Evening star., 1923-06-07
Footprints In the SNOW.


1t was Pinky Payne, who. all ex-
element. came running in.
i've just heard, and l want TO see
Aunt Emily"
Here I am. dear. Come here. my
boy" and she drew him down beside
her on the sofa.
What do they say. Pinky? What's
the talk in town. Lockwood asked.
"Oh, the place is in turmoil.
There are the widest reports. Some
say it's a-a-that he killed himself,
you know. and some say-he didn't.
Which was it?"
The boys lips Quivered as he looked
about at the silent people.
Tell him. Gordon" begged Mrs.
Bates. and Lockwood told the princi-
pal details Of the mystery.
Never a suicide. Never" Pinck-
ney Payne declared. II knew Doc
Waring too well for that. Suicide
means a coward-and he was never
that. No. Aunt Emily, II was murder.
Oh. how terrible" and the boy almost
lost control Of himself. You were al
the bottom of IL, Auntie. I'm sure it
fused when you took up with Doc
Waring."
Why. Pinckney. How dreadful OF
you. Don't say such a thing"
But know 1t. If you'd heard Jim
Haskell and Philip Leonard talk
ing"
"Pinky. forbid you-''
But it's true. Auntie. And If il s
true. you want them shown up, don't
you. whichever one it was?"
Hush. Pinky-hush"'
Yes, shut up. Pink" Lockwood
spoke sternly. What you suggest j.
highly improbable. but even if there's
suspicion of such thing, don't babble
about ii. That's the detective 5
work"
"Yes-and who's your detective: :
Old blind -as-a-bat Morton, I'll bet.
who can't see hole through lad
der. I'll show him now
"Pinky. l beg of you. hush" said
his aunt. losing her self-control.
There. Auntie dear. don't cry. |
didn't mean to worry you. but some
thing must he done
Something will be done. Finky."
Lockwood assured him. But ] tell
YOU right now. il you try to stick
your inexperienced finger in this pie
you'll make trouble for US all--from
your aunt down. Now. behave your
boy"
That's what I'm doing! And |
don't propose 10 lie down on the job.
either. I tell you. Gordon. | know
a lot about detective work.
Cut II out. Pink" said Helen and
the irrepressible youth. ITO read de-
tective stories is one thing-to solve
real. live mystery is quite another
That's right. Helen" and Lock :
wood nodded approval. Many a per
son thinks he has a bit of detective
instinct. when all he has is curiosity
and Imagination"
Helen. pleased at this appreciation.
went on to lay down the law for
Pinckney Payne.
She was interrupted by the en-
trance of Morton who wanted TO
learn more of the departed japanese,
Nogi.
What other servants are there ?'
he asked Mrs. Peyton.
Only the two Japanese" she re-
piled. They do all the cooking and
, serving at table: all the cleaning of
the house: and the rest. my daughter
and myself attend to-"
There is a chauffeur"
Yes. but the garage is few
blocks away, and the chauffeur lives
at home"
You had Nogi but a short time -
only A few days.
He came well recommended
He had very fine written recon-
m mendations. but from people did not
know, and too far away to inquire of.
/ took him on trial"
He seemed honest and faithful?'
He seemed so-but he was silent
and moody-a man one could scarcely
understand"
Can you imagine his killing his
master-granting the opportunity o.
Mrs. Peyton considered. Il can
imagine it," she said. but | shouldn I
like 10 say | would suspect him of it,
He was soft-footed, and went about
with sort of stealthy manner, but
I'm not prepared to say he was wrong
in any way"
Call in Ito, the other one"
Ito came and stood Stolidly by. His
impassive demeanor was not unlike
| that of Gordon Lockwood. Waring
had sometimes remarked this in a