The Case of The Bludgeoned Body

Blood dripped profusely from the top of Parley Morgan's bead, where the bludgeon had struck, and formed an ever-widening blotch on the rug. Around his prone body stood his fiancee, his stepbrother, two policemen, and Detective Artemus Flint.

Hint cleared his throat. " Now let me get this straight, " he began. 'You, Mr. Wadsworth, were the first to find the body."

" That's right, " the wiry little man replied. " My stepbrother - that's Farley Morgan here - and I saw each other infrequently, but for some reason he wanted to see me last night. He wrote me last week that he would be in town and asked me to come to his hotel room last night. I never learned why he wanted to see me. At ten o'clock I went to his room and knocked on the door. Receiving no answer, I tried the door, and finding it unlocked, I entered. I discovered Parley lying here-exactly as you see him now.

Those assembled had previously avoided focusing their gaze on the corpse, but at Mr. Wadsworth's words their eyes shifted involuntarily to the body before them.

. " Why did it take you twenty-one hours before yon reported your stepbrother's murder? " asked Flint.

" I guess I was in a state of shock, " the wiry little man replied. " I couldn't react. I saw that Parley was dead, and I was afraid."

" Afraid? " sniffed Morgan's fiancee Jean. " Afraid of what? "

" Afraid of what would happen. To me, I mean."

" You're not making yourself clear, Mr. Wadsworth, " Flint intervened.

" Yon see, " Wadsworth explained, " I had a motive -a very powerful motive-for killing Parley. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars! " Those assembled drew in their breath.

" I didn't kill him, of course, " Wadsworth put in quickly. " But because of his death I'm a rich man. Farley's father had a great deal of money. Soon after my mother married him, she died. He made out a will leaving his entire fortune to Farley, and if Farley died without having had any children, the money was to go to me. All of it."

He shook his bead sadly. " I know I shouldn't have kept silent when I discovered the murder. But I was sure you'd think I was the murderer. So I walked through the streets of the city all night, trying to think what to do. In the morning I went to work as usual and remained at my office all day. You can ask my assistant-he'll tell you I was there. I worked until seven in the evening, and then I couldn't stand the pressure of my thoughts any more. On an impulse I ran to the phone and reported Parley's murder. "

Morgan's fiancé e spoke again, this time to Detective Flint. " I suppose that just for the record you'll want to know where I was last night? "

" No, that's not necessary, " said Flint. And turning

to the wiry little man, he said with disgust, " Me. Wadsword, your story of how you learned of Farley Morgan's murder is obviously a lie. I certainly hope you didn't think that I'd be fooled by it"

HOW DID DETECTIVE ARTEMUS FLINT KNOW THAT MR. WADSWOKTH HAD LIED?