Show af B BLACK JL ia py W am N N ws 13 JM CLIFFORD KNIGHT E M chatfield hollywood nol lywood artist Is cut her aunt at kitty who the be will w of lf arout m if overdose ol of morphine or an fron from died 11 detective and bunt an n amateur party professional sleuth so go to MM diaz a bogers ia Al alerico exico on n a cruise 1 I bilth 1 lt mart argaret there they arriving nichols DWI debt 9 ht ad that t sin land d her h party bad pre tied L them by bi plane they dine at th the a to father sam sam chatfield of 0 elsis elsas questions about ilia his visit to abom kiy kitty on ulc the night 1 I she died ed awer ster h 1 elsa els is seen by barry and rogers evidently later atly able ing for her b life fc on horseback dismounts and james dd eAly she a mine I 1 ciener reins up elsa els ebro bO Cb cw abbo across the face ace with her urn m quirt again and gillil again CHAPTER VII but elsa W was as not through with A moment later when her aim 1 dropped to all four feet she i borse rame came within striking distance and again bain the quirt lashed out to cut chesebro across the shoulders this tittle chesebro was too dignified to run ran from her an upraised arm to fend off the quirt was ys his only defense elsa I 1 shouted starting from our place beside the oxcart els elsa a 10 but she hear me chesebro yas was now rolling along the ground alive to his danger but as yet unable to escape the lashing whip elsa stop stop it I 1 shouted d moving rapidly down upon n her rogers at my heels the rigid arm relaxed the quirt slowly tell fell horn from her nerveless fingers the quirt which later was to play so vital a part in our tragic story the rage that had stirred elsa to a frenzy melted quickly away rogers released her and went to help chesebro to his feet sudden suddenly ly elsa turned into my arms soft and yielding trembling weakly oh barry she said A sob shook her body convulsively oh barry I 1 said that someday id pull off his legs but not enough im going to kill him instead chesebro was put gently to bed in an all enormous room furnished in ancient black walnut the high ceiling and the great length and breadth of the room gave me the feeling al most of being in a cathedral in an incredibly short time considering si that this was mexico the doctor arrived it is the heart yes he said at last speaking english with a strong rhythmic accent hes had an attack it is light but he shall remain in bed for st several iveral days why the face like this he inquired indicating di the bruised flesh he did not cot fall on the face no there was an argument doctor cruz rogers replied slowly in which he was severely beaten with a whip ahl ah responded doctor cruz and shrugged his shoulders discreetly I 1 went into town with the doctor when he left that early afternoon As I 1 explained to huntoon rogers it was best that someone of us sought out reed barton to tell him of what had happened youre coming out again of course for the evening rogers inquired yes I 1 miss a fiesta I 1 dont suppose Che sebros condition will make any difference in their plans 1 I think not george rumble lingering in the shade of a clump of bananas came to life 1 I believe ill go along with you all ali right is it doc he asked of doctor cruz you bet responded the mexican physician and so we rode into town it together gether 0 doc doctor or cruz dropped me a few minutes later in a side street where over a doorway let into a glaring ante wall was a sign bearing chese bros name it was the siesta hour but I 1 entered its comfortable shady interior where the heat of the day apparently had not penetrated A youthful mexican sitting idly at a typewriter looked up and got quick ly lout out of his chair A sus senor he said senor barton is he in I 1 in wired in n spanish si senor por esta puerta he sald eald rapping PP mg gently then opening the noor door into the inner office reed barton sat with his feet pon poll the top of his desk smoking a cigarette and gazing dreamily out into to a small patio where a fountain dripped dipped a and d a ruby throated hum riling bird iwas was busy among the flow ers hello old man I 1 said heed took his feet from the desk sot got slowly from his chair and dropped copped his cigar cigarette i tte into an ash tray ay 1 he held out his hand I 1 dropped in just now to teu tell you some news what news 1 I thought ant you ought to know a about it Che sebros had a heart hear attack lack the doctor has put him to tc bed out at sam Chat fields 11 what brought that on with elsa beat him up P quite badly bad h a whip a while ago almost cut him lowed owed to ribbons the attack fol blell I lell he said with surprisingly surprising little lit t show of interest it S anian anything at ahng to rn me e t barry to tc know about it thank you though for your trouble 11 I 1 dont understand understand I 1 began at a this odd reception of the news I 1 had for him it really matter barry it he amplified chesebro and I 1 al are 1 e through were quits hes kicked me out of his organization ive been sitting here resting a bit after getting my stuff together and thinking you mean youre fired docs yes wily what elsa of course the man is mad barry about her that evening at the rancho is one that none of us who was present will ever forget an evening not of full fiesta but of gay and typical dances the an evening that ended so tragically chesebro was lying motionless in bed because of the painful injuries inflicted by the lash of elsas whip he did not turn his head when we came into the room merely inquired quietly who we were 1 I im glad you came in he said from his pillow sit down wont you well not stay rogers told him going up to the bedside and looking down upon the bandaged occupant can we get you anything do any service for you chesebro tp thank you no im all right ill be up and about in a few days he rested a moment before he continued they are very kind to me both sam and senora chatfield field I 1 ask more devoted thoughtful attention oh im sure youre well cared for I 1 said it was a I 1 started to say something of the beating elsa had given him but paused afraid to irritate his sensibilities chesebro waited a moment for me to go on then said 1 I dont 4 to she had gone mad with hatred of him blame elsa I 1 blame only myself for having underestimated elsas capabilities elsa is began rogers a half humorous note in his voice surprisingly singly full of capabilities yes said chesebro matter of factly true but she know she have known that I 1 was experiencing a little trouble with my heart and I 1 have done what I 1 did you find me very contrite gentlemen elsa im sure will forgive me when she comes in to see me as ive been promised later on she will do we said good night and with withdrew drew from the huge dimly lighted room where dark shadows in the far corners could have concealed a host of evil spirits there was an odd constrained silence when we entered the living room a slight hush of expectancy and a stiffening of the occupants in the chairs dwight and margaret had arrived rumble was there having come out with me from town sam and berta were sitting with them elsa had not yet made her appearance and reed barton came in a moment or two after we entered he was dressed picturesquely tures quely as a charro the mexican cowboy and evidently was determined mile d to have a part in the evenings festivities he wore a short leather jacket a soft red t tie ie long leather pantaloons as tight as he could sit down in be spangled with silver buttons and chains I 1 detected a look of disappointment in his face as he glanced around the room and did not find elsa berta dressed in black velvet and heavily rouged gouged coquettishly made a place for him beside herself and indicated her husband with her fan as if he were only waiting foe for the attention of all before saying something 1 I he began hesitantly 1 I are am suggesting something for this particular time it is still early which has nothing whatever io to do with the th evenings festivities they will fol low it will come as a surprise se L know it will seem out of place perhaps to some of you but it is something that seems to be necessary sam chatfield was now well launched upon his little sp speech bech there was earnestness upon his face in his manner 4 you all know of course of the death of my sister katherine Kath crine in california now more than a year ago at odd times s since i nce that occurrence there have been intimations that the authorities are not satisfied with the official findings I 1 discover that among you there are two who are actively prosecuting an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding death since all of us here he looked around the elsa will be here shortly knew her or had some dealings or association of some sort with her I 1 shall ask mr rogers to conduct an examination I 1 want him and through him the authorities in california to be satisfied neither berta nor I 1 have been available for questioning hitherto and I 1 hope mr rogers will not feel eel constrained because we are his hosts in questioning us of course mr chesebro cannot be with us and is at present in no condition to undergo questioning but that perhaps can be done later if it has not already been done thank you mr chatfield it is indeed a surprise I 1 had been hoping soon to suggest that something like this be arranged im sure that mr madison will be grateful for this opportunity now that the rn matter atter is so to speak out in the open ai of course he hesitated looking intently at sam chatfield there is in the death of your sister or for that matter in the death 0 of f anyone else a set of facts we are uncertain just what those facts are the district attorneys office doubts the validity of what purports to be facts in the katherine chatfield case there was a stir in the doorway and elsa entered the room pausing on the threshold to survey us as we sat listening solemn faced and stiffly as if to a schoolmaster while rogers talked she was always lovely her hair of an almost golden sheen the level gray eyes the firm erect carriage which was emphasized tonight by the costume she wore she was dressed as a china Po blana am I 1 interrupting she asked from the threshold no dear come in said her father we were expecting you to join us he made a place tor for her at his side A faint smile flitted flirted across her face at the sight of reed barton and she nodded to him slightly aloof now this person who so ardently had hoped that reed would come like a caballero and sing love songs to her on the deck of the orizaba 1 I presume there is little need to do so but perhaps it is best to remind you all that katherine chatfield died of an overdose of morphine at rogers words elsa who had just sat down lifted her head high her nostrils opening wider as if she sniffed danger the overdose probably was much in excess continued rogers easily of what she was accustomed to take in the circumstances only two conclusions are possible either she administered the overdose herself in which case it was suicide or it was given to her by someone desiring her death either forcibly or by the aid of some preliminary anesthetic administered quickly before she was aware of her danger such as chloroform in which latter case of course it is murder mr chatfield quite recently told barry madison madis 0 n and me that both he and mrs chatfield were spending the night at the house the night his sister died elsa of course was there some time ago reed barton informed me that in the nature of his work for mr chesebro he ran many personal errands for him and that on this particular evening he had been instructed to deliver a book to her and I 1 have just discovered in talking with george rumble brumbl e that he had been engaged to do s some on tie publicity work for miss chatfield and that on the evening of her death he was present in the house for a short time that the two argued and that he left threatening to sue her for his money dwight rogers said with a smile so far as I 1 know you and margaret are the only ones here except excepting in g barry madison and myself who have not been shown to have been present that night how about it are you keeping something to yourself dwight N nichols ichols shifted his crossed legs and tapped t the he ash from the tip of his cigarette 1 I believe I 1 told you a long time ago hunt that I 1 might be accused of having a motive in kitty chat fields slaying if what it was I 1 profited to the extent of a couple of hundred thousand dollars at her death because of some property owned in joint tenancy but there it e ends I 1 happen to be at the house at any time that evening she died TO TC BE CONTINUED |