Evening star., 1924-01-12
Continued from Yesterdays star.)

GeoH picked uD his troWel. Il ain
pretend n to mix up in nobuddy's
business. Mr.. Middleton. but I've got
eyes in my head and if twas me
wouldn't be gittin' my ticket just
yet"
Adrian laughed a clapped him on
the shoulder.
You're a good scout. Geoff, but I
know when I've been making a fool
of myself. and It's time to pull up
my stakes, I'll see you again
He wandered into the house, and
Geoff took off his cap and ran his
fingers violently through his shock
of sandy hair. He had hoped fervent-
ly that he was through with the
whole thing and could go back un-
disturbed to his trade. alone. Was
he destined to interfere once more
for the sake of old times and bring
pain, but perhaps peace, to tor
tured soul?
Good morning, Geoffrey.' Miss
ShSrwood's low, vibrant voice inter
rupted his musing, and he turned to
find her standing whore the over
hanging branch of luNuriant maple
cast soft shadows over the old brick
wall. She appeared almost fragile
looking. despite her slim height, and
her clasaic face was as colorless as
marble. but she smiled family.
'>You don't seem to be very busy"
mo, ma'am, 1 amt" Geoff drew
q deep breath. Il got somethin' on
my nina ana 7 can get set W my
work proper. done somethin' that
] figured was right but it's turnin
out all wrong and comm to nothin' :.
That's what you git for not mlndin
your own business, l s'pose:
Miss Sherwood seated herself on
the wall as Adrian had done few
minutes before. The thin white gown
outlined the sweeping lines of her
figure against the vivid green. and
her hair shone like copper where q
af ne shine rested IL
DO you want to tell me about IL
she asked Perhaps | can help YOU:
TYou could, l reckon. maam. II
you was only to see things my way.
thin amt told another livtn soul
and amt ever a-goin' to. It's what
I found out the mornin' o the mur-
der that only one other person
"You-found out?" she whispered.
her eyes suddenly darkening. But
but l thought? Hash t 1t been
settled that poor deransed william
"IIe hadn't no more to do with it
than l had" Geoff gave deter
mined hitch to his overalls and ad-
vanced TO the side OF the wall close
olIect that inner court, Miss Sher-
wood, that Mis- Cayley calls the
'poteeo'?"
We'll. ] been workin' there since
the old house was tore down and the
founda tions o the new one laid: /
seen the blue prints and watched IN the
havin' hand in a hull lot the
extry fixin's, inside and out. Geon
spoke as though to himself. Il
helped build that gallery runnih
second 'floor-you recollect the gal
Ierv, Miss Sherwood"
.Certainly." Her slim foot tapped
the uneven brick floor of the ola
terrace fmpa tiently. 'What-
''And them posts on the gallery
railin'-them posts with the concrete
knobs on the top? fixed them
knobs in place myself and each o
'em sets down in socket IN the
post and has a mushroom base :,
"Why-why are you telling me all
this. Geoffrey?" Miss Sherwood fiicked
a tiny. fuzzy caterpillar daintily from
her skirt but when she looked up
once more it seemed to be at some
thing just beyond him. naturally
I recall the gallery railing and the
posts" 80.
you was seein' it agin. Thirty foot
square that patteo is, and forty foot
high countin' the dome; like this
here" With the point of his troWel
crumbiing top of the wall, and, as If
fascinated, Miss Sherwood's eyes fol-
loved it '~'he bench was there,
where Mr.. Bernhard was a-settin IN
side them terrace doors, and the
gallery run roundN this way, ana
right here under this post the IAN
Yards was fastened-the lanyards that
hist and lower the flag from inside
the top o the dome.
The point of his troWel rested, and
again Miss Sherwood glanced up into
,'You are trying to describe to me
something you found out the morn morn
ing after the MURDER" Her voice
vas not quite steady. What is 1t
that you know?
II reckon I know pretty much
ey'rythin' maan, but this is the only
time I'm ever goin' to speak bout H.
c;eoff's tone was very grave. No
buddy come a-nigh Bernhard to Kill
him, because there wasn't sign
o a footprint. Miss Sherwood, nary
one. You recollect that? Somebuddy
did come out on that gallery, though,
and swing somethin' down from
above and bash his head in with it,
and then haul it up agin!
'tWhat a-an extraordinary ldea.
THE thin folds of white over Vera
Sherwood's bosom rose and fell with
her spasmodic breathing, But now
can you be sure, Geofrey?
II went up on the gallery ana
tested them heavy knobs o concrete
ia set i'm putty on the railin' posts,
and. sure 'nough, one o 'em was
loose-the one on the post rlght over
where them lanyafds was draWeu
mn and tied I'd fastened 'em my
self only the day before but now the
knot was different. all snarled up
ev'ry whichaway, and tangled up II,
'em was some strands o strohs co[u
that had been fastened to 'em afore
they was swung down, sos they
could be hauled up asin: | untan-
gled 'em quick and tied 'em oyer
right, and then I done somethln that
fhn1a a
self. / reckon, only nobuddy's never
coin' to know. I got me some putty
and fixed that knob back good ana
solid once more, though the aoc
had to think quick" Geof added
naively: Twas me. too, that forced
the mushroom winder. and Lefty
come after me justs l was a-doin' IT
but she never suspicioned nothin':"
iBut why. Geoffrey-why did you
do these things?" One hand had
erept to her throat
"Cause l figured the person
who'd done it had some good reason.
from what / knowed bout Mr.. Ben
tkard, and ! had my own grudge
Agin him; folks that beats inherent
helpless critters most to death Is
Better dead themselves. reckon
There was a grim note in his tones.
s@Mebbe I hadn't no business to mix
in IL but I figured I'd do what
could to protect the-the person that
had took the law into their own
hands, anyways till found out why
There was somethin' else had me
4suessin' more lively right then"
q Something-else?" Miss Sherwood
repeated.
81 'fYes. ma'am; why there wasn't no
3--no blood on that concrete knob
sSomethin' must a-been wrapped
Hound it, o. course, but it couldn't
A-been no ordinary handkerchief nor
nIoth cause. the stains would a-come
Al,ronrh found out bout that