The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-04-24
CHAPTER xrx-cont,nued.

"That's So" agreed Haviland,
thoughtfully; 'but, even so, it's my be-
lief that that's the way It all hap
pened. How Pauline got the stuff I've
no idea, but there's no other explana-
ton that Ats the facts. Aunt Lucy's
aversion to drugs or medicines could
have been overcome by few people,
but Pauline could have wheedled her
into taking 1t by some misrepresenta-
ton of its healing qualities or some
thing like that"
att must have been under some such
misapprehension that she look it, said
Stone. "For I'm convinced she took
It dissolved in a glass Of water, and
therefore, vas unconscious OF the act,
thought not of the nature Of the dose.
But couldn't Miss Stuart have given 1t
innocently by mistake, as a headache
powder Or .
"Miss Darlington never had head
aches, returned Anita, land, any way,
Pauline couldn't make such mistake.
Il isn't as If Miss Darlington had a
medicine cabinet like other people,
where drugs might get mixed up. No,
Mr.. Stone, there was no mistake"
sYou think Miss Stuart admins
tered the poison purposely, to kill her
aunt?"8
II would have been a brazen soul,
indeed, that could have spoken falsely
under the piercing CLEAN in Fleming
Stones eyes then. .~r
81 am forced to think that" replied
Anita, quietly. "And you know l was
present when Miss Darlington de-
nounced Pauline and told her to leave
this house the, next day. And I also
heard Miss Darlington when she said,
later. that half her fortune should not
70 to a nitce who treated her as Pau
line did" 49,, 81
Would she have used those words
in speaking to Miss -Stuart?" asked
Etone, pointedly. an.
Surely she would. Why not?"
"Never mind all that, Mia" said
Haviland. "Polly's gone-run away
and it's up to us to do all wa can to
help her. II her flight means she's
guilty, never mind, we must stand up
for her, and deny anything that In
eliminates her. If she did poison
Aunt Lucy, we don't want her convict
ed of it. She'll 60 straight to Loria,
and he'll look out for, her all right.
But If we find anybody's going to head
her CT at Naples, or anywhere, we
must warn her and help her to thwart
their plans" ~ 81 ~ ~
Accessory after the fact be-
gan Stone. .....
"Sure!" said Haviland. You bet
we'll be accessories after the fact, to
help Polly out! Why, Mr.. Stone, IL
she did this thing, the best possible
plan for her was to vamoose, Just as
she did do. Carr Loria can hiee her
In Egypt. so nobody G an find her, and
after a while" ....
"Mr. Haviland," and Stones eyes
cleaned, I'm surprised at your atti-
tuCe. How can you SO easily taxa Miss
Stuart's guilt for granted"
EMO other way cut. Now. look here,
Mr.. Stone, neithe: Miss Frayne nor l
did this thing. We weren't tied to
Miss C~arrington's apron strings. We
could walk off and leave her II we
chose. But Miss Stuart couldn't. Her
life was q perfectly good hell on earth.
I know all about ii, q lot more, even,
than Miss Frayne does. l don't quite
say / don't blame Polly, but I do say 1
quite understand it. She Is an inpul-
bc&yo ow.nnfurn Cha'n Gland on r1uf,.l
lot and then fly all to pieces at eome
little thing that sets her nerves on
edge. She's clever as the devil, and
II she procured that aconite, long Ego,
say, it was in anticipation of some tlme
when she-well, when she just reached
the limit. And 1t happened to come
that night. That's all. 49,.
wrong, Mr.. Haviland, all wrongi"
and Stones face was positively tTi-
umphaut. I've found an additional
hint, in what you've just sad, and Pm
convinced / am OIL the right track!
One o question, Mist Frayne,
about that conversation you so luckily
overheard"
"Luclily% said Anita, her great
blue eyes showing alarm in their star.
tied gaze.
Surely! Most fortunate, to my
mind. Indeed, it may well be that
That carefully exact memorandum of
.'ours may be the mea of clearing
Miss Stuart Of all suspicion. Now,
-tell me this. You heard only Miss Car,
rington's voice, as il speaking to some
body. Did it sound as If she spoke all
wayS to the same person, Or to more
than one at the different times?"
"Wef, it did sound as IL she spoke
to different persons, but 1t couldn't
have been so. Surely, If there had been
more than one I must have heard some
other words than her own f-2%
"l.3vef mind your own surmises.
fOn say. IL seemedeas IL she addressed
moro than one person. Why?" .
sEccause she used a different into
sat.oa. At times angry, at times low
ng. But this Is only an impression,
= ! now look back in memory e I
haven't thought about this point be.
Hrwa1 N w . - Nz& %