Show H adde dd mum WC T KI I 1 I 1 I 1 r r f rr lax rf r w G ft wa do WATE V V y als ibby by FREDERIC F VAN DE WATER WATE R 11 VAN u service A M t CHAPTER Contin continued ved V Is 18 annie returned and announced senator groesbeck alone miss agatha asked and the wistfulness in her voice hurt me then ill see him in the living room annie the maid pushed the wheel chair down the hall I 1 sat at the desk and i strove to set down on paper after I 1 miss agathas prescription my own outline of the morello mystery I 1 found it hard for each item bore in numerable streamers of surmise and suspicion I 1 do not know how r long allegra had been standing in t the doorway when I 1 looke dup i I 1 rose clumsily she was still pale but she seemed more tired now i than angry there was a droop to f her shoulders and I 1 cursed myself for or feeling pitiful she said at last you make it just as hard as possible dont you A few hours earlier she had pointed out the abyss that lay between her and me I 1 had sworn then never to strive to it sense still assured me that it was best for her to remain on her side and I 1 on mine hunger for her desire to aid her were checked by memory of my recent adolescent idiocy it hurts to have even a silly dream kicked apart I 1 said 1 I beg your pardon you heard me I 1 made no reply she went on like a child reciting a lesson if ive misjudged you im sorry tv miss paget I 1 told her 1 I misjudged you and am even sorrier 1 I came in here she told me to apologize because agatha thought I 1 should she might have been talking to the butler there was no call for her to put me in my place I 1 was there already and had sworn not to leave it again I 1 said that seems to me about the worst reason in the world again she apparently hoped for something in my face that was not there she muttered you make it very hard she was just a kid after all which was still another reason why th things gs should stay as they were S so 0 1 I said you said that before which leaves us just where we started do you want to leave it there she asked directly and I 1 forced myself to answer why not there was a stir in the hall and the sound of voices I 1 did not know whether I 1 was relieved or desolate when she left senator groesbeck now cow sleek and pompous passed the doorway miss agatha trundled herself into the room what was allegra doing in here she asked apologizing I 1 said she gave me one of the looks that made me feel she was counting my vertebrae and then said hahl in an odd tone thereafter her mind dwelt on other matters 1 I wish she complained that I 1 so respectable an attorney I 1 need a scoundrel help an idiot who wont help himself As bad as that I 1 asked she nodded and lighted a cigarette grove she said is being held as a material witness he still wont talk so going to take him before the grand jury presently if he talk then hell be indicted her brisk voice was armor that i 1 know hid great distress she brooded blooded a minute while I 1 groped for words and then asked wheres the typewriter you said I 1 told her that it was in the storeroom why you get it miss agatha I 1 asked can you imagine higgins letting me rummage through a basement storeroom without a writ of mandamus a habeas corpus and a strong arm squad the lines of worry in her face slackened and she chuckled no she admitted im an old tool fool david but just the least bit bedeviled today well go down together I 1 trundled her into the hall and rang for the elevator she said nothing till the car appeared but the grim lines had deepened again on her face and I 1 knew she was eating her heart out for her nephew hoyt took us down I 1 could see his ears pricked for tidings but we did not speak I 1 had propelled miss agatha into the basement hall A wan light burned there and the air was heavy with the familiar smell of lime and coal gas and cabbage tor for the higgins dinners past and present miss bliss agatha dug in her handbag and chose a key from a ring along one side of the basement hall was a series of iron doors with gaps at lintel and threshold for ventilation ti they guarded the cubbies hubbies that served as attics for tenants of the morello it was against one of these that I 1 had reeled during my dark struggle with the intruder I 1 thought as I 1 fumbled with the lock how brief a space by actual measurement ur yet how long ago that had been perhaps if I 1 had been less clumsy that night I 1 might have ended the mystery I 1 might have saved innocent folk much danger and distress the smell and gloom of the basement allied themselves with memory to tighten my nerves so that I 1 flinched when miss bliss agatha said impatiently cant you do it she rolled forward to take the key it turned as she moved and I 1 pulled the door open before her advancing chair there it is miss agatha said over her voice died the harsh sound of her indrawn breath set my neck to prickling the light of the ceiling bulb poured into the maw of the storeroom it shone upon something at miss agathas feet at which she stared at which I 1 gaped first stupidly then in frantic disbelief I 1 bent forward careful miss agatha warned in a dry whisper dont touch it CHAPTER wind boomed in the elevator shaft and I 1 heard the whine and catch of a car shifting gears in the street the rest of my mind had stalled under its sudden load close to my ear miss agathas breath came and went quickly so we remained for a palsied instant watching the object on the storeroom floor it lay just within the ventilation space at the iron doors base a bizarre item for a spinsters spin storeroom yet in itself nothing to wake dread it was a knife with a black leather handle and a worn wom gray blade streaked with what might 4 1 I came in here she told me to apol apologize oglie 11 have been rust we both knew whence it had come it was the knife that had hung in in the sheath they had found on black beards murdered body it had been driven into its owners heart it had uttered the flat sound of smitten metal when it had fallen during my struggle in the basement to lodge inside the door of the paget storeroom I 1 bent over it again miss bliss agatha made no further protest as I 1 picked it up by its point swathed it loosely in my handkerchief and rose her eyes met mine and asked a question I 1 feared to answer 1 I heard myself say we had better go upstairs she nodded I 1 placed the hand kerchief wrapped knife in her la lap p and trundled her to the elevator shaft we were silent on our U upward p journey in the workroom work room I 1 picked up the muffled weapon carefully and laid it on the desk then I 1 faced miss agatha it was hard to ask the question the knife had killed it might kill again it was the link between the murdered and the murderer my voice was hoarse what shall we do now she blinked her speech was calm as her face 1 I think we had better telephone captain shannon I 1 said there may be no ones fingerprints on that knife there may be I 1 could not speak her nephews name but she understood call captain shannon she said and there was a lump in my throat as I 1 obeyed I 1 spoke only briefly asking the homicide bureau chief to come at once with a fingerprint man then hung up on his further questioning the receiver clattered as my shaking hand restored it miss bliss agatha said we both need a drink and rang for annie I 1 nursed the liquor I 1 would willingly have gulped miss bliss agatha sipped hers and at af last spoke part of her thought aloud this was what you heard fall that night in the basement but how why I 1 dont see her voice ran down I 1 said feebly unless it is a maniac uncertainty left her she gave a crooked smile who had designs on higgins she scoffed david lyon ferriter is no maniac he is amazingly clever I 1 told you that this morning but lyon I 1 pointed out was in your flat when she did not let me finish 1 I know I 1 know she said but he did it he killed the visitor to his hat flat I 1 object less to that david than to the knowledge that he is laughing at us now I 1 never have liked to be laughed at its been my legs I 1 suppose heavens our assembled brains should be as good as his if only we could find a flaw a weakness she drank again and then went on everything radiates from lyon ferriter but none of it reaches back to him A thought pricked me and some of the jumble of fact fell into coherent pattern why I 1 blurted lyon tried to kill me why my room was searched he thought I 1 had found that knife his own fingerprints ger prints must be on it they wont be miss agatha promised grimly we were still for a moment then she said day after tomorrow is groves birthday her voice was so bare of sentiment that it was piteous the day when grove attained his inheritance the day toward which all his life she had steered her foster son would find him in disgrace and danger unless I 1 jumped at the telephones ring could shannon have arrived so soon answer it miss agatha bade and her voice quavered a little I 1 obeyed and was ashamed of my own agitation jerry cochrane drawled dave dart I 1 want to see you ive got hold of something a bit interesting my laddie where can you meet me he slipped away from further questions it was too important to discuss over the house telephone he said and for like reason I 1 fore bore to tell what we had found at last I 1 clapped my hand over the mouthpiece and said to miss bliss agatha its cochrane he sounds so sleepy I 1 know hes excited may he come here at once she refused and then to my amazement gave w way ay before my arguments I 1 pleaded that it might be important before shannon came to learn leam what cochrane had discovered I 1 said we needed the alliance of jerrys quick mind miss agatha consented at last have him come david youre very stubborn and I 1 I 1 imagine im getting old I 1 bade cochrane hasten and hung up as miss agatha said allegra AU egra my dear will you tell the hall force that mr cochrane Cochra neis is to be admitted the fur collar of the girls cloak softened her face and the february wind had lent it color her aunt told her dryly and briefly of our discovery allera allegra glanced past me at the swathed weapon on the desk then a thought startled her agatha youve sent for the police and no one knows whose fingerprints ger prints may be on that knife even even groves her aunt completed in a level voice yes my dear im not a roman matron but I 1 have a respect for law if they are there allegra had stepped quickly toward the desk I 1 knew her purpose and moved between her and the knife they arent your brothers I 1 told her he was here when that knife was lost anger lighted her eyes but her face went white if you think she said in a taut voice im going to let my brothers life be juggled about because a spy has hoodwinked an old woman miss agathas quiet speech stilled her im not too old allegra she said to be obeyed in my own house will you teu tell the hall force to admit mr cochrane or shall I 1 I 1 saw what was coming the girls face seemed to break apart into quivering fragments her voice shook with ghastly mirth 1 I wont it cant be happening its a tunny funny hideous I 1 said sharply get hold of yourself you arent lone ione paget she looked at me like someone just waked then she drew a deep unsteady breath and went to the telephone to do her aunts bidding thereafter she turned and looked at me again thank you she said the first time p forget it I 1 told her she drew up a chair beside miss bliss agatha their hands joined the girl bent over and kissed the still old face so we waited for shannon while the crumpled mound of hand kerchief on the desk kept us still it was cochrane who arrived first his chubby face his mild prosaic air loosened the atmosphere lie he bowed and acknowledged miss agathas introduction to her niece so easily that I 1 think the girl was partly reassured then he beamed at me this is in confidence he said including the whole room in his bis smile this my lad is banner line stuff it if we can get to use it did you see the sphere this morning a any ny of you I 1 shook my head I 1 felt the sting in AU egras voice as she answered we read the press 00 TO BE CONTINUED |