Show S S I S S S 1 S S E S 4 V p sl j 55 S S S q dt S 1 S b. b i A COPYRIGHT IRWIN COPYRIGHT SERVICE SYNOPSIS SIS Mary Muy Avery a widow who lives U in n the harbor town ol or Mass Mu with two negro maids maid Sarah Darbe and Bessie Dessie Hams Iiams writes write a manuscript describing the famous Second Head murder which 0 oc oc- on her estate Next to Mary live Mr and Mrs Mu Peter Stow who every year g give e a summer masquerade party One of or the guests of or this function n i is murdered Nearby live ll Dr arid and Mr Mrs Mn Geary and their married daughter Edith and her ber husband Alfred Bray Dray Doctor Docto Myron Marden and bi hi bit step Caro Carp Prentiss a a beautiful young girl who who was lS born In InFranca France Franca Next live Jive Paul and Lora Lames Eames and nd their daughter Molly MoUy Molly was e en engaged engaged to the murdered man Ace She had previously beer been engaged to to W Walter lter Treadwell who had been Blaikie's secretary secretary secre i tary but hut the engagement was was suddenly broken and he had bad left town Other neighbors neighbors neigh bors bor are the sisters Flora a a hopeless invalid and MargareC MargareE All but the latter two attend the masquerade 1 Marys Mary's year old niece Sylvia Sard is visiting her for or ti the summer The wooded part of or Marys Mary's esi estate te is is called the Spinney In it itis itis itis is a a t tiny I y log ab cabin n. n called the the Little Little- House On the On-the the day of or the masquerade erade excitement nt Is high Mary decided to take tIke Sylvia Syvia who 5 Is in an unusually observant child Caro aro Prentiss Pren and Ind Molly Lames Elmes drop in during the afternoon Molly seems preoccupied pre Soon Soona a car arrives and Blaikie Doctor Doctor- Marden and Bruce Druce a 1 friend of oC Aces Ace's alight Molly is impatient to leave and they all ex T ex-T cuse themselves At the party Sylvia Sylvia identifies identifies iden iden- each of the masked gu gusts guests as they arrive Ace j comes garbed as Julius C MoU Molly Lames Eames as a a. a Snow Queen ac accompanied accompanied I companied by y a man in n armo whom Sylvia Identifies s as Walter alter Treadway They dance together continuously Caro Prentiss anI and Marden arr arre arrive e dressed in Revolutionary costumes costume the doctor wearing jeweled sho shoe buckles When the guests unmask unmask- Ace Ae I Walter and Molly have disappeared red Sarah Darbe Da conf confides acs to Mary tl that at s sOmeone ip p p- pare ty had llad spent the night in the Little IIo House s Sylv Sylvia 3 finds linds a shoe buckle bucklein in the Spinney and Mary drops i it into a je elbo jewel box and C forgets forgets' it Sarah walks down to the th Little House e and returns screaming Sh She has bas found Cound Ace Bla Blaikie kie stabbed to death in Sn inthe the Spinney Mary summons Patrick OBrien O'Brien chief of police who had pe been D a 3 schoolmate o of hers and md Aces Her IIer manuscript manuscript manu script re recalls early impressions of or Ace Ace Ace- how bow he be had been wealthy the the most lar tar boy in town town how he lie had bad gone to Paris to study medicine bc became me an In aviator in iniDe inthe jn the iDe World war war returning to practice in j how he was recklessly generous and the the principal in scores scores score of or love affairs BrUce n had come come back from rom the war with Ace lIe He was a lawyer a man of oC private means and had got religion become a n virtual recluse and was was regarded as queer S SUNDAY SUNDAY Continued Continued G 6 GIm Im glad of that I I. I want to see her too oo Mattie and I continued to traverse tra verse the vicious circle of of- our memories of the masquerade until Patrick arrived Ive put in hi quite a night he said Checking up on a crowd of over a hundred people all of them in masks is no small chore And AndI I 1 couldn't get at Mattie until they came home from their drive But fortunately I had a good detail on Second Head Peter and andI I were so t tired cd yes Mattie explained to me wanted to from that we get away y everything everything even even from the servo ants Peter wouldn't eat at a hotel hotel hotel ho ho- tel he said if it he heard another strain train of jazz jazz So So I put up a basket bas k ket tt supper and we picnicked by bythe bythe bythe the roadside We drove about tinUi until un tin- til Ui long after dark I think it was about ten before we got home Who told you I asked The maids Peter called up Patrick Pat rick at once once and we got together got together Immediately tely How did you check up Pat Pat- prIck I asked Well first with Mattics Mattic's list Then there thera wert sL six coppers on duty here that night I had t told ld them 5 to keep a sharp look look out ut I Iwas Iwas was as afraid somebody might try to crash the party Bet Between Neen them I got a pretty definite idea of who ho came and when they left First ot oL nil all though last night I went from house to house on the Head and sewed up everybody here Th That t was easy Everybody but the Fairweather Fairweather Fair Fair- weather girls went to the masquerade ade and they didn't l leave ve their house Flora couldn't of course 1 and ond Margaret Marearet wouldn't But as asa asa I Ia a matter of routine I had to geta get a statement from from all of them them even even Margaret Fairweather Their alibis all ali bis look waterproof Doctor Marden Marden Mar Mar- den says that he left fairly about one one because because h he w was Wi s tired He went home and went to be bed His granddaughter Miss Prentiss says she zhe looked into his room when she got home at dawn and he was S The Geary Bray crowd went home together The oh Oh by the thc way that reminds me Mary I haven't taken your story yet e I must do that now Did you go to every house on on my list Patrick Mattie questioned ques ques- tio ed r rising sing Every one Patrick answered tersely I 1 detailed a man to to sit down at the telephone and nd call them up He told them get getS S there sometime during the night It was four o'clock in the morning when I checked of off the last name names names' You ought to look more tired A than you do Mattie Mallie commented I I Oh I 1 take a swim before breakfast break break- I I fast II Patrick said dald in his hir off hand way Im always in pretty good condition II That's a good thing commented comment comment- ed Mattie Youre in for a long longstretch longstretch longstretch stretch of ot hard work Patrick Unless unless un Un- less this this' tiling thing is cleared up pretty soon soon- Youre telling me Patrick answered with a wry smile Have you OU anything to go on yet Mattie went Mattie went on on Listen you girls Patrick declared Ill tell you what Ive I've got because we three have been friends I ever since I can remember And at present its it's pretty ne nearly noth noth- ing there any any fingerprints finger finger- prints I 1 asked S No Th The state print finger expert has looked everything over He says that the murderer must have used a a handkerchief or or gloves when stabbed he-stabbed Ace when rand land and when he straightened him out But could he be have stabbed him him himI without Ace realizing he was a going I to do it Mattie demanded Because whoever r h he was was Ace vas Ace thought he was v as a Mattie sighed signed She he c came mel ovex oyer and nd kissed roc inc Call on me any ani anytime time old thing thUg First ot of all ali lar l Mary patr Patrick ck be began be be- began gan briskly when we die c were we're alone tell me what hat you did thc the night of or the thc masquerade crade G Gee e Ive I've left my pencil at the PS He turned to to- tomy tomy tomy my desk took up my fountain pen pen wr wrote t afew i few v v dropped it itin in favor of a pencil S I gave him ra a con complete p et and circumstantial cir dr acc account nt of r f my jay move move- In merits from the time me I dressed d until un tin- ti til it I 1 re returned J to L the house C e. e wl with Sarah at two I think I f have haVer a n watertight alibi Patrick I concluded ed e a little litile drearily because f I scarcely left t the e comer cotner where I I sat the whole evening ening Yes even P ate my supper there I I- think any number of people can testify to tha that t. t S SI I Wen Well Mary Patrick assured me my Irish Intelligence seems to tell me mc that you d t kill Ace Now will you you ou ask the maids t to come in Sm I xang rang the bell Sar Sarah h appeared Sarah I explained Mr l OBrien O'Brien wants to ask you and Bessie Bessie Bes Bes- sie a a few questions questions' Sarah and Bessie appeared In Inthe inthe the thc doorway Bessie looked worse than Sarah Sleeplessness had ironed the dimples out rout of her her- face I it had set into an Patrick was extremely gentle Now girls girls' he began I Ive ve got to ask you n a a. a few questions I don dont t want you you- to get frightened Theres There's no suspicion o of you wh what ever But of of course to to to- keep the rec record rd straight I have ave t to Jm know W exactly exactly ex- ex ox what you yeu did the masquerade S S SSarah S Sarah rah spoke first Of course Vc we lai know w that l lr Mr r. r OBrien O'Brien I sh she declared de de- dared with a catch in h her r v voice ice Weve expected that you'd ques question question es tion us and arid and we were we're r all flU re ready 1 Patrick t took ok Bessie's story fir first t It Sit v vas wis s perfectly y sImple simple arid an arid l straightforward Working all d day y yat yat at the Stow house returning to the house once to prep prepare arc my luncheon the whole evening at the Stow hou house c again returning with Sylvia before Sar Sarah h and I caI came came le lehome home What time was that Patrick Patrick- asked Just twelve Bessie replied She looked unhappy You may go now Bessie Bessle PatI Pat Pat- I gently l K kp dg rip And J thank S S S you joul Be Bessie disappeared noiselessly e Pa turned trick ed t to Sarah Now Nov you tell m me your story Sarah S 1 s 's story of c course urse dup duplicated i- i Bessie's so far as it concerned concerned concerned con con- what yh h happened r d. d e day Y time She had had gone g gb e with Bessie ov over over 1 to the thc V SO Stow h house house- us and i re returned j turned only to prepare our dinner I had helped holpe Sylvia y via an ne e to dress arid then and th h had gene back b to toe the Stow house She stayed ther Wlm un Wl- until til m I left let at two returned to tomy my house with me Yes what what all all the theother theother theother other girls say ay of you Patrick reassured reassured reassured re re- re- re assured her Suddenly Patrick shot shot shot-at at her Are you you sure that's all Sarah Haven't you something else to tell me S S SS S Sarah's answer was conclusive She burst into tears Now dont don't get frightened my girl Patrick soothed her I knew you hadn't spilled ed all ll of It Now pull yourself together and t tell U me meyo yo your r story in your your your- own way viny Nobody t-fo- t No 5 body suspects you of anything Sarah's sobs died down Suddenly Sudden Sudden- ly she became her composed quiet self I dont don't like to tell things about people she explained quiet quiet- ly I never give away the secrets secrets se- se crets that my friends tell teU me and andI I always alway keep the white peoples people's secrets I haven't ever mentioned d what Im I'm going to tell teU you but to toone toone toone one other person Mrs Avery I suppose P Patrick said S Good guess Patrick Patric r- r I I I. I put InI inI inI in I told Mrs 1 Avery Saturday morning Sarah said sald Perfectly c composed she slie tol told r fati Patrick k Jt the story of her discoveries s in the cabin gain Sarah b burst into tears Now n now v. dont io think about It It any more more Y You u go go goback back to to your our work S 'S Sarah and dont don't give this this' another thought Yo YoU haVen't got cot anybody nto tro trouble ble I knew v who it was wis' wis all lJ the Utne I r would h have told you you- Patrick wh what Sarah has tins just told you I after alter S Sarah had You see 1 didn't think of it yes yes- The murder paralyzed my mind temporarily S Oh I know told me mc P Patrick Ptrick trick dismissed my my tion in an hand off manner X Do Dp you l know ow yet how Ace came cameto cameto cameto to go Co into my Spin cy Patrick I asked e t S 'S SOh Oh yes I got ot C that th t I last 1st night He vc went t there to th meet met Id Tony y Torriano Tor Tor- riano The Thc bootlegger r II I I saie salib Yes Y s. s It s seems scorns erns that that that- O 0 course ourse you know that for forye ye years is Ace has' has been spending money like a drunk a drunken en sailor H He's Hes s 's really been up against it lately Ho He paid Tony for for- months He owed him hm three hundred dolI dollars Tony went over overto to the Blaikie house yesterday and I guess he hll staged staged- a pretty good scene Sam was cleaning silver silver silver-in in the bitler's pantry butlers pantry and nd he cou could d hear heat I Tony storming way ocr ofT off there He cot frightened l. l and came into the room dining rc o to o oiste listen iste He He said that Tony grew w. w pretty violent in his threats He heard Ace ce t tall teli ll To Tony y to to r meet e him about about past half t ten in your Spinney that thai hed he'd have havethe havethe the he money 10 for o him then thep And s so you you sUpe t N Not f a chan chance c Just think hk it over oven Ive I've Tony all i my hy lifo life iJ Hes Hes' s' s sa a ail u if right ht We Ve went vent to to io school ch oJ t together geib r. r Ive I've played tag stag i g. g S S S 55 S S o S S S Sc S c I He S Said fd Th That Tony Grew Pretty Violent nt in Ilis Threats tops lops baseball J and football football foot foot- ball with ball with him Tonys as' as good as they c come me Did you arrest him arrest him No but I told him to stick around because jI 1 I might h have ve Jo p p pa a arrest est him And Anti And hes he's s 's sticking round Who s nt n my IY Little Lit tle tIc House Hous II 1 J I asked as e next 1 t. t I. I Walter r T Tr adway I at t ail ail- Pro Titi as s sure ur Cs s r tha that he dId Anyway he didn't go Co home that ih ni night ht Som Somebody dy saw him Wm and M Molly motoring e early dy yesterday yes yes- m morning g sarah Sarai gUessed that I I said after after aft aft- er a while hile Our maids always know ev everything b before f r r we do OL Outside motor crunched a a. a on the driveway In an instant Sarah Sarah Sarah Sar Sar- ah appeared Its Miss Miss- Molly MoBy I Mrs Avery Avery she announced and announced and Mr vIr Treadway Before could speak eA them to come In Patrick said I I li had d n not dot t seen Walter Treadway ov r a je year t and yet T did did- not hot ot look at him for an instant It It was h not t- t th f fact dt ct that Molly Molly olly came through thedo Thedoor lr fir first t that held my attention on her t It was as something I In Molly herself herselL It If seems to me meI I had never seen her look so beautifuL beau beau- S M i the room Good morning Aunt Mary she called buoyantly Good morning Mr lVIr OBrien Surprisingly she came came over J pd nd d me mc II I l' I had hada feeling feeling that sl ih she h had rid d intend 1 ed in that of pi f the room to kiss Patrick t top too o but bit tho thought g it better better better bet bet- ter it ter of Buoyancy In Mol Molly y And Ace Ace- dead r 1 Patricks Patrick's answering s I Good morning Molly ca Carrie carie ile together with mine mine like like a Ii a chorus h rus Then still like a chor chorus we swe s aad added d Good Goodo morning mornin Walter Walterl Walter Walter Treadways Treadway's look had bad changed too I I have known Walter Treadway all his life Like the Stows and the older Treadways are contemporaries and intimates I I. I always say that Walter is 15 hand hand- some Perhaps he he is not really handsome certainly he is inter U esting He is very t trill |