats which are supposed to be outside the <rules of evidence would move him from this decision. Halfâ€" anâ€"hour later saw him walking out of the police station a free man, much to the disappointment of Superintendent Maxley, who had felt sure that only a few extra bricks had been required to complete the edifice he had been so carefully erecting. Jeremy Withers flared up. "Ask him yourself," he snapped. "I‘m fed up with al this. Not arother word will you get out of me. Put me in the cells if you life, but I‘m not talking." Maxley silenced him with a look. "What made you loan it to him?" he went on inexorably. ‘"Whewâ€"ew!" whistled the little "puzâ€" zleâ€"solver â€" involuntarily. "I â€" hadn‘t thought of that!" *2ITufilupu. imrentfr‘im uh RHTE ‘"You must say where it was on the day of the murder," pressed Maxley. For nearly an hapur he kept harping on that string until the wretched youngster was unable to stand out any longer. "If you must know," he snarled, "it was John Smithâ€"the man who was sitâ€" ting just behnd Mr. Sharpe on the bus." "Oh, I‘ve got it." With a dramatic gesture the young man plunged his hand into ‘his pocket and brought out a vicious little handful of blue steel. Beâ€" side the weapon that had previously been under examination it was pracâ€" tically impossible to tell one from the other. Both bere the same trade mark and were the products of the same facâ€" tory. But the first was inscribed with the agent‘s name "Jules Lefitte, Kue du Bois." and the other was simply idenâ€" tifled By "Anton, Place Verte." ‘"Far from it. I‘m going to tell you the real facts. My own gun was the dead spit of this fellow. Wouldn‘t you have gone all over goosey if you‘d found the second one poked away in the ticket box?" "Where?" ‘"The box where we keep the spares. I found it there when I went to cneck "up that night." "Wihy didn‘t you report it?" . Withers scowled. "And get told off for being a liar. Who‘d have believed ‘"‘That was out of my possession at the time. I‘d given it to somebpdy." ‘"Who?" Withers remained obstinately silent. "Come along, man! Without it your defence is pretty thin." "Anybody, so long as you produced your own revolver." me?" "Don‘t trifie," the superintendent snapped. fa ~"Then~you, would be surprised to know that this particular weapon was the one> used to shoot Caleb Wainâ€" wright?" . "Not a bit." It was Maxley who got the shock. This was the last thing in the world he expected to hear. Indirectly he noticed the ironic smile on the face of Morr ison Sharpe. "Not a single round ... except a small packet I had abroad. But that was used up almost immediately." "According to you there was never any ammunition?" ‘"Don‘t get excited, young man. Probâ€" ably the difficult angles will be straighâ€" tened out in a few minutes. This is your revolver?" "Yes, it is, I told you that when it was picked up in the woods." "Bit still, Mr. Sharpe," invited the Superintendent. "I‘m risking my job butâ€"butâ€"â€"‘ accompanied by Jeremy Witners, lookâ€" ing very sorry for himself. TRACKING MR. SMITH Apparently nobody had looked beyond ‘"John Smith." Strolling over to the desk Maxley took another glance. When ‘he joined the group it was difficult to tell whether anger or disgust was his uppermost emotion. "You poor mutts," "Too late toâ€"night. By the way, did that register show any other interestâ€" ing names?" "Then we‘d better get busy and pick up the trail again," said Brownlaw. "And cout by the fireâ€"escape;" lamentâ€" ed his superior. "Heavens! Can you wonder at it?" He stared at them reâ€" sentfully. ‘"You look to me exactly like a couple of slops. One glance and all the crooks for miles around get under cover." "But young> Withers went upstairs," Thornton apologized. "We both saw "Oh yes, superintendent. We asked several people. There was no mistak: about the name." "I know that. But there is about the individual. You‘ve brought me here on a wildâ€"goose chase, and that‘s all there is to it." "Of "all the cockâ€"eyed idiots," he wound up, after a catalogue effort of choice quality, "that isn‘t John Smith in number 17â€"at least not the one we want. I suppose you made 1:0 effort to verify the identity." That "rush" was provided by the Suâ€" perintendent, who came downstairs two at a time, almost before the others reaâ€" lized he had reached the top. From his expression they judged him to be anâ€" noyed, a fact that was amply demonâ€" strated when he opened his mouth. "Number 17, sir." * "Kight! If you hear my whistle come up with a rush." ‘"You should have watched that," Maxley remarked, "in case he became suspicious that you were hanging about. Wait here while I go and look round. What room did you say Smith occuâ€" pied?" Brownlaw and Thornton the detailed watchers were waiting at the Goldsn Lion. Withers was still upstairs. It would be impossible for him to leave by any other exit, except the fire escape. Maxley certainly did. "It was what he had half expected, though not quite so quickly. Ordering a car to beâ€" sent round immediately he found Sergeant Matthews, and ten minutes after reâ€" ceiving the message they were on their way to Colborough. "It was. And he‘s in records too. We‘d better ring up the chief and see if he wants to come in on this himself." "It does. Wasn‘t that the name of one of the passengers on the bus when Wainwright was bumped off?" "Joiin Smith," he repeated. "Does that convey anything to you, Brownâ€" law?" Running a finger down the list of names the detective halted at an entry several days old. the visitors‘ book. Production of idenâ€" tity cards opened useful sources of inâ€" formation. Jeremy wandered about for some time doing nothing in particular. Punctually atâ€"six o‘clock he went into the Fleur ds Lys and drank one halfâ€"pint of mild !beer. When the 6.10 bus left for Colâ€" borought he was on board. So were the detectives. At the town he went into the Golden Lion. Waiting about five minutes, the officers followed him. He was not in the bar, and the smoke room was empty except tor a couple cf regular customers. According to an observant page their quarry had gone upstairs, presumably to visit one of the guests. Yes, it was possible for the pair to have a look at Departures from type are rare. These two earnest watchers were sach attired in looselyâ€"cut blueâ€"serge suits and sported bowler hats. Their feet were encased in aquareâ€"toed boots with. out tosâ€"caps. Half Netherton knew that Jeremy Withers was being followed 3y the police and the populace got their little thrill out of it. Almost completed after more than teon year‘s work, the reâ€"constructâ€" ed Bank of England, repository of the nation‘s gold, will stand for at least 1,000 years. It will be virtually impregnable and the strongest building in the British Empire. So strong are the fifty vaults in the bank that it has been estimated 100 cracksmen would take a full year to penetrate them, even if there were no guards and alarms, and the latter are amazing. Above is a general picture of the Bank of Engâ€" land during the reâ€"construction. BUILT TO STAND A THOUSAND YEARS company‘s office, "Bo, it‘s like that? Well, here goes I‘ll give you the straight griffir I‘ll give you the straight griffin." (To Be Continued) Smith nedded. "All right. Where‘s Withers, though?" "Out side with the officer," explained Maxley. "Tell them exactly as you explained to me," he advised. "If there‘s trouble brewing, you‘ll do better by taking the skimming and keeping out of the worst of it." "Let us go up to your room for a little chat," Maxley suggested. John Smith nodded. "By all means, though it is going to be a bit overâ€" crowded with all you lot. Suppose bigâ€" ~AToet, fo‘r one,â€"stays outside: give us more breathing space. He had reâ€" sorted to that impudent method of verâ€" bal attack which is often a potent weaâ€" pon in the hands of the professxona] criminal. The rest of them crowded into the little apartment. Smith sat on the edge of the bed. Matthews was by the door. Maxley perched on a dressing chest, and sharpe took possessicn of the onlyâ€"chair which was not nearly as comfortable as it looked. Ten o‘clock chimed, and shouts of ‘"Drink up, please" echoed through the hotel. Coincident, as it seemed, the armistice concluded. Mr. Sharpe winked. He, at any rats knew that the heavy barrage preparaâ€" tory to an invincible attack had been postponed. The Superintendent was not sure of his ground. "Ah!" breathed Maxley heavily. His eyes were on the clock. "What," he asked, "Will you two gentlemen have to drink?" Thornton was feeling in an inside pocket, and Mr. Sharpzs wondered if that was where the handcuffs were kept. Matthews sat bolt upright, alert for further instructions. "As you like." A waiter brought beer. They sipped it slowiy, Smith and Witâ€" hers were standing some distance away, looking on apprehensively. The Super. intendent beckoned and they advanced with a show of hesitation. "Crook to crook," snarled Maxley, impatiently. "This is getting beyond a joke. siv. How did you know about the arrangeâ€" miant?" "Simple chess movement. I figured on it being rook, to rook . . . " "Not at all. Your men were keeping an eye on our young friend so I didn‘t see why I shouldn‘t do something of the kind for myself. Now the easiest way to do that was to go straight to the renâ€" dezvous . . . " "What rendezvous?" "Dear me, how you do persist with your questioning! The one that Withers kept toâ€"night with Mr. Smith, "Mr. Smith, eh? And Mr. Withers. Didn‘t that strike you as rather indisâ€" creet?" he snarled. "There are two other !Smiths in this hotelâ€"and one of them |is John William and the other plain “J." ‘ ‘"Then our man is still upstairs after "Dropped in for drink and a chat with sqome old acquaintances." "Well met!" exclaimed "Mr. Morrison Sharpe genially. "I think you had betâ€" ter have another drink. it still wants halfâ€"anâ€"hour to closing time." "How the devil did you get here?" "Oh I live just round the corner." hers came down. With him was the familiar John Smith, and somebody else, whose presence caused Maxley to start all over again on the forceful voâ€" cabulary he had already drawn on to good effect that evening. all!" ‘"Unless he‘s gone down that escape. Better cut round, one of you, and keep all eyes on it. The rest of us will sit down and watch the stairs To while away the weary hours, and to cool my temper a drink is indicated. â€"Better take a quick one yourself Brownlaw, bsfore you get outside . . . " One‘drink led to two and then to a third. Shortly before 9.30 Jeremy Witâ€" MacPherson, 25â€"yearâ€"old bachelor, went to the Mertes home Saturday night. He apparently entered through a coal chute, police said. and had cut the telephone wires. In the house with Mrs. Miertes were Theresa McCoy, a maid; Herb Myers and the Mertes children, the eldest 11 years old. Berâ€" Police said MacPherson had written a threatening letter to Mrs. Mertos some days ago. This was confirmed by Adciph Samuels, Saulit Ste. Marie, Mich., the woman‘s brother. Investigation went forward at Sault Ste. Marie last weekâ€"znd into the murâ€" der suicide that took two lives, Mrs. Bernard Mertes, mother of seven childâ€" ren, was allegedely shot on the doorstep of a neighbour‘s home Saturday n‘ght by Robert McPherson, who afterwards killed himself. Tragedy at Sault Ste. Marie Claims Lives of Two Persons rot be inclined to go the limit unless the North sends a strong represenrtation to advanze its cause. The Gocd Roads Assoziation can do much to induce the government to be ecnsiderate and generous, but they will Hon. W. A. McQuestern, minister c‘ hizhways, will discuss future plans beâ€" fore the conferente. It is believed he is sympathetic towards the North but re will require considerable public supâ€" port to embark on what hss corsiders the northern part of the province needs immediately. The Toronto conference offers an exâ€" opportunity to again get the North‘s case be}fpre Southern Ontario ard the government. The Cabinet will shortly present the roadâ€"buildinz proâ€" g€ramme for the current year and unless the North drives persistently and inâ€" tellizertly it is probable that the apâ€" propriaticn of Nerthern Ontarisc rcads will prove disappointing. T. J. Mahony, secretary of the assoâ€" ciation, speaking of preparations for the meet which is expected to attract 600 delegates from all parts of the proâ€" vinze, stated that for the first time in many years contributions to the proâ€" gramme will come from members of the Cntario government, municipal repreâ€" sentatives, engineers and road building experts. The great neced of Northern Ontario is imodzsrn, durable roadways and too much stress cannot be laid on the neâ€" cessity for early remedial aztion. The plea of the Northâ€"shculd be strongly advanced before the Good Roads Assoâ€" ciation, mary of whose members last year gained some kncwledge of the handictap this section of the province suffers because of poor routes of travel. C T113 BAGGAGE Checked. Stopovers at Port Arthur, Armstrong, Chictlondwut. * » Tickets, Sleeping Cor reservations, and ail information from any ageut. ASK FOR HANDBILL (From North Bay Nugget) Northerit Ontaric should take a proâ€" ninent part in ‘the deéliberations, of the Ontario Good Roads Association at Toâ€" rcnto, February 24 and 25. North Should Send Big Delegation to Toronto TICKETS QOOD IN © COACHES at {fares approximately 1c per mile. @ TOURIST SLEEPING CARS at fores approximately 1}c per mite. @ STANDARD SLEEPING CARS at fares approximately 14c per mile. GOING DAILYâ€"FEB. 20 to MARCH 6 lnclusivo Return Limit: 45 days CANADIAN GENERAL COST OF ACCOMMODATION IN SLEEPING CARS ADDITIONAL FOR BETTER LIGHT â€" BETTER $1GH T From alil Stations in Eastern Canada | Introducing new standards of luxury, beauty, silence and safety, Dodge for 1937, presents a series of sixteen smart. distinctive motor cars in three lines: The Dodge Custom Six, Dodge Deâ€" Luxe Six and the Dodge,Six. The world renowned Dodge dependa‘bility, perforâ€" mante and individuality all find exâ€" pression in the strikingly beautiful, adâ€" vanced aerodynamic design of a% the new models. Each is a symphony 6of softly blending, smoothly rounding windstream styling from end to end and side to side. The flieetness of 1ast planes is expressed in the racy, sweepâ€" ing lines of their new, glistening radiaâ€" tor grilles. Never have Dodge lines been these new, longer, wider, more spacious more impressively beautiful, than in cars. New beauty of trim and apâ€" pointment characterizes the luxury of the new Dodge interiors, The chair height seats are wider, accomodating six where {formerly only five could ride in comfort. The attractive new design and finish of the instrument panels arouses instant admiration. . Instruâ€" ments and accessories are more conâ€" veniently located and more easily seen }and readily used, both day and night. In the fhterest of greater safety, all protuding instrument panel knobs and handles have been banished. The inner and outer handles are modeled with a protective inward curve. The front seat rim is deeply padded. Your safety is well guarded in all the new Dodge body types. New Dodge Inaugurates New Era in Automobiles Between 500 and 1,00C0 delegzates of various American organizations will be invited to atternd the ceremories at Fort William in connsction with the corcnation of Kinzg George VI and Quesn Elizabsth. It is expested that from 200, to 500 memkers of the Ameriâ€" can Legion will attend the Dr. A. S. McCaig, coroner, said he had not yet set a date for the inquest. Police said search of the dead man‘s clothing revealed a bottle containing about two ounces of sulphuric acid which it was learned he nad obtained Saturday. A whisky bottle, threeâ€"quarâ€" ters full, was also found. As Mrs. Mertes reached the doorstep of her nearest neighbour, MacPherson drew a revolver and shot her twice in the left breast. As the woman slumped to the ground, MacPherson turned the gun on himself and shot himself twice in the chest. He fell dead a few feet from his victim. LARGE ATTENDANCE AT THE FORT WILLIAM CORONATION Mrs. Mertes met MacPherson in the hall where an altercation ensued, police said. The man producged a weapon desâ€" cribed as a homeâ€"made potatoâ€"masher and attempted to strike her. Myrs. Mertes fied screaming, followed by Macâ€" Pherson. _ hy L46 ELECTRIC CO.," Limited nard Mertes, an Algoma Railway engiâ€" neer, was at Michipicoten. â€" U $ E