Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-13

He naused. u don't beiieve ! eseI
80 that Mr.. Robbins round your
Mace when I mended the stone wall
or did the ceilings over ior soui
ma" -. ,,s tbourh
father has asked him time anu as
Ie.s retting to be a regular hermit;
,;was ali by himself in wretcheu.
hoard,na house across the street
Sro,, he bank" replied Rupert q
tr;aa impatiently. Hurry. Geon.
Ike a good chap! You might miss
caofY ambled obligingly Off through
The trees. and when he reached the
edge of the Cayly's lawn penela On
| the terrace small, piack-S.a aS
figure. with a bobbed head WHICH,
cleaned like spun gold IN the iaS'
rovs of the setting sun. she APP
ras,,.d to he alone. and started for
ward step f-expectanuy AT
sight of him: but he went first 70
the a-e, heaped the wheelbarrow
with molds and implements, anu
| then approached the tool oox near
, which she stood. w., ,,.a
.s.E,venin'. Miss Millie, I'm late
| .ittin' my stuff put away Tor Suhous'
| but I been busy. Hope your ma
| won't mind
Good evening, Geoff." she re- re-
| sponded with little catch IN ner
breath. "You-,you've been worNihs
On the garage -,
II been lookin' for a patch
| fresh, clean sand to mix with my
! concrete; l don't want to take II"
! more from clost' to the boatnouse'
| He glanced cautiously through tue
| terrace doors into the empty pauo,
! and then lowered his voice.
| found some just now, down a-pasl
Your bound'ry line and round the
Point. Gotta hurry, though.
I You mean" She ciasped ana
unciasned her slim hands nervously.
| "A young fellef's waitin' there IN
| n cunoe..a Geoff's diplomacy failed
him and Tie spoke in rapid under
tone. Reckon If you skip out now
| for bout ten minutes, nobody am
| liable TO miss you. He's kinder
F! desp'rit.'
| I'm desperate, too. Geoff." There
/ was a little running sob in her voice
Il don't care whether they miss me
or not, I'm going! Th-thank YOU"
She slipped away down the terrace
steps and across the lawn. Geoli
arranged his tools in the box. then
turned the barrow to start for the
! second load when man verging on
| middle age. with n smartly cnppeo
gray mustache and small, twlnkllnS
tevcs. came briskly out from the
| patio. He paused as though i'll sur
prise at sight of the other.
Are YOU working here? he asked.
"Gittin' my tools put away proper
till Monday" replied Geon literally.
and his drawing, matter-of-f tone
| gave no hint of the sudden question
| which had formed itself in his mind.
The newcomers dark suit seemed
too new and stylish in cut TO sit
altogether comfortably upon him.;
the front part of his hair was I'M
, Goubtcdly Il toupce; and his hands
were big and red, with spread
knuCklos and short, thick fingers.
He might have been retired prize
fighter in his Sunday clothes or a
delegate from a builders union, but
neither possibility occupied Geon's
thoughts.
ION, YOU must be the mason who
was around when Mr.. Bernhard S
body was found Heard about YOU
T There was u bluff Camaraderie i'll his
tone. I'm the manager of his
Broad street Office and l can tell
you all the boys feel mighty bad
about this. Mr., Bernhard was fine
man. wasn't he?"
Reckon So" Geoff responded
warily, his suspicious confirmed. 81
| didn't have speech with him more'n
half q dozen times all told. I'm
workin' for Mis- Cayley."
Henodded in friendly but decided
fashion and started off with his bar
row. but the stranger strolled along
beside him.
Had 10 run out with some papers
for Mrs. Cayley and the lawyer" ht
confided. The whole office has
gone to pieces, of course. and were
wild to get the details, but all We
know is what was given out to The
press and thought you being RICH
around the place all the time CoulC
tel me more about what happened
Smoke"
He protfered n handsomely bande,
cigar, but Geoff shook his head.
Thanks just the same. but
can't manage to git satisfaction
from nothin' except my pipe. | onl!
4 read the Weekly Clarion. so | don
know what the city papers said
reckon them there reporter fcller
put in all the news there was
h though"
The other glanced in half-in
credulous disgust at the mild, stoli,
face beside him. and then made an
other effort.
The didt have anything to 50.
A about YOU. Mrs. Caylcy told me to
X day how you'd helped her. Howe
Mr.. Bernhard look when you foun,
him."
Didn't. I was passin' long tn
terrace to git my concrete mixer an,
J start work in the early mornin' whel
Lefty screeched to me and l locke,
in through them doors. Mr.. 'Benk
J ard was layin' on the floor and he
Il a tH hn CT CT H. LII,
| didn't go a-nigh him; 'twasnt IN
| business"
But you took charge and rope,
off the space around where he lay,
| the pseudo office manager remarked
| That was smart, but how did yo
l happen to think of it ?"
Common sense, mister" Geoi
eyed him in naive surprise. amy
buddy could a-seen that MIR. Benk
ard was dead and he couldn't a. don
it by himself, accident or no.
kinder thought that sanded foo
hadn't oughter be tracked all up Il
Mis- Caylcy was woke up and told
sos she could git help. Seems [
ne III just cover UP the rest o. m
stuff and leave 1t here handy 70
.Ionday. There amt no sign
rain"
Il don't see what made you s,,s
pect it was murder, though" III
other persisted. WHAT'S your ide
about 1t, ANYWAY? Who do 70
think did it?'
| Geoff leisurely completed his tidy
ingup process, and then, THROWN
his coat over his arm, he turned an
faced the questioner.
/ Amt got no idces one way G
tothcr. City folks and their dom
is beyond me. | just go long an