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Show 0S GERALDINE S t'lr J BONNER 1 "".J WN0 SRVICE CHAPTER X Continued 15 "How did he get oil?" Ilussett's voice was raised In his exasperation : 'Cood Lord. I'nwsini, wo weren't Inilod here then. lie could have had a hoat hidden in one of Ihe coves. This place wasn't escape proof til! von turned up. lie could have rowed ashore and latided anywhere, and that's what he's done." "I'nless he's here." "Here on the island?" Williams poUe with an air of p:lien' reminder: "Ain't we L'oue over it with a line tooili coiuhV" Kawson pointed to the eciliiis: "llow ahout that tcp story? A person we won't say who eo-jld have killed the woman, entered the house while th? rest of you were 0:1 the hecch, put hack the pistol, and '-one upstair.?." Williams made a motion to heave himself up from his chair. "Well. If that's how you feel about it let's go up and have a loo!; for the person." "We needn't do that Just now They're as safe as If they were behind be-hind bars. There's something I want to do down here first have a talk wtth Miss Tracy. She may be able to give us a little light." "She can't help you," said Bassett. "They weren't on confidential terms. She'd be the last persc-n he'd tell anything any-thing to." He believed what he said, but his heart sank. Anne to be dragged through another Interrogation, an Interrogation In-terrogation with a hideous suspicion behind It! Rawson rose: "I'erhaps so. bnt It's worth trying. She may know more than you think ; sisters sometimes do. And she certainly cer-tainly must have more knowledge of him than any of ns. Ve"ll soon see." He moved toward the door. "I'll go up and get her now." CHAPTER XI When Anne went up to her rnorj -Le took a S"at by the window where she could see the channel. It was .111 indecipherable blackne-s, I's f.ir;!;er limit (ietitie.l by die shore lights. I'.ut the night )a-t very .-till, the sagg'r..-weight sagg'r..-weight of cloud hung low, pn-si:,g lown bounds. She c'osed the door and d.eide.l now she might rest, not go to bed yet. but do down and try to g.-t hack to courage and control. She took otT her Ires.s and put on her negligee, ami with bands raised to loo,.n her hair heard a step on the stairs. It struck upon her ear, heavy ami (piiik. a laan'n step, and she remained u she was, her arms lifted, her eyes staring into her reflected eyes In the mirror. She stood thus till It stopped at her Joor. When the knock came am llaw-son's llaw-son's voice spoke her name, the haml-i dropped and' she moved to the door. "(.'an you come downstairs for u minute?" the voice said, low and guarded. "I'm sorry to usk you to get up." She opened the door. "I hadn't gone :o bed. Yes, of course I'll cone-. n want to" "Just usk you a few more ipiestloos. I'm glad I didn't wuke you." She followed him along the passage and down the stairs. When sin eie tered the library her glance fell on Ilassett facing her acres the room, his brows drawn low over the dark trouble of bis eyes. Hhl look told her Of anxiety, apprehension and a pas donate concern for her. W'iilla'ns indicated UD urnieluilr near the desk ; "Take a sell, Mis Tracy. Sony we've had to (all you down." She fell Into It mid. as tin- f t -1 1 set lied themselves III their-., rail bet otigue along her dry lips and took 11 leep hi""alh of air Into her lung-.. "We've b'-en making some In-piiries In-piiries about your brother, Miss I'raey," K.iw-on began. "About his leaving lien'. You told us, as I re-aien re-aien tier, that you knew he went." " Why, j e he Will." "1 ld you m e 111 111 go?" "No--l didn't see the bout go, I was jpslalrs, but of c.mrse he went." "We've found out that he didn't," nld liawson. "Mr. Itawson's Heen (labrlel." p.as 'ett Mpoke very getiily. ''And be snys up didn't take .loe hot." "I'.ut I don'l understand, lie whs ill ready. I said g I by to III 111. It .'lis bin holiday, he'd been looking oiuanl to It. he was rniy lo go." "And h" lold you he v.as going, .united In go. Was he Jolly and good Honored lik - a person shirting 011 a ,.!id.iy?" " 1 I'm- .why '.hnliMtrt he be? It win vbiit ne'il been longing In do lor veil rs: After I left him I went to my omiii and die-. 'ed and when I ent lownstnli I saw that Ills bag and i dol.g Mill. Willed lie told III" ll.''d left t eiiira; were gone, mid I thought of course he was. And he has, he's gone some other way." "You're sate he's gone?" Kawsou's emphasis on "you're" was heavy. She looked at him with startled eyes : "Yes. aren't yon? Why, you don't think he's here?" llaw-on addressed I'assetf : 'Thdn'l you tell me l.e was to stop tonight in I'.angor and meet his friend?" "Yes they were to start out In til." morning." "Where were they staying?" "Some luttei. I don't know the name, lin you rei.ieniber It. Anne?" She shook her head: "No. If he lol.l me I've forgotten. I've no Idea what it was." "lli'id on a minute." said Williams, streu liing out his hand. "Shine spoke 10 me ahout that. He was asking "nil iirX sV" ' xJ Sho Oper.ed the Dcor. about ti hotel in r.angor young Tracv ri mmon-lod the A ! .:..n.;;.n inn That 1:1. y he It." i;.iw-.111 swung the de-k chair round and dri w the telephone to l.iin : "We cm hnd out In a minute." They s it without movl..g while I'.aw-son I'.aw-son made the connection. "Is there a ' Mr. Tracy He re Joe Tracy?" And then a period nf IKten lug, punctuated Willi grunts of as-i m from K.imsoii. Then, "Mr. Travels has gone left 011 the six-hfle. 11 this evening I see." A silent stretch an I a linul '"I'hnnk.s that's all I wanted. Much obliged." Tin; receiver clicked into Its book, and Kuw-n swung the chair low aril tiieui : "Travels has been there waiting since last night. Tracy iicut showed up. Travels bud 110 message from hlui und left this evening for Moose-head Moose-head lake." I-'or 11 moment there was 110 comment. com-ment. Anne raised her eyes, the sides of the mom looked u long way otT and the light seemed to huvv llltelisitled lo a violent glare u.t If she were sitting 111 the midst ol u dazzling liluuiina lion. "1 don't know what to make of thut." she said, -the words dropping slowly with spuces between. ".Neither do w. Miss Tracy," sai l Iliiw.-on. und leaning hack, has h ind, clasped over bis siomach, be paired iutiinly at hot lliiuiigh hLs horn rimmed glasses. "Yes, you do." sde siiid ami heard her voice hoarse aud chan ;ed. "You'u inade .-oinet long of It alieady. Ami what you've iiiinle Is lies wicked lies." Thell she bad seen It. I'.assell made a step 1'olwald. but she leaped lo her reel. ohll Ions of liliu . "You think be did It. Just becansr you can't find htm. That's all he's done, gone away. Y'ou must be crazy What would he do It for? Don't you hnve to liave a ceusoe to commit murder? mur-der? "They weren't good li lends. I don'l know why 1 asked her, but she wouldn't tell me. And what was It a quarrel, a grievance? Hut IliHt wouldn't make dim want to kill her!" "L've told tbein that. Anne," Basset! Implored; 'there's no Ub guiu1 over It." Hawson leaned suddenly forward and caught her by Ihe w.'ist: "What did you se las-', night In the living room?" If be had mean! to narprlse her he failed of bis purpose. She bung back from his grip and sa.d with dellant emphasis : "I saw nothing I" "Are you sure It wa a book you came down for?" "It was a book, as 1 told you." "You could read a few hours after your friend was murdered?" "I could try to read It nas better than thinking." "You've got a pretty cool head, Miss Tracy," he added, and relinquished her hand. She fell hack hi her chair as if his bold upou her had been ail that sustained her in an upright position, posi-tion, lie rose, looking down at her. curious and unsatisfied : "1 guess we'll call a h:dt for a while. We've other work to attend lo. lh:t wait here till we come hack; wc may have lo do sMiue more talking." lie turned to Wiilianis and gave a Jrrk oi' his head toward lite ball. "C'oiae on, we'll go up there now." lie walked lo the ci-jol", Williams following him. As it shut afier tli aj I'.a.ssclt went to her and bent over h r chair. She held him oil' w.tii a LenJ 011 his breast and w dispel e.i : "Where are lliev going';'" "Upstairs, to the lop story." She clutched the lapels of hLs cnat : "He's tle-re. he s up there." "He who;" ".I op '." I'.assett stared Into her eyc. I thought her sens, s were giving way: "Anne, darling, what's the matter? Joe's not lien you've Ju.st bald w yoursel f." "I said what wasn't true Ls there." He caught Iot arms and drew her to her te.-t : "What do jou mean?" "I know it. I've se.-n him." "Seen Joe himself :" "Last n.gl.t when I came down fur tile book. lies hiding Up liaTi 1 llacighl lie was safe. Al.d now they'll hud l.il.l." "1 saw th" iaem h go without ht'n und I was go.ng to ..peak to u.u. leit Shine was Here aud 1 eoi;:.ln't. T'n a she was kili- d and 1 didit'l knew v:ia! to think. V here Led g"l.e. :, : .: i .. g ' I'.. it f.,..t ni .hi 1 h. .. i d (:..:: s.,v :l. was u iii. n oh g ..ird at :..' c..i. -ev. ay . a:.d I came d- n lo ! II h::n hi cjs, he w as I ( c ,.l. 1 v. ..aid t:y t. get at': cs -. Ai d 1 1. ell 1 s . v I ' : l." ' '. e li'':'' "In tic: living room. lie .al.ie from the deor Into the i..:. .ci. u.i g and I w I.i-per. d It." "Ind he s.. uayi'ilt.gr .'h Jes i.-n the w.y Ic'il coe;e in. And tl en I knew -" si.,. s,,. an I dosed her c is "i h. I ilid.-i t know It but 1 thought It ("all ll he trili could he have d'tie ll? line r liiitle I'm si.re an I tin n I can't be-lleve be-lleve ll : and I don't know. I don l know." Drawing away from htm sjo- r 111 to the door, and oel..ng ll. st,., li-tetl-ing. lie fo'.io.ved her and with pau-es for that tense li-.eomg. she toid l.lm of her Ml to the lop liimr. "ti!l oll help a e?" si e u hispensj "Will you help me whatever happens,;"" lie nodded, there was no lluie now for words. lie motioned ln-r to ia down, n 1 1 I moved hack from her. II tciilog lo steps which weie crurssing the living room, entering the ball Were they louder than they had Iw-n going up. were there three p.iirof fis-i where there I. ad been two? They stopped nt Ihe door. It opentsl and Haw son and Williams enteral. Hawson spuke to Anu: "You (an go up-iairs. Mis Tmry We ll put otT Hie resi of ,,ur talk till tomoi row . You better try to gel some rest. And kindly r mber to tny In your tooni. I don't wiitit nay nil lakes iinide aU'Ul lhal loiili.hl." She HllirilHlt'ei! wUils of i oinpliaeee and rising wild p.ile voniposutv leil the I i I nur . hen lh ihwir shlll on her I'.assrtt said: "ou ti,( mohiiig up ihere ill all? ' I (T( lit: contim; i ,i , |
