Show na al 1 fra it two evs 0 a caal 0 in I 1 B Y L I 1 D A L A R R I 1 M 0 R E 0 MACRAE CO SERVICE SYNOPSIS alarming wealthy gabriella Gabr lella gay cay tor for short graham engaged to todd janeway returns to a cabin in the he maine alaine woods accompanied compa com panted nied by a friend kate oliver the ane idea of a stay at the cabin occurred to her when she received a key to it following the death 0 of her godfather uncle john lawrence the two girls notice immediately that someone has been and probably Is living in the cabin kate K ll 11 te suspects that gay knows the identity of 0 f the mysterious occupant CHAPTER I 1 continued 1 I shall never forget kate removed her hat when im eighty ill tell my grandnieces grand nieces and nephews the reason your old auntie is an invalid my dears is because once upon a time she drove twenty miles along a road in the state of maine no I 1 she concluded id rather face unknown terrors than jounce over those twenty miles again tonight tl gay was placing the fluted china shade on the lamp she was lovely looking kate thought feeling as she frequently felt when she consciously considered gays features and coloring a slight shock of surprise and wonder the light from the lamp striking up into her face accented the high cheekbones cheek bones the faint depressions pres beneath them the line of her jaw and rounded chin the curve ot of her brows above her long very deep blue eyes certain certa in endearing flaws redeemed her face from the still perfection of authentic beauty the straight thick lashes the dusting of freckles across her nose her wide sweetly curved mouth the way her eyes narrowed and crinkled when she smiled do you know what I 1 think kate said darkly im breathless gay said through a mouthful of apple those jars and the smell in the room over there kate gestured 1 I think hes a mad genius inventing a poison gas to annihilate the world can I 1 depend on that gay moved away from the table it would be a letdown let down to discover that the smell was moonshine brewing she bit again into the apple our cabin mate reads she observed encouraging kate said as gay picked up a book which lay face down upon the couch your home is known by the books you own what is it something about hormones gay stood looking quizzically down atthe book in her hand hormones kate repeated then lowering her voice dramatically gayl hes planning the perfect murder hes one of those educated criminals you read about with a keen analytical mind A doctor perhaps who 11 A doctor gays altered voice arrested kates attention she glanced quickly toward the couch at the far side of the hearth gays eyes were lowered over the book she was turning pages with a quick fluttering motion of her fingers through the leaves kate heard a sound like a quickly drawn breath faint but authentic no name she asked as gay lifted her eyes nothing the sound had been authentic kate thought gay had made a discovery gays eyes were presently aware of kate they dropped self con before kates questioning glance she placed the book on the couch tossed the remains of the apple into the fire lets investigate further she said after a moment her voice was only a little shaken but the peach colored flush deepened and her eyes were very bright a sensible idea kate said serenely leave no stone unturned here ill carry that she added as gay turned to take the lamp from the table gay did not demur she walked to one of the doors leading onto the porch opened it stepped out into darkness kate followed with the lamp the screened porch which extended across the front of the cabin disclosed nothing of importance there were built in bunks at either end covered with blankets and tarpaulins there were fiber rugs a table chairs the glass windows above the bunks were lowered but the front of the porch stood open to the night kate followed gays heels clicking with a muffled sound on the rugs more sharply on the floor between stopped when she stopped at the long table in the center of the porch the rain is over gay said nice weather tomorrow ap kate looked out through the screening the yellow glow of lamplight blurred her vision she placed the lamp on the table and returned to stand beside gay moonlight lay on the clearing in front of the cabin marked the path sloping down a gentle grade to the edge of the lake beyond the water stretched silver gray motionless barely distinguishable from the land im going to like this place she said breaking the silence of course you are gays voice was hushed as though the serenity of the scene before her had stilled her excitement ive never liked any place ive ever been as well kate did not question her sincerity it was curious though she reflected ted she would not ha have ve supposed P ased that gay would find pleasure in in the silence of the woods gay S she he had thought loved gaiety lights the theater supper clubs dancing moving from one scene of festivity to another with her smart young intimates her visits at dunedin her brief stays at her fathers town house were quite ob motivated by duty and endured with boredom she had given every indication of preferring to be with her mother and stepfather step father on long island at their apartment in the city in florida or bermuda now that cut dividends and deflated values had closed to them the playgrounds of europe she kate had scarcely seen the child since her engagement had been announced at dunedin late in june until three days ago when she had turned up there and had proposed this trip to maine what had happened the summer shed spent here to make so lasting an impression upon gay why after six years should she have wanted to return just at this time kates thought continued as gay standing beside her remained silent she spoke frequently and with affection of dr lawrence whom she called uncle john her godfather god father her fathers lifelong life long friend who had at it hi his is d eath death left the cabin to her ka kate e remembered him very held belh well hed had a brilliant mind and great grea t charm hz arm of manner she knew that gays father had not understood why his friend should have been content to remain the dean of a small college in his native state of maine when wider and more remunerative munera tive opportunities were constantly being offered him that was explained at his death dr lawrence had had a serious heart condition which had restricted his activities tivi ties its the harvest moon it gay stirred with a rousing motion at kates side about half of it kate replied it should be full toward the end of the week 1 I counted on that gay laughed and slipped her arm companionably panion ably through kates arm 1 I thinking of moons its nice when the sun shines too im sure it is kate said feeling as cool as I 1 feel now was worth the trip 1 I thought like it you understand der stand now dont you why I 1 wanted to come kate was silent for a moment then not entirely she said she knew that the meaning behind the words was perfectly clear to gay the brief intimacy was shattered gay withdrew her arm she was not resentful now though as she had been when kate had first questioned her motives come along she said laughing that shaken note of excitement trembling in her voice we have things to do there are stones we have left unturned gay walked directly to a closed door in the wall opposite the kitchen at the far end of the room this is the master bedroom she said and opened the door kate followed her into the room it was considerably larger than the room off the kitchen and more comfortably fort ably furnished the lamplight bright where she stood fading into shadows at the rim of the cone of light disclosed a built in bed at each end of the room the mattress of one covered with newspapers and upon it lay paper wrapped bundles which might contain bedding the other beneath windows which overlooked the porch was obviously prepared for use between the windows in the side wall on a square of scenic linoleum stood a small stove with a length of jointed pipe that looks familiar kate said its called a chunk stove in case youre interested theres one in the rectory study at home ho me gay gave n no cl evidence of being interested in the stove she stood looking down at the top of a low chest of drawers kate approached with the lamp he shaves she said making note of a razor case a shaving brush a wooden soap bowl do you suppose he dresses for dinner gay ignored the question she turned the brushes arranged with precision on the pine top of the chest there were no monograms mono grams theres the closet kate suggested gay turned from the mirror walked quickly halfway across the room and opened a door kate following tipped the shade of the lamp so that the light shone directly into the closet A brown tweed suit a topcoat top coat two pairs of khaki trousers tan pajamas striped in wine color a wool dressing gown which had seen service a dark sweater with a letter stitched to the heavy ribbing hung in a row from the hooks books A tan felt hat rested where it had been flung on the shelf above and on the floor below a pair of brown oxfords stood beside brown leather moccasins laced with thongs nothing here surely kate thought and was about to voice the thought in words A sound held her silent a quickly drawn breath audibly and slowly exhaled gays hand touched the sweater As kate watched her fore tipped the shade of the lamp so that the light shone directly into the closet finger tipped with an almond pink nail traced the letter stitched to the ribbing she turned after a moment A completely anonymous person she said and closed the door blit but kate was not deceived the gesture of the finger with the pink tipped nail had been very revealing if she had not known before kate thought again both concerned and amused gay knew now at least who was here CHAPTER 11 II she force gay to tell her kate regarded with satisfaction a bun on a long toasting fork which she held over the bed of embers in the fireplace she would be obliged to bear with her curiosity until the owner of the sweater appeared he was taking his time about it she and gay had unpacked the rumble of the coupe they had found a can of kerosene beside the back steps and had filled and lit every lamp in the cabin they had brought two pails of water up from the lake preparations for a late supper were well under way now and still he had not appeared gay was in the room which shed called the master bedroom changing her clothes shed gotten herself pretty wet bringing water up from the lake was it deliberate kate wondered not without just reason for suspicion what effect was she creating now before the mirror above the chest of drawers she sounded very blithe and gay her voice sweet and husky influenced no doubt by the nightclub night club singer who was the latest enthusiasm of ga gay y and her intimates floated out through the open door she was singing with the radio appropriate kate thought whew A smell of scorching recalled her attention to the bun she removed it from the fork placed it with three others on a plate keeping warm on the hearth the coffee was boiling over kate rose from the footstool foot stool on which she sat and bent forward to lift the pot from the bed of embers pale brown bubbles foamed down over her hand the exclamation she gave sharp and unstudied stopped the singing gay came into the room knotting a scarf around her neck salty language my friend she said oh youve burned your hand here let me take it she unan unknotted t the scarf and wadded it around the handle of the pot does docs it hurt terribly kate ill probably survive kate flapped her injured hand so the key keynote note was to be simplicity she thought considering gays appearance with a quizzically lifted brow she wore a dark wool skirt a white wool jumper chillies gh illies and white while angora socks she had brushed her red brown hair into a softly curling halo tied with a bright blue ribbon her face had a scrubbed and shining look the freckles across her nose undisguised by powder were 2 young and endearing kate smiled the lipstick lip stick out of key she asked it points the contrast gay unabashed returned kates smile the coffee smells marvelous she poured the dark brown liquid into cups from the picnic hamper arranged with plates and forks and spoons on the low table beside the hearth does it I 1 noticed kate returned to the footstool foot stool 1 I cant smell anything except that perfume its certainly off key no it gay pulled an arm chair close to the table settled herself bit into a sandwich it breathes of the great out of doors crushed ferns mossy dells moorland heather I 1 bought it especially for the occasion kate made a derisive gesture it breathes of fifth avenue and the sil maybe youre right gay said amicably 1 I adore hamburgers toasting them was an inspiration im starved but she ate scarcely anything she was listening waiting kate thought preoccupied with heaven only knew what thoughts memories anticipations the continuing ripple of irrelevant comment was a smokescreen deliberately raised in the intervals of silence when she lay back in the chair her arms crossed under her head kate observed her warily she was excited that was obvious but though she smiled her face in repose reflected some more tender emotion dont you think she began and stopped short there we were re sounds outside the cabin an expiring exhaust a motor suddenly silenced a brake jerked on a door resoundingly slammed kate watching gay saw her start forward saw the bright trembling expectancy unrelieved by humor or bravado which for an instant illuminated her face then conscious of kates intent and somewhat disconcerted gaze she slowly relaxed composure slipped like a mask across her face she sat back in the chair arriving in a cloud of dust she said her voice only a little shaken her eyes turning from kate to th the door mud which must certainly spoil the effect kate rose from the footstool well let us be brave me ale I 1 feel braver standing she walked to the end of the hearth and stood leaning against the chimney her arm on the low mantel shelf on the radio a baritone sang meltingly of a rendezvous on the isle of capri capr i through the music came the sound of a door explosively opened resolute footsteps thudding across the kitchen floor kates eyes turned from gays profile to the door TO BE CONTINUED |