Evening star., 1923-12-11
ABOVE SUSPICION
By Robert Orr Chipperfeld.
Author Of "The Second Bullet" Unseen Hands"
The Trigger OF Conscience"
by Robe NJ &

Peters. He was there TO complete
the concrete and stucco terrace. and
he didn't aim to get mixed up in any
to-do about what had happened to
Joseph Bernhard,
This is all I could find" Lefty
reappeared from the terrace. 1--WE
runs down from the dome and fastens
under the balcony. SOS the flag can
be h'lsted and lowered from inside.
but there isn't any ladder round
long enough
we can make out with this"
Geon took the coil of plaster-smeare red
rope from her. and tying one end
or II 10 hinge of the glass door. he
passed il around several Of the urns
and stone seats and back to the other
side of the half-opened door once
more. so that az distance of several
feet II formed a rude semf-circle
about the bench. There he fastened
1t, then ducked beneath il and paused
folks to keep outside o. that 'till the
doc comes. I'm goin' to work Miss
needs me-"
Disappeared. and Lefty, after one
helpless glance at Carp's limp figure,
turned and flew up the stairs.
Mrs. Cayley!" She knocked sharp
lly az one of the doors leading on
to the gallery. "Oh. Mrs. Cayley.
There was sound OF movement
within and "A portly figure in negli-
ge, with graying hair in a dis
heveled but permanently waved Golf
fure. opened the door.
why have you disturbed me,
Letty?" she demanded In cold dis
pleasure. Haven't I told you-?"
oh. ma'am! Lefty wrung her
angular hands. Something terrible
has happened, 1t must have been
hnr In ferhf
Henry Carp only found him just now
and when he called out I ran down
and then Geoff Peters came-.'
What are you talking about"
Mrs Cayiey's contralto tones had
lowered tensely, and she gripped the
housemaid's wrist as in a vice, while
another door farther along the gall
lery opened slightly. What has
happened and whom have you found?"
'Mr. Bernhard, ma'am, He's lyin'
down there dead in the court with the
back OF his head all crushed in--."
Dead. Joseph-dead" Mrs. Cay
ley started back. repeating the
hoarse whisper over and over WHILE
massaged throat and she started
straight before her, as though un-
conscious of the presence of her in
formant. Joseph"
Yes. ma'am. He-he looks as
must go near-'''
Her words were choked back. for
Mrs. Cayley had suddenly thrust her
aside with an imperiOus sweep of her
arm and started for the stairs, but
a tall young woman in a loose robe,
with great ropes of red brown hair
hanging over each shoulder, inter
cepted her.
Mrs Cayley. could not avoid
hearing that something was wrong
/ " a 7 hR nf
assistance--?"
Vera. my dear" The stern lines
of repression softened for a moment
in the older woman's face. and she
steadicd herself with a hand on the
railing. 1T is my brother. / do
not understand. but l fear that some
accident or illness has come to him
aud | am going down to find out my
self. Stay with Mildred and don't
let her see or know anything If you
can help it: above all. do not allow
her to come downstairs"
You don't mean--," The girls
rich voice faltered. "Has-has some
thing terrible happened? oh. don't
Mr. Bernhard isn't-"''
THE servants have just found him.
Lefty eXaggerates, of course, but |
gather that he is lying unconscious
may have been there for hours!
Mildred is so excitable that I want
the child kept out of the way until
her uncle has been cared for"
"It is-as bad that" The young
a moment and her face whitened,
while pulse beat suddenly in the
slim. ivory column of her throat.
Then her eyes opened full upon her
hostess and she replied in low. steady
tones: Il will take care of Mildred,
of course, Mrs. Cayley, but IL there is
anything further that / can do-if
you need me in any way-please
send for me-
II will. my dear
The gaze of both women turned
downward into the patio, but from
where they stood they could see only
the figure of the old butler, huddled
in his seat, and the roped-on semi
circle about the terrace doors. Then
Mrs. Cayley moved forward to the
staircase, while the girl she had
called Vera stood quite still for a
moment where she had left her. The
folds Of the loose robe which she
wore revealed rather than concealed
the splendid sweeping lines of her
form, and she would have appeared
like d statue, indeed, had 1t not been
for the rapid rise and fall of her
breast.
All at once a girlsh voice made
shrill by apprehension sounded down
the gallery
Lefty, what is it? Why do you
look SO strange, and why has mother
gone downstairs like that?"
Please, Miss Sherwood will you
Carp isn't goin' to be mite OF use
you tell Miss Mildred that-that her
uncle died sudden in the night"
"rHer uncle died." Vera Sher-
wood repeated almost mechanically.
te {e AZ ft-f Ar
sure? He was perfectly we'll last
evening! How-how could he have
died."
I'm sure enough. miss; 7 saw
him!"' Lefty responded with grim en-
phasis. I'm sorry to have to break
1t so quick to Mrs. Cayley and-and
to you, miss, but Mr.. Benkard's been
dead for hours from Am accident,
it looks like, to the back of his
head. lid better go to Mrs. Cay
ley"
She followed her mistress down the
stairs. and Vera Sherwood turned
slowly back along the gallery to the
open door on the threshold of which
stood a younger girl, dainty fairy
like little creature. whose bobbed,
ash blonde hair curied in soft ring
lets like A baby's about her head,
and whose deep violet eyes were
wide with alarm.
"Oh, Vera, what is the natter"
Sne cTleQ Lefty LOOKS dS tHousH
she had seen q ghost, and mother
never in the world would appear like
that before any one in the morning
unless there was some frightfully
impc rtant reason for her to leave her
room. Why didn't she call me, and
what was Lefty saying to you just
now?"
We dent think you were awake"
Vera sought to draw the younger
girl back. Come into your room,
dear"
II won't be treated like a child"
Mildred wrenched herself free. II
don't mean to be rude, but there Is
something you are keeping from me
and / must know! If you won't tell
etr sc~h Iny eff a rse.