The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-14
CHAPTER 15-Continued
A DETECTIVE STORY

CHAPTER 15-COHtinued
 Cray hesitated to speak his mind, but he rumi mated that he had heard of such things in the course of his | life. Miss Bascom, he thought, was an unsophisticated old maid, but there was certainly new condition to be investigated, and the case of Miss Anita Austin must be carefully considered.
 Now, Miss Bascom,' ne said diplo- matically, I'll have to ask you to keep this whole matter quiet for a time, You must see that we can't work successfully if we take the whole town into our confidence. or even this entire household" Don't you try to bamboozle me, Stephen Crayl I know your sort. You want to keep this matter quiet because you want to get that girl off scotfree! l know you men! Just be- cause she has a pair of big. dark eyes and slim little shape you are ready to hide her guilt mad let her off easy. I won't have it! That girl stole those things. or else she got them from poor John Waring in a way no decent woman would
 What are you talking about, Liza | Bascom?"
 Mrs. Peyton appeared in the door way, and though she asked the ques- tion, 1t was fairly evident that she knew the answer and had been listen ing.
 "Yes," she went on I've been listening at the door, and I'm glad 1 did. First of all, I won't have pr. 1 Warnings name traduced, and next, if 1 there's a girl implicated in the mat " a h got to come outi I know the girl, she was here Sunday afternoon, and @ more zen-faced, bold hammered chit l never want to seew
 She was here?" asked the bewil- dered Cray. You know herr"
 T know all want to know of her." Mrs. Peyton declared. Yes, she was here-came over with Emily Bates and Plnky. Wouldn't condescend to be really one of us, but just acted offish and seemed to me about half witted"
 Don't be silly" put in Miss Bas- com. That's the last thing to say of her! Whatever that girl may be. she's got all her wits about herl can see that for myself"
 Was Dr. Warning present when Miss Austin was here?" asked Cray, thinking hard.
 Yes" replied Mrs. Peyton. land i that's a strange thing. When he first saw her-unexpectedly, you know-he dropped his teacup"
 Because of the meeting?" asked Cray.
 T don't know" Mrs. Peyton said. He declared afterward he had never seen the girl before-bWt-oh-I can't nightr
 "of course she didn't" Cray said.
 How could she get in. unless some one admitted her"
 There's the French window in inc study" Mrs. Peyton suggested, uncer- talnly Dr Waring could have let her in that way"
 Well. he didn't" Miss Bascom de- clared. Land! I've known John War lng all my life, and he's not the kind or man that had anything to do with rnrtatious young women"
 Of truth, Liza Bascom had known Wariag for many years and had spent number of them in des- perate effort to persuade him to renounce bachelorhood in her favor.
 fet her words carried little weight with Attorney Cray, who fancIed that he knew men better than the insistent spinster possibly could. t, Miss Bascom," he said, after fur ther thought, and Mrs. Peyton, too I'm going to ask you-Tm going to | qLiet until after the funeral of pr. ! Waring. That occurs tomorrow. and l want day or so to look into this l thing quietly. We would gain noth- ing by rushing matters. I will see Miss Austin of course, and rest as- sured, if she's guilty of any wrong doing, she shall not escape. But 1t is serious matter to accuse a sus- pect without giving any chance for explanatfon-"
 There's no explanation of that | ruby pin and all that money, that is not discriminating to that girlr' | Miss Bascom exclaimed nevertheless, am in authority, and l forbid you to discuss the con nection of Miss Austin with the case | at all."
 Cray knew how to Impress bellig- erent women, and he even added a l hint of their making trouble for themselves unless they obeyed his explicit command.
 He returned to the study. where Gordon Lockwood was going over | the mornings mail. | The secretary was a busy man, for l his late employer had had number of diversified interests, and every mall brought letters, catalogs, cir culars and newspapers that required careful attention. John Waring had been collector of rare books, and other curios, and was interested in several literary enterprises.
 To, many of these correspondents Lockwood could merely send state ment of the doctors death. But oth- l CTS involved careful and wise judg- ment, and Lockwood conscientiously l discharged his duties.
 The study had been put In order. and all traces of the tragedy had been removed. The books that had been on the desk, including the ! bloodstained copy of Martial :"