The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-12-20
CHAPTER VIII.
The Secret Pnrpel

MALCOLM FINLEY was not al
~ all pleased with the role IN
which he found himself cast. lie was
obliged 10 keep quiet.
Most Of all. he was desperately IN
love with Nancy Rayuor. and was
not allowed 10 tell her 50.
Your time viii come" Goddard
told him. III your love for her Is
tho real thing. and n she rccipro-
Gates. no harm can como OF waiting
until n right and pruper time 90 tell
her Of g. II would - unwiac as
we'll as uutimely 20 tell her now
and. too. Finley there's a big my8.
tsry 70 be solved BY somebody. BE,
tween you and me. don't think
much % that detective
"Bu, for that reason he's a good
one 10 have on the case. He gets
nowhere. he befogs ali the Issues"
and IL that a good things'
IT most certainly ls-for al con.
eerued."
Finley wen, or and Goddard unused
over what be had said
Ezra Goddard carried n heavy
heart. lie felt that there was no
solution 70 the mystery OF the shoot
Ing but 10 aBcribo Il either 90 Nan
or Malcolm. and he couldn't bear 70
think Il was either Of those. sioro.
over. Nan had confessed 20 tho own
crship OF the book on poisons. she
had been seen secretly dipping tab
lets into her husbands teacup-what
thcOVy was there except the gullt Of
ono or both7
Just now, matters seemed 70 be
temporarily held up because OF the
absence Of tho win which Nan de-
clarcd existed
II this could be found and Nan In
herited tho estate. thingB would DO
quito different from the event Of
Lionel Raynor owning tho place.
Goddard didn't like young Raynor
: didn't Ike him at all.
I Yet his opinions made small differ.
encc II the will Lionel possessed was
tho only one cxtRnts For Il was In
every way. Goddard know. true and
/ legal document - tho only question
being whether there had been later
one--or whether-this just occurred
to Goddard. whether Douglas Raynor
I In a tit OF anger had destroyed tbc
will he had made In Mans favor. !
Goddard longed to send 70 Nov,
/ York for famous detective he knows
OF. but somehow no feared the thing
such q detective might discover.
On tho theory OF many people
Nancy Raynor and Malcolm FinlSsy
were glad to renew their old.tlnlt
friendship and Il had quickly ripeniac
into love.
Both we're OF intense and passion
ate temperament. He could not deny
the possibility that, goaded beyond
endurance by her husbands cruelty
and F1nelng for tho love and peact
"a .iloy's protection. Nancy had lo'
/ herself be driven to tho point OF pol
soning the one that stood between
her and happiness.
Also. il could be, that Finley. at
terry oxnSporated at Raynor's petty
crueltics 20 the woman no loved, had
shot him down.
While ho was pacing the cast W.
randi and thinking these things over
Malcolm Finley had at last found
Nan alone.
Yet when no CHANGED to SEQ hot
alone, on tho west terrace, half hid.
den In the shadows Of n great wis
taria vine, lie went TO her at once
and sat beside hor.
TITS no uso, dear" no said. gently;
81 rnn'i keep away. Now, Nancy,
what do you want mo TO do2"
what do I want you 70 dor sho
whispered, half unconscloua!y repeat
ing the words, and then a realization
OF her great trouble, her great lonell.
noss surgod over hor. and sho raised
her eloquent. sad eyes 70 HE, saying
Help mo Malcolm - help mo -
somehow"
"Ycg, dtaroGt, yos, OF course will,
'1gs hard. Nan - darllngl you've
no idea how hard II Ia"
'Yog. have, Mhlcolld'--sho locked
at him pItoouBly--'but--oh, Malcolm,
you don't know what went thru
with that mani You don't lsnowl II
was ike living dsath--oh, !
mustn't talk like thatl Forgive mo,