Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-06-14

MX AHTON broke of with nod
as Mrs. Beauregard, the cook,
A waddled into the room. She
was round faced old negress
with woolly gray hair strong teeth,
still white, and a mouth Of amazing
breadth, depth and construction. In
build she followed the line of squat
and badly constructed cylinder. In
motion she resembled a venerable
black duck. She wore a neat blue cal
tco dress and white apron, and about
her head was the inevitable kerchief
of the negro serving woman. But
Mrs, Beauregard's was a snowy white.
She rolled her eyes ponderously
about the room and finally brought
them to rest on the great detective,
who was surveying her critically.
"Am yo de genl'man wants to see
me?" she inquired heavily, her arms
akimbo and one broad foot advanced
giving her a singularly truculent air
Kitty hastily vanished, and Kayton
smiled upon the old negress.
Are you Mrs. Beauregard?" he in
qulred
ayes, sub, All am" she replied. voice
and expression being by no means en-
couraging. AN Abs heah to say All
don wanna see yo'. Abs seen nuff
o. YOU pIeecemen. All ohsahve ebry--
ebry time anythin' bad occuhs in this
heah wuhd yo' Nllus tries to put 1t
on to cullud folks"
How long have you lived here, Mrs
Beauregard?" inquired Kayton cour-
teously. ignoring the arralgnment or
the police.
"H'mr' shifted the cook contemptu-
ously How long has All libed heah?
Lawd O. lobe, All alus libed heah! All
Iibed heah eber since Miss Mary wuz a
Irr child. What business is 1t o yo's
how long All llbed heah?" And she
glared upon Kayton.
"Weu," returned Kayton, 'if you've
lived here so long you must have been
greatly attached to Mr.. Argyle"
The old darky swelled with wrath
."Don' yo try to wish no scandal on
me-" she warned him. "Ah wahn no
mo 'tached to Mr.. Argyle dan Mr.
Argyle war 'tached to me. Dere
wah'n nobody else in dis heah town
could cook for him.
"And | suppose you were Just as
much attached to Miss Mazuret|
"Doan yo' agger yo' can make me
say muffin galnst Miss Mary" storm
ed Mrs. BeauregaTd, shaking her fist at
hIm. "Come roun' heah tryln to work
mn mo- lies 'gaInst dat chile fo' de news
papers! All know nun to know she
didn't done muffin"
Kayton bit his lip. young Mr.. Ar
pyle" he said gravely, "has brought
me here to find out the truth. II you
know anything that will help to clear
Miss Mazuret you had better tell It"
The old termagant was impressed by
both words and manner and regarded
him doubtfully for a moment, Then
abe wheeled heavily upon the butler.
as dis heah man lyin' to mei' she
demanded 6ercely.
Finley shook bis head. There's
tricks in all trades, Mrs. Beauregard,
but I'm thlnkin' the truth can't hurt
Miss Mary So whatever ye know ye'd
best tell I'M"
Kayton nodded. well, what do you
know
"Ab know" declared the cook defiant
Iv "Nllss Mary hadn't muffin to do WI
dat 'sassination, cause she was on de
uppuh doh all de time"
"How do you know that" asked
Kayton
"Cause All done see her dere."
"Where were your
"Ah was cnwlln up dem kitchen
staihs. an deh was a light up deh, an
All look up an All see her"
"What brought you upstairsT
Mrs. Beauregard gathered up huge
handfuls OF her apron and rolled her
eyes. swallowing vislbly before she
replied