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〃My father is a murderer；〃 she said。
〃You're crazy。 Listen to me； snip。 Your father had absolutely nothing to do with Taylor's murder。 He〃
〃I don't believe you；〃 she said gravely。 〃I'll never believe you again。〃
He scowled at her。
She turned and went to the door。
〃Wait；〃 he said。 〃Let me〃
She went out and shut the door behind her。
7
Ned Beaumont's face； after a grimace of rage at the closed door； became heavily thoughtful。 Lines came into his forehead。 His dark eyes grew narrow and introspective。 His lips puckered up under his mustache。 Presently he put a finger to his mouth and bit its nail。 He breathed regularly； but with more depth than usual。
Footsteps sounded outside his door。 He dropped his appearance of thoughtfulness and walked idly towards the window； humming Little Lost Lady。 The footsteps went on past his door。 He stopped humming and bent to pick up the sheet of paper holding the three questions that had been addressed to Opal Madvig。 He did not smooth the paper； but thrust it； crumpled in a loose ball as it was； into one of his bathrobe…pockets。
He found and lit a cigar then and； with it between his teeth burning； stood by the table and squinted down through smoke at the front page of the Observer lying there。
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MAYOR
SIR：
The Observer has e into possession of certain information which it believes to be of paramount importance in clearing up the mystery surrounding the recent murder of Taylor Henry。
This information is incorporated in several affidavits now in the Observer's safety…deposit box。 The substance of these affidavits is as follows：
1。That Paul Madvig quarreled with Taylor Henry some months ago over the young man's attentions to his daughter and forbade his daughter to see Henry again。
2。That Paul Madvig's daughter nevertheless continued to meet Taylor Henry in a furnished room he had rented for that purpose。
3。That they were together in this furnished room the afternoon of the very day on which he was killed。
4。That Paul Madvig went to Taylor Henry's home that evening； supposedly to remonstrate with the young man； or his father； again。
5。That Paul Madvig appeared angry when he left the Henry residence a few minutes before Taylor Henry was murdered。
6。That Paul Madvig and Taylor Henry were seen within half a block of each other； less than a block from the spot where the young man's body was found； not more than fifteen minutes before his body was found。
7。That the Police Department has not at present a single detective engaged in trying to find Taylor Henry's murderer。
The Observer believes that you should know these things and that the voters and taxpayers should know them。 The Observer has no ax to grind； no motive except the desire to see justice done。 The Observer will wele an opportunity to hand these affidavits； as well as all other information it has； to you or to any qualified city or state official and； if such a course can be shown an aid to justice； to refrain from publishing any or all of the details of these affidavits。
But the Observer will not permit the information incorporated in these affidavits to be ignored。 If the officials elected and appointed to enforce law and order in this city and state do not consider these affidavits of sufficient importance to be acted upon； the Observer will carry the matter to that higher tribunal； the People of this City； by publishing them in full。
H。 K。 MATHEWS； Publisher
Ned Beaumont grunted derisively and blew cigar…smoke down at this declaration； but his eyes remained somber。
8
Early that afternoon Paul Madvig's mother came to see Ned Beaumont。 He put his arms around her and kissed her on both cheeks until she pushed him away with a mock…severe 〃Do stop it。 You're worse than the Airedale Paul used to have。〃
〃I'm part Airedale；〃 he said； 〃on my father's side；〃 and went behind her to help her out of her sealskin coat。
Smoothing her black dress； she went to the bed and sat on it。
He hung the coat on the back of a chair and stoodlegs apart； hands in bathrobe…pocketsbefore her。
She studied him critically。 〃You don't look so bad；〃 she said presently； 〃nor yet so good。 How do you feel？〃
〃Swell。 I'm only hanging around here on account of the nurses。〃
〃That wouldn't surprise me much； neither；〃 she told him。 〃But don't stand there ogling me like a Cheshire cat。 You make me nervous。 Sit down。〃 She patted the bed beside her。
He sat down beside her。
She said： 〃Paul seems to think you did something very grand and noble by doing whatever it was you did； but you can't tell me that if you had behaved yourself you would ever have got into whatever scrape you got into at all。〃
〃Aw； Mom；〃 he began。
She cut him off。 The gaze of her blue eyes that were young as her son's bored into Ned Beaumont's brown ones。 〃Look here； Ned； Paul didn't kill that whipper…snapper； did he？〃
Surprise opened Ned Beaumont's eyes and mouth。 〃No。〃
〃I didn't think so；〃 the old woman said。 〃He's always been a good boy； but I've heard that there's some nasty hints going around and the Lord only knows what goes on in this politics。 I'm sure I haven't any idea。〃
Amazement tinged with humor was in the eyes with which Ned Beaumont looked at her bony face。
She said： 〃Well； goggle at me； but I haven't got any way of knowing what you men are up to； or what you do without thinking anything of it。 It was a long while before ever you were born that I gave up trying to find out。〃
He patted her shoulder。 〃You're a humdinger； Mom；〃 he said admiringly。
She drew away from his hand and fixed him with severe penetrant eyes again。 〃Would you tell me if he had killed him？〃 she demanded。
He shook his head no。
〃Then how do I know he didn't？〃
He laughed。 〃Because；〃 he explained； 〃if he had I'd still say； 'No；' but then； if you asked me if I'd tell you the truth if he had； I'd say； 'Yes。'〃 Merriment went out of his eyes and voice。 〃He didn't do it； Mom。〃 He smiled at her。 He smiled with his lips only and they were thin against his teeth。 〃It would be nice if somebody in town besides me thought he didn't do it and it would be especially nice if that other one was his mother。〃
9
An hour after Mrs。 Madvig's departure Ned Beaumont received a package containing four books and Janet Henry's card。 He was writing her a note of thanks when Jack arrived。
Jack； letting cigarette…smoke e out with his words； said： 〃I think I've got something； though I don't know how you're going to like it。〃
Ned Beaumont looked thoughtfully at the sleek young man and smoothed the left side of his mustache with a forefinger。 〃If it's what I hired you to get I'll like it well enough。〃 His voice was matter…of…fact as Jack's。 〃Sit down and tell me about it。〃
Jack sat down carefully； crossed his legs； put his hat on the floor； and looked from his cigarette to Ned Beaumont。 He said： 〃It looks like those things were written by Madvig's daughter。〃
Ned Beaumont's eyes widened a little； but only for a moment。 His face lost some of its color and his breathing became irregular。 There was no change in his voice。 〃What makes it look li