Evening star., 1923-12-16

roreu ID! MIS- tayiey for her attitude to-
mard Stoneham Lane, the family friend who
mas been summoned. Later the coroner and
lieutenant OF police arrive, and It is found
mat lack of footprints in the court Indicates
scter ' 'i
Dr. Hood undertakes 10 question the various
prrsohs VINO had been in the house, sud in the
S2urse OF this work Lane arrives. while young
ar. Ashe. who Is friend of Mildred +.
the scene Geof tells him that the witnesses
are being questioned, as A>he had been q
guest the preceding evening.
Continued from Yesterdays Starr
You have been long time with
MIR. Benkard?" Doctor Hoods tone
was sympathetic.
Seven years. Doctor. Seven
years. Dunn repeated in a whisper.
IKE man in A dream. II was a
nroker. myself in good standing once.
out l met with reverses. Do they
know who-who killed him?"
The Doctors reply was lost in the
c!osing of the dining-room door. and
feoff made his way out 70 the ter
race once more. 1t was deserted. but
retrieving his pipe which ne had left
10 cool on the pile of boards, he
seated himself and was proceeding TO
refill it when "a bulky shadow ap-
peared on the newly dried concrete,
and he looked up to find the county
detective confronting him.
You the guy that's been doing this
work around here" He gestured
comprehensively and Geoff nodded.
I'm Detective Sergeant Eliot from
the Homicide Bureau of the Office of
the District Attorney
He fiipped open the lapel of the
light gray coat for an instant. dis-
playing his badge, but the stone
mason merely nodded again and
went on filling his pipe.
Heard tell you was a-comin'. and
seen you hen you stopped the cook
from leavin'," he remarked.
II thought it was you in the
there
"Gittin some coffee" Geoff cupped
his hands over the match he had
lighted and then drew the cool,
fragrant smoke in contentedly.
$50 lou We're going to let her make
her getaway. were you?" Sergeant
Eliot adopted a bullying tone, and the
other squinted Up AT him quizzically.
Nobody hadn't printed ME deputy
nor told me Ia stop her. and ] aim
TO mind my own business" he dra wled
in perfect good humor MY job Is
10 finish this here terrace and the
garage soon,s | git chance"
Been working here long," the de-
t"Ctive demand ID.
"Of and on ever since the founda-
tions was laid.
Inside as well as out? Any of that
plaster stun around the fountain and
IAN = the anishin' off. only it amt
plaster" explained Geoff. ITS
stuc"o and
Never mind what i, is: I'm no
dropped his bullying tone and his
manner was heavii;' facetious. IF
you've been here working on the in
side from the beginning. you're the
man I'm after to tell me how the
rooms are laid out downstairs. For
instance. what's this long one here
at the left that runs from the library
all the way back?'
when Mis- Cayley gifts round TO put
tin in the plants and such. as you
could have told from the windows If
you'd been a-past 'em outside" There
was the harest suspicion of a twinkle
In the bovine brown eyes.
And on this side there's the kitch-
en and pantry and dining room. and
then another room that stretches
across the front to the entrance hall
about as big as the parlor opposite.
but 1t seems to be shut up" the de-
tective pursued. What's 1t used for
Rnyway?'
70 have the ceilin' handpainted and
move the piano in from the parlor and
call il music room but j heard
tell they was expectin' to have lots
card parties and private play-actin'."
Are the windows Of that and the
conservatory always fastened?'
Reckon so" Geoff smoked on with
70 that--Henry Carp. the butler
And the doors of both of these
locked?"
GeoT squinted up once more.
"Dunno's' can tell YOU that. Mister
Sergeant ainst had occasion to
60 in either Of 'em since the family
moved here and that's been about a
!, -
made TO every room in the house but
! never heard tell who had 'em. 'cept
Mr.. Bernhard"
What's your name?" asked the de-
tective suddenly, after a pause
"Geoffrey Peters"
Got your card with you?"
Geoff thrust out his lantern-jsw a
trif1e
IT don't belong to no union. and
|. don't need to; everybody round
here knows me like they knew my
father before me. and he was the best
carpenter and mason in the county.
git more odd jobs and steady ones
then ] can tend to. and hope you
and the consta ble-I mean, the lieu
tenant-will ketch the feller soon that
Killed Mr.. Bernhard sos I can git on
with my work.
Sergt. Eliot chuckled
Guess you won't be idle long.
them he boasted; then added quickly
in lowered tone: who is this?'
Geof glanced toward the path
which led around the west side OF
the house from the newly laid out
garden. and rose.
Young lady visitin' here: Miss
Sherwood, her name is" he replied
Friend O. Mis- Cayley and her daugh-
ter from the city.-Reckon I'll git on
down to the beach and see how them
concrete piles o. the boathouse Is
settin'. unless there's somethin' else
YOU want to ask me?"
Not now" The detective motioned
him away, and Geoff reached in the
tool box for his cap and then strolled
off down the terrace steps But as
soon as he was out of sight from
above. he felt in the torn lining of
. the cap for the precious bit of soft,
glossy. black fabric which he had
secreted there.
Reassured of its safety. he went on
whistling his gay but mon notonous re-
frain of the morning. at first softly,
then shrill and clear as he ap-
pected,. two youthful, anxious faces
peered cautiously at him from around
the corner of the tiny veranda which
faced the Sound.
Affecting not TO notice them, he
stopped and ran his hand down one
but when he reached the one nearst
TO them at the waters edge, the
whistle ceased.
"'Taint any o. my business" he
spoke as If to himself. but ] kinder
think somebody's been missed from
The house. That young lady who's
Sisitin' there. Miss Sherwood. just
come lookin' round outside. real anx-
ious. She's on the terrace now, but |
don't reckon she's :quainted with that
Cutting short the grateful thanks
of the pair by renewed whistIfne