Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-06-12

| asked the girl, Win little 1rOWn.
"Yes," he replied, with a nod. and
added: "Asche Kayton."
"Oh," said the girl doubtfully. "Do
you think he can do anything?"
Hes the greatest detective In the
country" returned Argyle IF he
can't, nobody can. If we'd got him at
hrst we wouldn't have had the thing
all muddled up the way It is now, with
suspicion on me and Mary and-every-
body"
Miss Thompson shook her head, ap-
parently lost between hOpelessness and
obstinacy.
81 don't believe It'll ever be found
cut who killed him." she declared.
Argyle shrugged his shoulders impa-
tiently. eff KaytOn finds out enough to
clear Mary that's all l ask" he said
shortly. Instantly the girls hand was
OH his arm and her eyes looked up into
his troubled face In love and sympathy.
"Oh, Bruce, dear" she exclaimed
softly, body believes you or Mary
had anything to do with It."
"Nobody that knows US, Of cOurse!
said Argyle gravely. But what about
the people that read the newspapers
and don't know us? How is Maryr'
"Shes wonderful breathed the girl
1.-The way she keeps up! I'd go out Of
my mind But she's so strange, Bruce.
She hasn't said word about your
father since I came She simply won't
speak Of It."
Bruce nodded, staring thOughtfully
straight out before him.
"Mary's always like that" he said.
''She never talks about the things that
are way deep down In her. The old
man knew 1t. And he liked her for 1t,
/ guess He could quarrel with me, but
he could never get rise out Of Mary.
She just simply kept quiet and-got her
own way with him He never forgave
me for refusing to marry her, but he
never quarreled with her for refusing
to marry me-"
The girl vehemently possessed herself
Of his hand. I'm glad she refused"
she whispered. Bruce slipped his arm
about his sweetheart's waist and kissed
the top or her mead.
"She understood about you, Man," he
said gently, "from the first. And she
was doing everything she could to help
Us with him. If he'd lived she'd have
brought him around. He probably
cared more for her than for anything
else in the world. It's been that way
ever since she was a little girl-ever
since she came here to live"
He broke off and drew away from
the girl as woman Of about forty five,
breathing audibly and plainly very ner
vous and excited, sort Of swarmed into
the library. She was a highly respect
able, If not highly intellectual, woman
whom the elder Argyle had retained. as
companion to his adopted daughter.
"Good morning, Bruce" she painted,
bustling over to window and closing
1t violently. 81 didn't know you were
detective-Kayton Is coming"
YES" nodded Bruce Mrs. Wyatt
rolled her eyes. She was evidently in
Q chronic condition Of excitement over
something that had happened or In ag-
tation over something that was likely
to happen.
81 think you're perfectly right" she
declared, tanning herself with a maya
zine. 81 mean to say those police de-
tectives aren't getting anywhere. Here
it's whole week and we don't know
any more than we did at first"
well, this Kayton Is wonder"
said Bruce, preparing to leave. He'll
find some clew that oil the other de-
tectives have missed. I've got to go
now, Nan. The lawyers have sent for
me. I'll be right back
Mrs. Wyatt sighed gustily and gazed
about her as Bruce disappeared.
"YOu know Miss Thompson" she
said, "this has been my home for TWEEN
ty years, ever since Mary was taken
into the family, but it never will be
again. / mean to say | never could
feel at home In house where there'd
been murder. l suppose I'm peculiar,
but l never-but It doesn't make any
difference whether the room is opened
or locked up, | can't go by without
mean? l suppose" another sight
suppose Mary'll sell the place. Have
you heard anything about it?"
'Oh, now exclaimed the girl hastily.
Well" Mrs. Wyatt pursed her lips
and breathed even more rapidly.
What do you think of the villa"
Miss Thompson looked uncomfort-
able. 81 think it's very unjust, of
course she replied reluctantly. Mrs.
Wyatt shook her head darkly.
MFR. Argyle was very strange man.
don't want to say anything disagree
able about the dead, but it's certainly
hard to understand how man could
cut his own son off without a cent and
leave fortune to girl who is In no
way related to him."
IL don't believe Mary will let the
will stand" interposed Miss Thomp-
son, with the manner Of one anxious
to turn a disagreeable conversation.
Miss Thompson, I'd say that, too,
but money changes people so. / mean
IN cau-tasya nnrfaofIy 90 v,tnIoA