OCR Text |
Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER, RANDOLPH. UTAH To sprinkle clothes for ironing, Is cut off from the will of her Aunt Kitty, who from his pillow. Elsa Chatfield, Hollywood artist, you? from an overdose of morphine. Barry, an amateur .detective, and Hunt Rogers, a professional sleuth, go to Mexico, on a cruise with Margaret and Dwig&t Nichols. Arriving there they find that Elsa and her party had preceded them by plane. They dine at the rancho of Elsas father, Sam Chatfield, whom Rogers questions about his visit to his sister, Kitty, on the night she died. Later Elsa is seen by Barry and Rogers evidently flying for her life on horseback. Suddenly she dismounts and James Chesebro, a mine owner, reins up. Elsa strikes him across the face with her quirt, again and again. died Maz-atla- CHAPTER VII But Elsa was not through with him. A moment later when her horse dropped to all four feet, she came within striking distance, and again the quirt lashed out to cut Chesebro, across the shoulders this time. Chesebro was too dignified to run from her; an upraised arm to fend off the lightninglike quirt was his only defense. Elsa! I shouted, starting from our place beside the oxcart. Elsa! But she didnt hear me. Chesebro was now rolling along the ground, alive to his danger but as yet unable to escape the lasting whip. Elsa! Stop it! Stop it! I shouted, moving rapidly down upon her, Rogers at my heels. The rigid arm relaxed, the quirt slowly fell from her nerveless fingers, the quirt which later was to play so vital a part in our tragic : Sit down, wont Well not stay,. Rogers told him, going up to the bedside and looking down upon the bandaged occupant. Can we get you anything? Do any service for you, Chesebro? Thank you, no. Im all right. Ill be up and about in a few days. He rested a moment before he continued. They are very kind to me, both Sam and Senora Chatfield. I couldnt ask more devoted, thoughtful attention. Oh, Im sure youre well cared I started It was a for, I said. to say something of the beating Elsa had given him, but paused, afraid to irritate his sensibilities. Chesebro waited a moment for me to go on, then said: I dont blame Elsa. I blame only myself for having underestimated Elsas capabilities. Elsa is, began Rogers, a note in his voice, surprisingly full of capabilities. Yes, said Chesebro, thats true. But she didnt know; she couldnt have known that I was experiencing a little trouble with my heart and I shouldnt have done what I did. You find me very contrite, gentlemen. Elsa, Im sure, will forgive me when she comes in to see me, as Ive been promised later on she will do. We said good night and withdrew from the huge, dimly lighted room half-humoro- us matter-of-factl- y, story. The rage that had stirred Elsa to a frenzy melted quickly away. Rogers released her and went to help Chesebro to his feet. Suddenly Elsa turned into my arms, soft and yielding, trembling weakly. Chesebro was put gently to bed in an enormous room furnished in ancient black walnut; the high ceiling and the great length and breadth of the room gave me the feeling almost of being in a cathedral. In an incredibly short time, considering that this was Mexico, the doctor arrived. I went into town with the doctor .when he left that early afternoon. As I explained to Huntoon Rogers, it was best that someone of us sought out Reed Barton, to tell him of what had happened. Youre coming out again, of course, for the evening? Rogers inquired. Yes. I wouldnt miss a fiesta. I dont suppose Chesebros condition will make any difference in their If you wish to place a dish dion the ice, first put an ordii bottle with a perforated top. nary rubber jar gum on the cake of ice and the plate or dish on top Keep rubber .goods away from of that. The dish will then stay he heat as heat has a tendency to on the ice and not slide off as the ice melts. :rack and break down rubber. ry using a clean whisk broom or rectly The easiest way to wash combs Dried fruits taste better if a little s to soak them in the suds in the lemon juice is added to them when . washer while you are hanging out are cooked. he last of the clothes. By the they ime you are finished, the deposits will be loosened and you can easily When buying fish, allow a third complete the cleaning by washing of a pound to a serving for steak, hem with a brush. canned fish, or fillets. Relative of Dinosaurs Oldest living relatives of the gigantic dinosaurs of prehistoric times, it is believed, are the Komodo dragons, huge lizards found Wly in Komodo, Rintja, and Flores, islands in the east of Java. Their tails are short but some of the fearsome-lookin- g beasts are ten feet long. They have long Haws on their toes. Poblana. Am I interrupting? she asked from the threshold. No, dear; come in, said her father. We were expecting you to join us. He made a place for her at his side. A faint smile flitted across her face at the sight of Reed Barton, and she nodded to him, slightly aloof now, this person, who so ardently had hoped that Reed would come like a Caballero and sing love songs to her on the deck of the Orizaba. I presume there is little need to do so, but perhaps it is best to you all that Katherine Chatfield died of an overdose of morphine. At Rogers words, Elsa, who had just sat down, lifted her head high, her nostrils opening wider as if she sniffed danger. The overdose probably was much in excess," continued Rogers easily, of what she was accustomed to take. In the circumstances only two conclusions are possible. Either she administered the overdose herself, in which case it was suicide. Or, it was given to her by someone desiring her death, either forcibly, or by the aid of some preliminary anesthetic administered quickly before she was aware of her danger such as chloroform. In which latter case, of course, it is murder. Mr. Chatfield quite recently told Barry Madison and me that both he and Mrs. Chatfield were spending the night at the house the night his sister died. Elsa, of course, was there. Some time ago Reed Barton informed me that, in the nature of his work for Mr. Chesebro, he ran many personal errands for him, and that on this particular evening he had been instructed to deliver a book to her. And I have just discovered in talking with George Rumble that he had been engaged to do some publicity work for Miss Chatfield, and that on the evening of her death he was present in the house for a short time, that the two argued, and that he left threatening to sue her for his money. Dwight, Rogers said, with a smile, so far as I know, you and Margaret are the only ones here, excepting Barry Madison and myself, who have not been shown to have been present that night. How about it? Are you keeping something to yourself? Dwight Nichols shifted his crossed legs and tapped the ash from the tip of his cigarette. I believe I told you a long time ago, Hunt, that I might be accused of having a motive in Kitty Chat-fielslaying if thats what it was. I profited to the extent of a couple 6f hundred thousand dollars at her death, because of some property owned in joint tenancy. But there it ends. I didnt happen to be at the house at any time that evening she re-.mi-nd plans. I think not. George Rumble, lingering in the shade of a clump of bananas, came to life. I believe Ill go along with you. All right is it, Doc? he asked of Doctor Cruz. You bet, responded the Mexican physician. And so we rode into town together. Doctor Cruz dropped me a few minutes later in a side street where over a doorway let into a glaring white wall was a sign bearing Chesebros name. Reed Barton sat with his feet upon the top of his desk, smoking a cigarette, and gazing dreamily out into a small patio where a fountain dripped and a ruby throated humming bird was busy among the flow-er- timations ' that the authorities are not satisfied with the official findings. I discover that among you there are two who are actively prosecuting an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Katherines deafh. Since all of us here he looked around the room Elsa will be here shortly knew her or had some dealings, or association of some sort, with her, I shall ask Mr. Rogers to conduct an examination. . I want him, and through him the authorities in California, to be satisfied. Neither Berta nor I have been available for questioning hitherto, and I hope Mr. Rogers will not feel constrained, because we are his hosts, in questioning us. Of course, Mr. Chesebro cannot be with us, and is at present in no condition to undergo questioning, but that, perhaps, can be done later, if it has not already been done. Thank you, Mr. Chatfield. It is indeed a surprise. I had been hoping soon to suggest that something like this be arranged. Im sure that Mr. Madison will be grateful for this opportunity, now that the matter is, so to speak, out in the open. Of he hesitated, looking incourse, tently at Sam Chatfield, there is in the death of your sister or, for that matter, in the death of anyone else a set of facts. We are uncertain just what those facts are. The district attorneys office doubts the validity of what purports to be facts in the Katherine Chatfield case. There was a stir in the doorway and Elsa entered the room, pausing on the threshold to survey us as we sat listening, solemn-face- d and stiffly, as if to a schoolmaster, while Rogers talked. She was always lovely; her hair of an almost golden sheen, the level gray eyes, the firm, erect carriage which was emphasized tonight by the costume she wore. She was dressed as a China She had gone mad with hatred of him. where dark shadows in the far corners could have concealed a host of evil spirits. 4 There was an odd, constrained silence when we entered the living room, a slight hush of expectancy and a stiffening of the occupants in the chairs. Dwight and Margaret had arrived. Rumble was there, having come out with me from town. Sam and Berta were sitting with them. Elsa had not yet made her appearance, and Reed Barton , came in a moment or two after Hello, old man," I said. entered. He was dressed picwe the feet from Reed took his desk, as a charro, the Mexican and his chair turesquely from got slowly and an evidently was' deterinto ash cowboy, dropped his cigarette a part in the eveto have mined out his hand. held He tray. He wore a short festivities. I dropped in just now to tell you nings a soft red tie, long leather jacket, some news. leather pantaloons as tight as he What news? sit down in, bespangled with could know I thought you ought to buttons and chains. silver about it. Chesebros had a heart a look of disappointdetected I to attack. The doctor has put him face as he glanced his in ment bed out at Sam Chatfields. around the room and did not find It really doesnt matter, Barry, Elsa. Berta, dressed in black velhe declared. Chesebro and I are vet and heavily rouged, coquettish-l- y through. Were quits. Hes kicked made a place for him beside me out of his organization. Ive herself, and indicated her husband been sitting here resting a bit after with her fan, as if he were only getting my stuff together, and thinkwaiting for the attention of all being. fore saying something, You mean youre fired? i I am he began hesitantly. i Yes. this for particsomething suggesting Why what? ular time it is still early which Elsa, of course. The man is has nothing whatever to do with the folmad, Barry. About her. evenings festivities. They will That evening at the rancho is one low. It will come as a surprise, I that none of us who was present know; it will seem out of place, will ever forget, an evening not of perhaps, to some of you. But it is full fiesta, but of gay and typical something that seems to be necesdances, the zapateados, an evening sary. that ended so tragically Sam Chatfield was now well Chesebro was lying motionless in launched upon his little speech; here was earnestness Upon his face, bed. Because of the painful injuries You all know, of inflicted y the lash of Elsas whip, in his manner. he did not turn his head when we course, of the death of my, sister, came into'the room, merely inquired Katherine, in California, now more than a year ago. At odd times since quietly fyho We were. Im glad you came in, he said that occurrence there have been in s. . : ds died." (TO BE CONTINUED) Ask Your Grocer for . . . CREAM of the WEST When your pantry shelf contains Cream' of the West breakfast worries vanish. Its delicious, it takes but five minutes to cook and you provide the family with important nutritious elements Vitamin B, Vitamin A, Phosphorus, and Calcium in their natural state. Too, it has a flavor all its own and is unrationed. MONTANA CEREAL CO. Billings, Montana |