THE FAKED ALIBI
| O TAHIBIABIL:813914-
THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1936
11.
from Page 3.)
"What do you mean?
?" demanded
Forbes irritably.
༄་
"Just this There is blood smeared thickly along some four inches of the care, but there is not
a particle on the undersides of the cane
If the cane had struck the blows, and only two were struck, the blood would be in two distinct patches or in one not more than an inch and a half or two inches at the outside. The force of the blows would have squashed the
of the! blood into every crevice cane, yet we find bere that this is not so."
"Well, what about that" de- manded the puzzled inspector.
"Seems clear enough to me,"
Tommy broke in
Burke. **The cane was rubbed on the dead man's head afterwards, that's why none of it got into the points; it was only smeared on the outside curve." "Quite, Tommy." nodded Hawke. "And, what is more, there are no signs of anything but blood: some fragments of skin or hair should also be present.
3423
"In addition the weapon which · struck down Ezra Walker was a very heavy, shorthandled, blunt- edged instrument; at a guess, I'd say a big spanner; and it used by a left-handed man, not The posi- above average height. tion of the wounds show that.**
"And he had pink eyes and blue teeth!" said Forbes sarcastically.
"Perhaps he did." Hawke grin- ned. Now, I'd like to have a word with the prisoner. if I roay." They found Jim Hardy sitting the on the hard bed looking picture of misery, but when Hawk introduced himself he brightened up at once.
"The old mater said she'd get you'd you, but I never thought
come. sir." he blurted out.
"Tell me your story as briefly as possible but don't leave out the smallest detail however unimport
you said ant it may seem to Hawke.
Hardy leaned against the wall. "Then, Mr. Hawke, it's like this. I'm the lift attendant at the Shaftesbury Avenue offices, and Walker & Goldman's office is the top floor.
OD
"I finish at 6-30, and the lift) is locked up until I come on duty again at eight next morning. To- night I took a gentleman up about 6.5, or perhaps 6.10, to the fourth floor, and went up to the top floor) after I'd seen him out.
"When I got there the cleaner. Mr. Harris, asked me to nip down) I went and get an evening paper. down in the lift and got it from the boy who sells them just out- side the building. The cleaner had started on the offices at the other end of the corridor. so I went along and gave him the pa-
per.
and not seized
"As I came back and was pass- ing Walker & Goldman's I heard) a sort of thud, and then a cry of 'Help!' half-strangled. very loud. 1 immediately the hale, but the door was lock- ed, and, though I hammered on the: door for a minute or two, I got
that I knew
Mr. no answer. Walker was still there, and I got the wind up about him.-
"I rushed into the room. Harris was cleaning, and told him what I'd heard, but as he's a bit deaf,! and the cry was so low, he had not heard a thing. We decided to 'phone for the police, and when they came, and went in through Mr. Goldman's office, which has a separate door from the main office. they found. Mr. Walker dend.”
Jim Hardy paused, and Hawke asked a question.
"Why did you not think of going in through the other door yourself
"Because it was locked,
tried it, as Harris can prove."
Hawke frowned.
sir.
"And yet the police found it open
only 2
a few minutes after." he re- marked. "Very strange, Hardy. How do you account for it?"
Hardy shook his head in despair. "I can'
sir," he replied "Same as I can't account for my hat being in? the room, and my fingerprints, being en the stick.”.
"Where do you keep your hat when] you are on duty?".
"In the little cupboard at the end
of the corridor, sit.
Hawke fingered his long chin as he stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. Who was this man you took "up
six?" he de
know
about five minutes Pay you
manded presently,
bim
him
"No, aix
never xet eyes on him before. He was a thick-set gentle mam, not so tall as me, with a heavy, black beard and dark
glasses.
wanted the Premier Insurance Cora- pany and when I told him that they left at six sharp, he said they were expecting him,and: would, wait for bit
{Continued on Page 13).
NOW-MR. NAT TEE GUY
IS HERE TO SEE
SIR-
LORD EARL E BIRD TO SEE YOU, SIR- HE KNOWS YOU'RE IN AS HE SAW
THROUGH WINDOW
SH¬AW
DO
TELL ME,
HE
NE
DID
ME
IS MY HUS REALLY
SKOX?
1916. King Features Syndicate, Ind Great Britain rights reserved
Rosie's BEAU
BY
GEO MCMANUS
NOT
Registered U. 5. Patent Office.______
IMBER
JOTHER PUBLI
HIAA
HAT IM MOMS AND ERY SICK-
YOU'VE NEVER BROUGHT ME IN ANY GOOD NEWS AS LONG AS YOU
HAVE BEEN WORKİN' HERE
NO-I'M JUST COMMENCIN”
TO FEEL
PUNK-
Bringing
Up Father
I CALLED AT YOUR OFFICE AND THEY TOLD ME YOU WERE ILL AT HOME -1 AM SO SORRY YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL
HE LOOKS WORSE SINCE ME BEEN
HER
SIR VEMFOOD
SEE SIR-
BY GOLLY-1'larkan GO HOME AN AVOID ALL OF
THOSE PESTS
SICK
WELL-IM JUST AS SORRY AS
YOU ARS -
MR AND MRS WELLEN STRONG, AND - DOCTOR CUTCHLE-SIR-
NOW-ISN'T THAT NICE?I TOLD THEM YOU WERE SICK-SO THEY CAME RIGHT OVER SEE YO
A
I JUST HEARD YOU WERE ILL-SO DECIDED TO COME OVER TO TELL YOU SOME JOKES AND JOLLY YOU UP -
YOU'RE 50. THOUGHTF
SIR VEMFOOD
HE CERTAINLY HAS A LOT OF FRIENDS CALL WHEN
HE'S SICK-
BE MORE HERE IS IT WAS. FUNERAL
HE IS SMART TO STAY HOME AN' BE QUIET-
DOES THE FEVER MAKE YOUR NOSE RED LIKE THAT?
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME POINS THAT I GAVE TO ALL OF MY
HUSBANDS-
WHEN DID THE LAST ONE DIE?
I THINK I'LL GET OR DICKEY TO CALL ON YOU~
WONT SHE BE
SURPRISED TO SES ME IN MY NEW SWANKY OVERCOAT ?ILL: BET IT WILL MAKE A BIG HIT L-WITH-HER-
3.8
BRACE UP MAYBTM WON'T
THEM
OVER
TELL MY WIFE .TO COME
SHELL
S
FOR
IT IS AWFUL
TO BE SICK- ISN'T IT?
COMCMANUS
13.8.
ROSIE - DARLING- WILL YOU MEST ME ON THE COR- NER OF TOM AND JERRY STREETS?
I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO LUNCH, DEAR-
THAT WILL BE JOLLY, ARCHIS - HONEY – I'LL MEET YOU IN JUST TWENTY MINUTES, BABY BOY-GOOD-BYE
THE. TAILOR SAID YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SUITS WHEN YOU PAY YOUR BILL AND NOT BEFORE-
WHAT'LL
NOW?
I DO
GOSH! I WISH I HADN'T. ASKED HER TO MEET ME HERE EVERY GOV AROUND HERE HAS A COAT LIKE MINE- AND THE ONE IN THE WINDOW IS EXACTLY LIKE
--ENIWE
ERCOAT DA
© 1936. King Zusteres Syndices, foc,
Great Britain rights reserved.