Evening star., 1923-12-21
Continued from Yesterdays Starr


so I gathered" she said. Il knew
that Godfrey was "a native here"
You've gone on with your fathers
old trade | see" Middleton glanced
comprehensiveIN about him and then
back TO Geoff. our place needs fix
ing up and my sister-in-law will
want a lot of work done. AS soon
as your job here is finished or you
can get away. if il isn't too far to
the Corners
''Twasn't too far when your ma
used to give treats for the village
Kids. and | reckon there amt no
buddy I'd ruther work for now than
any folws o yours Geoff responded.
Dunno how soon | kin git away
here, but whenever the contractor
sends out new gang o his own men
I'll go over and what Mrs. Harper
Middleton wants done"
Fine, You'll find Miss Sherwood
there too. and I'll probably be down
Miss Sherwood is coming home to-
day" The last remark was obvious
ly intended for the benefit of the
young woman. but she shook her
head. smiling wanly.
mot as long as Mrs. CayIey needs
me here. Adrian" She spoke with d
turned to the house. Middleton pre-
pared to follow.
Don't forget. Godfrey. as soon as
YOU can leave here! That old place
of ours will keep you busy for the
rest of the summer"
He strode off, and the mason stood
gazing after them, with soft light
glowing deep In his eyes, until they
had mounted the terrace steps and
disappeared within. Then, in an
al n ted f.4S he
TO his work once more. but he
whistled no longer and the concrete
molds filled slowly.
No two-faced Lefty appeared to Of
fer enticing refre eShmentS at noon
and Geoff consumed his dinner in
peace under the shade of nearby
tree, then wandered down toward the
boathouse. II struck him as odd that
ne had caught no glimpse of young
Rupert AShe hanging about the
place and il occurred to him that
the boy might be waiting at the last
rendezvous in the hope OF being aoN
10 communicate with Mildred CayleE.
The place was silent and deserted.
however. and he had star ed to re
trace his steps when. on ne farther
side of the boathouse. high up on
The strip of beach near where II
merged into growth of rank.
coarse grasses. a tiny heap Of drift
wood. piled up as no steamers back
wash would have left il, met MS
eyes. He sauntered over to II and ldly
Kicked the sticks and bits Of board
aside to find beneath them low
mound of sand. no bigger than ms
two hands but packed down tightly as
If something had been buried there
Curious, he knelt and began to dig.
but a few Goops with the fiat piece
of wood which he had picked up to-
use as a shovel brought to light
that which made him sit back on
his heels with gasp OF surprise. II
was just a soft wad OF some giossy.
black fabric, but, when he finally
pulled it out and unrolled 1t. gap
ing rent appeared in its surface, a
Jagged tear into which that scrap in
his tobacco sack e. at h9me antI4ede "ouio
Geoff stuffed IL inside his shirt
and glancing around him he rose
scuff1inG the sand about until the
shallow hole was completely nlled.
There was look of stern gravity on
his fsSe as he strobe hastily along
the back path which led out behlno
the garage, and an expression almost
nf pain in his kindly eyes; but his
Jaw was set resolutely. and when ne
reached his destination he took up
his work again doggedly. Ignoring
the unsightly bulge on his chest be-
Meath the coarse shirt.
Well on toward the middle of the
afternoon. q smart sedan rolled up
the driveway to the house front.
with Sedate chauffeur in dark
livery behind the wheel. GeoH could
not discern whether it carried one OF
more passengers. and in a Few MN
utes ii departed in the direction OF
the village. If il were seeking
lakes service station and the pub
lie garage adjoining. the indlcations
were that the new arrival or ar
rivals intended 10 remain, but the
solitary worker did not go near the
house 1t was none of his business
and, moreover. curiosity had led him
into assuming enough responsibility
FOR one day.
He. continued his labors uninter-
ruptedly until the o'clock whistles
blew, but Dr. Hood did not put in an
appearance. and at last ne MADE
everything shipshape for his return
the following morning and started
for home A few yards beyond the
gates. however. the medical exam
iner's disreputahle little car came in
sight, and Geoff waited until it had
pulled up beside him cur,
"Phew. I've had day of it. Geoff
the doctor exclaimed. "How's every
thing been going up there?
He nodded toward the Cayley es-
tate, and Geoff responded:
Dunno. Doc. ain't been up to
the house a-tall, but worked steady
on the garage. Zeke Foster didn't
come a-nigh me: he was busy keeping
folks off the place that hadn't no
business to be there. but one slipped
a-past him and tackled me; young
reporter feller from the city. | got
that lady visitor. Miss Sherwood
come along and stopped to say good
rnornin'" Real pleasant-Spoken, she
is, with no more airs than If she'd
been livin' here to the Cove all her
life Have you talked with herr?
Il saw her for few minutes yes
terday. just long enough to have her
corroborate Mrs. Cayley's story of
how they all spent the evening, be
fore the murder She didn't hear
anything during the night, she said.
and only knew what had happened
when Lefty came up to break the
news to Mrs. Cayley. Miss Sherwood's
a mighty handsome young woman.
the doctor commented. as she the
only one of the household you had
any conversation with. Geoff? what's
become of Sergt. Elliott"
"Ain't laid eyes on him all day nor
Dn any o the folks from the house ex-
cept Miss Sherw ood. but while she
was talkin' to me a fine-looking city
feller came to see her. and who do
you S'poSe twas?
Geoff described the meeting with
Adrian Middleton and their mutual
recognition. repeating, also, the con-
Nersation which he had overheard
from the rear of the garage. The
doctor listened attentively until its
conclusion: then he remarked.
It read that article in the paper
limiting at what it called "A budding
romance between the fnancier and
charming society girl. who is report
ed TO be a guest at his sisters home.
where the murder took place. That
was all: ii didn't mention her name
there but an earlier paragraph had
given list of every one known to
have been in the house at the approx
innate time of the tragedy. so it might
as well have come out with it. Mid
dleton seemed pretty indignant about
IT, from what you say; jealous. eh?'
kinder looks more to me 'sif he
hated the idee o a friend gittin' in
the scandal Geoff nuShed back his