Show THE val E IL WEDDING MAR CH A COPY copyright tIght by merlc the co by MONTE BARRETT CHAPTER it 5 callis Shi pleys story it was not prepared for JL callis ylo loveliness ile he masked tho the intentness ot of his bin stare with an apparent interest in the room about him you wanted to see me she was waa making an effort to lid be politely casual but the novelist noted the tremor of her hand sergeant kilday waited for peter to begin vor ivor reasons of ills his own iw peter was not prepared for calist cal IS Shi pleys loveliness he had suggested that the novelist ask the questions miss bliss shipley peter was holding a chair for the girl did you wear a blue dress this athla afternoon why yes her surprise was waa evident of course you know peter took a chair opposite her and leaned back crossing lilg his knees what happened well not exactly it must have been something something very a se rious arloua to have interrupted tile the wedding slie she was sitting very straight tier her hands on tile the arms of the chair gripping them nervously peter found tier heir exquisite but in ills his fascination lie was annoyed ills attention was wandering from the questions lie he must ask of course lie ho agreed his voice still gravely quiet dut but has no one told you what happened no she sald said distinctly no one has told me what lias has happened the novelist changed ills fit a line of attack a who brought you y on home miss shipley for a wo moment she did not answer awer then what have I 1 to do with this air cardigan she asked ached why have you come here to 0 o question tile me the butler said you were policemen I 1 sergeant kilday Is peter indicated his friend 1 I ant am just a sort or of ox ex assistant ills brief smiled warmed the lean irregularity of ills his features into friendliness ess there thera Is no cause for alarm I 1 am sure we have only come here because wo we are sure you can help us the rigidity ot of the girls features did not relax help you slie she waited expectantly peter wondered whether that were a question or a challenge clial lenge by 13 y telling us its 0 aho vho o brought brou glit you home he sald said she lid adli not hesitate now my bly chauffeur ohl I 1 and you came straight home yes without ever waiting to find out what tind ind happened peters tone was slightly incredulous the girl shrugged there was nothing I 1 could do she explained doris had left every ore else was waa leaving you oven even ask what was wrong I 1 should have thought you would be curious 1 1 I was of course I 1 wanted to know every one did but no one seemed to know and so you came on home by yourself with the chauffeur she corrected him 1 I have already told you jou that an unexpected expected lin bitterness surged up within peter why should he be so unaccountably angry because she wa wal deceiving hirn him ile ho surveyed her gravely do you mind it I 1 speak to your chauffeur miss bliss shapley he asked kd warm spots of color flamed in her cheeks im not accustomed to asking the servants to verify my word she wild said rin im sorry peter was standing now but circumstances make it necessary it if you have told us the truth then cylle II Ityl lel she bit her up lip and aad then continued more calmly what did idylle tell you 1 I would rather you told us miss shipley cardigan sat down again did you see itolle this afternoon yes I 1 saw him I 1 1 I tell you the truth I 1 asked to bring me home where did you meet brylle U ue in the church when I 1 came out I 1 saw alip him callis avoided cardigans Card igans eyes somehow she continued 1 I had become separated rated from the rest of the wedding party outside I 1 saw cuylle and asked him to take me ice home what did he think of the wedding being postponed peters va ice sounded only politely cur curious lous ile he the girl faltered 14 why he was stunned just as I 1 was of co course e but still neither of you knew what had happened callis callas shook her head then why he go back to the vestry and fin find out the bride was ills his sister it would have been very simple 1 I guess we think of that we were excited every one was the alio girl protested 1 11 I imagine you were declared the novelist you were excited because you t thought hough t you already knew what had biad hapPe happened ried and you were right arisa shipley pley jm jim franklin was lend i dead 1 the girl whispered tile the wa word rd through stiffened lips den dead d 1 the steel went out of cardigans Card igans eyes and ills his tone was gentler when he continued you know callis did not reply peter found himself regretting the beauty which held such a fascination tor for him confound it sho she have committed the murder ue ile thought of those blue bruises at either end of the had ended franklins life but of course there was waa brylle carmody lie ile had the strength and the motive lie ile had said he was going to stop the wedding and it had been stopped but what did this girl know about it why had she lied about that ride with brylle carmody Cari nody why had she visited the sacristy of course there were those keys could there have been anything between her and jim franklin jim who was notorious for his weakness where women were concerned that was ridiculous and yet she had been in the vestry could that have been the real motive for the murder it if itolle carmody Carr nody loved this girl and discovered an illicit affair between her and jim franklin he might be using choo choo train as a pre text that might explain this girls evasions no ile glanced at allday hunched forward in his chair twist ing an unlit cigar between hla his lips the sergeant lie he know knew would have no 0 qualms where a pretty woman was concerned lie he had in hla his long career arrested too many of them poter peter wished that he had left the questioning of this girl to him even while lie scoffed nt at himself for his too ready sympathy lie turned a gain again to the girl you suspect he was dead ills a voice was still gentle no I 1 know the answer was evasive peter thought and the warmth faded from ills his eyes until their blu bauo e was the chilly color of bright steel and why he asked quickly did you run back bach to the sacristy just before the wedding miss shipley pley the girl hesitated as though searching tier her mind mand for an answer when she did not reply peter added we know you were there sir air bloyce saw you you must remember that yes hesitantly 1 I saw mr royce koyce I 1 asked him where idylle 11 was why were you looking for nylie because De cause I 1 was afraid calill replied suddenly 1 I was afraid I 1 1 I had to find him before the wedding she afraid or did she only want them to think she had been frightened peter had the feeling that the girl was acting a role and yet he found himself wanting to believe her you think a great deal of gylte dont you miss ones once moro more hta his voice was unbelievably gentle 1 I love him tile the girl answered simply then I 1 think you can help him a great deal by telling us tho the whole truth he ha urged jim F franklin has been killed itolle had threat ened to stop the wedding it may help him a great deal if you will tell us ua all you know about it ILI but I 1 dont know anything the girl protested you know that brylle like Fra franklin erakli kli that he was trying to keep hla his sister from marrying him ham you yes I 1 know that idylle told me about another woman an actress when was that this aft afternoon anoon before the wedding yes I 1 hart had an engagement with idylle you see the girls manner was easier now tile the stockings which were sent to match my frock for this afternoon quite the right shade and it was necessary for me to get others brylle was to bring me home but phoned saying that he that was when he ha told me about this other woman ile he wanted to see jim Frankl hi ll 11 that worried you did icv it the girl nodded why kilday interrupted then without giving the girl opportunity to reply continued that was when he told you le was going to stop the wedding it the girl made no reply but the expression on her face was answer enough was that why you went to the sacristy just before the wedding inquiring for brylle peter continued gravely no there was an almost imperceptible cep tible quiver in the girls voice 1 I mean well I 1 went to the sacristy all right but not because of what idylle had said then why did you go because wits eyes wavered from one man to the other because of something web spears said she was waa leaning forward her nervous fingers twisting a handkerchief in her lap ceaselessly web she continued left the church just a few minutes before the wedding was to begin the wedding party was gathered in the vestibule I 1 was standing by doris as he came out 11 arent you going to stay tor for PRECEDING EVENTS IN THE STORY waiting in the ministers study jim franklin about to be married to doris carmody Is stabbed to death cailis shipley pley one of the bridesmaids betrays extreme nervousness the dagger used to kill franklin Is found franklin while waiting had many visitors among them his mistress an actress choo choo train his intended cifes father ambrose carmody her bro brother or brylle daniel bullis well known politician and an unknown woman in 0 a blue frock the dead mans law partner dunbar appears sergeant allday with peter cardigan novelist and amateur detective begins the official investigation brylle carmody admits trying to stop th the e wo wedding adding after being informed by a friend webster spears that franklin rr anklin was n a still 1 friendly with choo choo despite his approaching marriage KII ya day y se secures til u res the dead mans keys the wedding web doris asked him no he answered and then he said wheres Wk eres idylle it if he were here there be any wedding that frightened me I 1 knew ity ily lie had been terribly angry at jim franklin since he had learned about this actress and I 1 was worried because he ha in the church so I 1 ran around to the sacristy to see it if he were there ue ile there later after the unno announcement that the wedding was postponed I 1 met itolle out ta la front and he brought me home I 1 was frightened I 1 thought that he had had something to do with it why bylie go back to see what had bad happened ile thought the wedding had gone on in spite of everything he be r rould could do you see he had bad seen jim franklin earlier and then he went home to try to stop doris before she left tor for the church but he missed her at home and when he returned he heard the wedding weddin march playing inside and thought lie be was too late and I 1 when I 1 saw him the girl choked back the tears 1 I jumped to the conclusion that he was responsible and asked him to take me home later as soon as understood what had happened lie he hurried h back ack to the church this Is the truth mr cardigan cardiga n you must believe me I 1 was frightened for hylle why I 1 tell the truth at arst I 1 want you to know that I 1 had suspected him or at some part in this because lie he Is innocent you do believe me dont you before peter could reply sergeant kilday interrupted this rills still explain how you knew there had been a murder miss shipley pley 1 I the girl turned on him quickly 1 I I 1 was afraid something like that had happened but I 1 know and did you only go back to the sacristy oncel the sergeant chewed meditatively on his bis cold stogy yes or of course just once lv iv told you about abott that aliday rose abruptly thank you miss bliss shipley pley he said youve e been of great help helix ill hurry along r peter meet me at the car peter knew what that meant the sergeant wanted time to try franklins keys in the door ahlo there was no one in the hall ball ills part was to detain the girl hero here a few faw seconds longer ire he found the task distasteful against his better judgment callis had almost convinced him ot of dylle Car modys innocence even while admitting that she had bad suspected suspect ud the youth herself and she had bad lied to him too at first could he believe the second story she had told with reluctant honesty he knew that he wanted to believe her ile he rose to leave kilday had had bad ample time to try the keys had one of them fitted he was detained by the girls gills hand on his sleeve ive told you i the tru truth th the girt girl declared ry lle lie have done it ile ho could nL for your sake I 1 hope he said peter in parting ilow how about the was the novelists first question when he rejoined his friend at the curb nothing doing peter was surprised at his own sense dense of relief and yet because lie he realized how the girl had bad appealed to his sympathies he cautiously added nevertheless she was wearing a blue dress doctor abernathy says she the woman in blue that he saw declared the detective detec the but he could be ba twisting the truth around a little bit himself this girl did d I 1 d peter hesitated on the running board of the car webster spears seems to have had a lot to do with this he suggested itolle claims it was lie he who told him about choo choo train miss shipley an supports P this story that being true probably he was the man who sent ambrose carmody the anonymous telephone call and he was doric Car modys suitor before franklin arrived on th the scene escene that seems to explain his motive it Is obvious that he was trying to stop that wedding but he was never I 1 la a the sacristy hilday objected lie ile seen in the sacristy peter amended lets have a talk with this follow fellow sergeant aliday puffed for a moment in silence all right he agreed finally but later theres there a one bet im not overlooking which Is just as important as this mysterious woman in blue blae 11 peter showed his interest dan bullis brills declared the detective laconically the novelist whistled softly ID big ig gamel he exclaimed looks like all big game in this case allday complained any trail we take we step on some blodys toes it was true the carmody and spears families were powers in the financial and social world callia calala Shi pleys family had been equally important before she had been ori orf 5 1 was frightened for f or brylle why I 1 didrik tell the truth at first 11 phaner some years before choo C choo jb 0 0 train was a stage celebrity nick royce was editor or of the largest tabloid in new york doctor abernathy was rector of the cites most fashionable church and daniel bullis was vas the undisputed political ruler or of that broad turbulent belt of the city where vice was organized allegedly under his protection nor had the newspapers overlooked this kilday bought all tile the late editions before lie and peter entered a cafe and scrutinized pach each with care during his meal topics 8 sa it was a woman and runs pictures of choo chod choo and the bridal party on the front page he grunted once pushing uie the tabloid across to tc his ald friend nick royce noyce world cardl cardlan cardigan an smiled find a woman I 1 the secret of his circulation TO BB CONTI continuity NIMr |