Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-22
VICKY VANozv :
"A Ch.ia q Evidence II Cl.e.- II M.4~.l My..e.y.. Ete.

|E. ne MAXWELL N1YDee1y. Etc, iii
My sleepy eyes opened to md Win.
ME pounding my shoulder Is L hump.
ed beneath the blanket.
Hey? What?"I grunted, trying tc
collect my perceptions.
"a reporter!" II Winnie had, said 9
Bengal tiger, she couldn't have looked
more terrified.
Great Scott! wtn-I remember!
Clear out, I'll be down in a minute.
L dressed in record time and wen'
downstairs in three leaps:
In the library, I found Aunt Lucy.
wearing an expression that she might
have shown if(the garbage man had
asked her to a dance.
But Winnie was eagerly drinking In
the story poured forth by the said re-
porter, who was quite evidently en-
joying his audience.
"oh, Chef, this is Mr.. Bemis Of The
Meteor. He's telling ussall about the
you know-what happened"
Winnie was too timid to say the
word murder. and I was sorry she had
to hear the awful tale from any one
but myself. However. there was nc
help for.it now, and I Joined the group
and did all I could to bring Aunt
Lucy's eyebrows and nose Town to
their accustomed levels.
But it was an awful story, make the
best of it, and the truth had to be
told.
"It Is appalling" conceded Aunt
Lucy, at length, "but the most re-
grettablevoircumstance.t to my mind. is
your connection with it all; Chester,
Nov, Auptie. have a little heart
for poor Mrs. Schuyler, and those old
lady sisters. Also for the man him
ooh, I have, Chef. I'm not inhuman'
But those things are in the papers ev-
cry day, and while one feels a general
sympathy, it can't be personal II one
doesn't know the people. But, for you
to be mixed up in such matters
II wasn't mixed up in it. Aunt Lucy:
except as I chose to mix myself. And
I've no doubt I should have gotten
into it anyway. Mr.. Bradbury will
have a.. lot to do with it, I'm sure. I'm
no better than he to mix in"
"In a business way, yes. But YOU
were there socially-where a murder
was committed"
Aunt Lucy could have shown no
more horror of it all, If L had been
the convicted criminal.
"And, I'm glad I was!" I cried, los
ing patience a little. IF I can be of
any help to the Schuyler people or to
Miss Van Aliens I shall be willing to
~ But Mi; van Allen is the-the
murderer!" and Aunt Lucy whisper
ed the word.
Don't say that" I cried sharply.
you don't know it at all, and there's
no reason to condemn the GIRL
I paused. Benlis was taking In my
every word with a canny understand
ing of what I said, and also OF what l
didn't say.
where do your suspicious tend. Mr..
he said smoothly.
Frankly, Mr.. Bemis. I don't know.
I am an acquaintance Of Miss Var AL
len and 1 cannot reconcile the idea Of
crime with her happy, gentle nature.
Nor can I see any reason to suspect
the waiter who first told Of the mat
ter. But might not some person. some
enemy of Mr.. Schuyler, have been
secreted in the house"
"A plausible theory" agreed Bemis.
"even an obvious one, but almost no
of it. I've seen the caterers
people, and they were in charge Of
room all the evening. Unless it were
one of the guests at the party, 1 think
intruder could have gotten in"
WELL" I returned, uneaSily, for I
he would go, "it isn't up to us
to invent theories or to defend them.
will answer your necessary ques-
but pardon me. if I remind you
I am a busy man and I haven't
yet had my breakfast"
Bemis took the hint, and after a
Of definite and pertinent ques-
he left.
Winnie tried to detain him, but my
curt courtesy made it difficult for him
to linger.
"oh, chessy," cried my sister, as
soon as Bemis had gone. cts, awful, I
know. but isn't it exciting %
Hush, Winnie" r%eproved Aunt
Lucy. "a girl Of your age should know
nothing Of these things and / want
you to put it out of your mind. You
nerves disturbed by the harrow
ing details"
That's all right. Aunt Lucy" I put
in, "but this is going to be a celebrat-
ed case, and Winnie can't be kept in
Of it's Developments. Now
a goodasort. Auntie-accept the in
evitable. Try to realize that I must do
what seems to me my duty, and If
that brings us o or less into the
VA PuOI1N1lyt ~ 40 q Dlly, UUI
it can't be helped"
II agree to all that, Chester. dear.
But you ate so mixed in 1t socially.
Why did you ever get into that set %
1T isn't a bad set, Aunt Lu. It isn't
a fast set. by any means
you wouldn't see Winnie or me
there"
mo, but a decent man goes to plac-
es where he wouldn't take his women
ron~1o NyA~y lot 1,~E A ,,-$i~ ~.,~< r~.,.
good-for-nothing nevvy, and just do
all you can to help--by doing moth
Ing"
) "I'n help you, Chessy-cat. I'll do
exactly as you tell me, if you'll only
let me know about it, and not treat
me like a baby" said Winnie, who
wheedlesomely assisting my
arrangements. She sugared
and creamed my cereal. and, as I dis
poured coffee and deftly sliced off the
top Of a 'soft-boiled egg.
managed to eat some of these
viands between answers to their rapid
fire volley Of questions and at last
made ready TO go down town.
And remember" I said, as I de.
parted. if a lot Of gossipy old hens
come around here today-or your
chicken friends-'Win9ie. don't tell
papers. or apply to information, or
any old way. but don't you two give
out a line Of talk! See?"
1 kissed them both. and started. of.
OF course, ! went over to Viyky
Vans first. I had been on the pro.
verbal pins and needles to get there
ever since l woke to CONSEQUENCES by
reason of the sisterly pounding that
brought me from the land Of dreams.
The house had an inhabited look,
and when / went in, I was greeted BY
the odor of boiling coffee.
"Come.right down iIere,' called Mrs,
Reeves from the basement