Show f b Mi 61 by 2 4 f p iJ A. A IL p d Z ANNE ANNC AUSTIN AUSTN I AUTHOR OF ff Q THE THE AVENGING PARROT I J 8 p p L dJ THE BLACK PIGEON ETC i m l fl Z 7 1 Ic 1930 t y NEA SERVICE C I HERD TODAY TODY Y Doris Dorb lady's ladys la Is mur- mur ur dond on night t In a a. on onlie tho lie Berkeley estate by a blow with a hc heavy perfume flusk presented to Mrs tre Gorgo Berkeley by i Seymour mour Crosby The Tho bod body rock weighted we and nd tlc tied with Clo rinda warf carf Is la taken from tho the lake Isko Saturday morning by b Detective Dundee who summons Captain J. Under suspicion are aro Mr lr und and Mrs Mn Oror o Berkeley who have o quarreled lab Jalo lata night over engagement n to CrOt Crosby b close friend ot of tho the social t Sir 1 Lam Lam- bert bert GIg GIgI Berkeley y who sprinkled every end ono Friday night with perfume o from murder munIr flask lask later placed In Sirs Mrs Dorke Berke ley's leys bathroom by butler Dick DickI I Berkeley who after atter having been mIs ln log turns up while hl lii bill mother I M li accusing no- no cusing Eugeno Arnold chauffeur of or hayIng hay hay- InG Inc murdered both Doris and Dick out of ot Jealousy Jealous Dick admits ho wanted ante to marr marry Dorla Dorl but that die clio repelled his att attentions en tb ns Urn Berkeley Is la forced to admit sho she slapped Doris th the maid was dr dress rus s- s lug tiie her for tor dinner because Doris sail said she sho use l too much perfume admits alo also she Iho Instructed Doris Dorli to walt wait up for tor her but soya l Doris i aa 03 not there thero when she Mrs Berkeley II went vent U up to bed at 11 l 40 40 print ot of Doris' Doris mouth on bath room mirror pro prove girl was waa there thero and that a struggle glo took place Clorinda nC Berkeley I ley admits Doris Dor just before beCore 11 Bay j Doris Dorla worn no rouse then Mys says Doris did not tell her ehe she had appointment to meet Dick D Berke Berko rk ley 10 Is la finally forced to admit she eho did not noL EO go to bed but stole Mole tol out of ot the house for tor a a. walk bout the grounds about 11 11 Strawn asks Jf JC shill hA na naCO was as alone on the tho walk I cow O OGO GO CO O ON OX WITH TilE THE STORY CHAPTER CIL x I Certainly I was al alone nel 1 ClorInda Berkeley answered 1 emphatically convulsive grip on Dun Dun- dec's dee's left hand loosened sll slightly You didn't take ad advantage o of the opportunity to enjoy a lovers' lovers stroll with your future husband Mr 11 Se Seymour Sey Sey- mour Crosby Strawn suS' suS suggested ested I 1 have told you OU I w was tvis s alone alone- but allow me roe to lo correct you OU Mr III Crosb Crosby is not my mJ future husband Whoops dearie deane GIgL shouted gleefully i was betting you OU wouldn't go through with ithe it it- it he l wan tho the engagement eng broken Miss Clorinda Z Strain n asked asker suavely This morning when hen Mr 11 Crosby and I were were- walking together to tho the lake lale I told him that since my father rather was wa violently opposed to tho marriage It could not tako take place plate And why is your OUr father opposed to the marriage martl You must ask him Clorinda re rc- rc and closed her eyes wearily Do you OU want to marry Crosby Crosb Miss Clorinda 7 Th Tho answer was in Clorinda's frostiest voice oleo I r fail taU to see seo how that concerns you rou or tho the case caso you OU are arc working on Captain Strawn Darling you OU arc so hau haughty h t Gigi laughed laughe hysterically So So you OU went walking alone Miss Clorinda Strawn resumed ur ur- ur- ur bandy How long were you OU ou out t 7 Oh I dont don't know irritably An An hour possibly Did you OU see anyone anyone anyone-anyone anyone at atall all all on on this walk No one You Tau say S1 you OU walked around the tho lake Just when wIlen was that part of or tho the trip made Strawn pressed her That was the conclusion o of my mJ walk I crossed to tho lake laIe from tho the south part of or th tho grounds walked walk cast east first and then circled tho the lake on m my way to tho the house And An stopped to rest in tho the sum eum- Strawn pounced S C Tho The black eyes flew fie wide No I I-I I I didn't stop at the tho summerhouse summerhouse summer summer- house at all Then Miss Clorinda can you explain how your OUr batik silk scarf camo came to bo be there tho tIm detective asked softly My Iv scarf In tho the summerhouse summerhouse summer- summer house hous Wit Why that's ridiculous It wasn't there thero at all Then perhaps you OU have o another explanation of or how It camo to belied be bo tied lied aroun around 1 Doris Matthews Matthews' knees knee when her bo body was taken from the lake Strawn said with dreadful casualness s. s Around her lne knees 7 Clorinda repeated 1 blankly Then TJien she sho must I have havo realized rc her danger for or she sho sat bolt upright ht on the leather couch But that's Impossible I tell you It must have been another I j I scarf somewhat similar to mine mine mine- You admit then that you ou were carrying carryIng- a silk seal scarf In your OUr hands when you ou left heft tho the house Strawn caught her up triumphantly No b because because- it is Js not true Clo CIa rinda answered ered more c calmly I Iwas 1 was carrying carrin a n. i. i silk scarf scare until 1 I reached the back hall hail but I dropped It to the floor when I was slipping tho tIm chain and the tho bolt of or the tho out- out door I did not miss it until I stepped outside e and a slight breeze lifted my hair I did not return for forIt forit or It however as tho the nl night ht was warmer than I had hatI thou thought And I liked tho the feeling of oC the wind in my hair You sec see sho she had hall no marcel to get et mussed GIgl Gigi struck in eagerly Her hairs hair's naturally wavy Oh wavy Oh she sho broke off orr then rushed on with tremendous excitement Oh Oli Clo How v terrible If Ie you OU dropped your our scarf inside tho the back hall ball that means that tho the person who murdered murdered murdered mur mur- dered poor Doris was as somebody who was in itt this house last night She stared round-eyed round for or a n. minute then struck with another thou thought ht Oh maybe maybe- Doris her herself clr picked it up on her way wily out to see seo Arnold not knowing ho couldn't meet her O Of course that's what happened she he concluded and subsided against Dundee's knees a again aln Strawn and antI Dundee exchanged glances before the tho chief resumed How near to tho the summerhouse did you ou ouss pass ss Miss Clorinda on your way to tho the house Quito near Within 20 feet of or It I should say sho she answered coolly I walked across tho the grass almost to tho the back door since that was vas a shorter route than to go clear to tho the summerhouse and strike the cement walk there Did you OU see seo or hear anything happening In tho 0 Nothing You ou heard 1 no scream at an any anytime time tImo during your walk No Nothing I tell you No splash as of something being dumped into tho the water Strawn persisted I tell you I heard hear 1 nothing Cia Clo rinda a retorted angrily But did you ou smell something when you ou got near to the summerhouse summerhouse summer summer- house I I presume you OU mean the perfume perfume per per- fume ume ClorInda said eald coldly You seem em to know so much I am i sure you OU arc are already aware that my sIster sister sis sIs- ter tei sprinkled Fleur dAmour d'Amour upon every o person who was In the thc drawing draw draw- ing lag room toom last night Since Sinco Ill my dress ress was reeking with tho the stuff of or course I smelled it I did not notice a a. stron stronger er odor ollor neat near tho the summerhouse summerhouse summerhouse summer- summer house if that Is what you ou mean mcw S C C Why did you OU splash that perfume perfume per per- fume Cume around young oung woman 1 Captain G. Strawn turned sternly to Gigl Gigi You ma may C call me GI 1 Everyone Every E one dO does docs 5 she grinned engagingly I like ike this woman dont don't young oung woman stuff as much as I 1 thought I would But you ou havo have asked me an nn embarrassing cm- cm question Gue Guess s you'll havo to get bet out your OUr old handcuffs because because lm Im I'm not nol going to tell you OU I I Gigi did that foolish stunt for forthe forthe forthe the same tamo reason she does docs oes almost everything else Clorinda t enlightened ened them co coolly oil Slit She adores be being being being be- be ing noticed and her chief sport is isto isto isto to annoy anno mother And I thought I 1 was making the plot BO So o thick it would curdle Gigi mourned but saw tho the smile she hc had fla flashed hed at her sister and he knew there thero was gratitude b in it it Is thero an any anyway way you OU could fix tho the time you OU returned to tho house Miss Clorinda 7 Strawn persisted I 1 dont don't think so No wait walt I remember winding m my watch when I Iwas was wac un undressing for tor bed bod At that time it was 10 minutes after 12 I 1 had then been in the house about five or six minutes I think S Did you OU see your our scar scarf when you OU let lot yourself in by the back door No Xo but I had forgotten all about abou it It There I In Ia always a dim light lIht In Inthe Inthe the tho back hall ball however howo as 33 there la Is lain in the Iho front hall ball and I feel eel sure that 1 should 1 have seen It if it it had been there Did you on your way out or on your return observe a letter or note lying on ott the lie back hall hail table Strawn asked suddenly ull A note N No o I dont don't think I I even cn glanced toward tho the ta table le Now New Miss Clorinda when hen you OU returned to your OUr room which stairs did didOU you OU take Tho The back stairs When I reached the tho second cond floor lan Undine handIng hu I listened heard nothing and antI tiptoed to m my room I Why did you OU tiptoe I r was afraid mother might have discovered rn my absence and that she abc was listening listening- for far my ny return On my way out I heard her voice from rom tho the library and know sho site and amid father were having another session over my engagement to Mr Crosby i That was one ono loa reason iOn I 1 took the walk I knew they would be quarreling cling i-cling about it a again aln an and 1 I was in inno inno inno no mood fa for 1 another scene ene I stayed cd out till I felt ell fairly airl sure mother would bo be asleep unless she had discovered ere m my absence and was watching for me S S C CAnd And did you OU see seo your our mother after your return 1 No I saw no ono one and heart heard 1 not the faintest sound I 1 thou thought ht I 1 was safe sare she sho said wearily You thought you had committed your oUr murder and Pot Jot et away with wilh it eh cli 1 Strawn asked soU softly I I 1 Youre You're being absurd sho she cried angrily Why should l I o of all al people kill Doris Dolls Mathews tho the most lovable faithful inoffensive ivo- ivo for fOl first Tears choked her eyes the time during the gruelling interview Darling Clo Gigi sprang sprang- to her sisters sister's side and dropped roppe 1 on her hei knees cud cuddling tho the slim white hands a against her tanned cheeks checks you OU ever 1 read any detective detec tire tive stories precious They always accuse er c everybody whether they think thc they are aro guilty or not Dont Don't mind sweet Gigi wont won't let them bother you OU any more Says you OU Z Strawn grinned Yeah says I II Gigi blustered shaking her fist at him Nevertheless and notwithstanding ing Mica Clorinda I am going to ask you OU to tako take us to your room no now no iv Why a. a gasped snatchIng snatching snatch snatch- In Ing her hand from rom Gigis Gigi's to dab ab furiously at her e eyes es Oh just for a look around Strawn assured her amiably Im coming too GISI cried passionately springing to her feet and drawing ClorInda from flom the tho couch And Amid go o she did dill flying ahead o othe of the others on tho the stairs When they caught up with her she sho was standIng stand- stand in iii Ing In the hG opened door of oC her sisters sister's sisters sister's sis sis sis- ter's tel room which was on ott tho the east cast eastside eastside side Ido of or tho the house bous next to Mrs l Berkeley's sitting room Sho She backed in to make way vay for or the two detectives detec tives and her sister Well Clorinda was almost almos calm again and antI cr very haughty over tho the invasion of her beautiful tastefully tastefully taste taste- fully furnished 1 bell bedroom room Your shoes first Strawn suggested rug sug amiably The rho ones you OU wore on your walk last night Also the cape and the tho dress ClorInda Jerked open the door to toan toan toan an Immense closet dressing closet dressIng dressIng- room i snatched up Iho tho things thing's ho he want wanted d dand and flung flung- them at the chief chic of oC tho the homicide squa squad He lie caught ono one of or the little gold slippers 1 and held tho the solo sole of or It to his Ills nose while his eyes ees watched the tho blood drain from rom Clorinda Berkeley's face ace To Be Continued |