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

oct 6. sat.I5t
observer shrugged: he was glad 1t
wasn't up to him to enlighten them,
a passed. of hysterical city women.
He prided himself on E1inding his
own affairs, did Godfrey Peters. He
was there to complete the concrete
and stucco terrace. and he didn't
! aim to get mixed up in any TODD
about what had happened to Joseph
Bernhard!
This is all I could find" Lefty
reappeared from the terrace. we
might take some of that riggin' that
runs down from the dome and fas-
tens under the balcony. SOS the flag
can be h'isted and lowered from
inside. but there Isn't any ladder
| round long enough"
I'VE can make out with this"
! Geoff took the coil of plaster
smeared rope from her. and. tying
one end of 1t TO hinge OF the glass
door, he passed it around several of
the urns and stone seats and back
! to the other side of the half-opened
| door once more, SO that at dis
lance of several feet. ii formed a
rude semicircle about the bench.
There he fastened it. then ducked
beneath it and paused on the thresh-
old Better tell your folks to keep
outside o. that till the doc comes
I'm goin' to work. Mis- Cayley can
find me on the job IL she needs me-"
He slouched out on the terraces
and disappeared. and Lefty. after
one helpless glance at Carp's limp
figure. turned and flew up the stairs.
Mrs. Cayley," She knocked sharp
~ at one of the doors leading onto
the gallery. ooh, Mrs. Cayley,
ma ami
There was a sound of movement
within and portly figure In negli-
gee. with graying hair in dishev-
eled but permanently waved couture,
opened the door.
why have you disturbed me.
/ Lefty" she demanded in cold dis
pleasure. Haven't / told yon--?"
"Oh. ma'am!" Lefty wrung her
angular hands. Something terrible
has happened. 1t must have been
some time durin' the night. for Hem
ry Carp only found him just now
and when he called out 1 ran down
and then Geoff Peters came"
What are you talking about"
Mrs. Cayley's contralto tones had
lowered tensely. and she gripped the
housemaid's wrist as in vice. while
another door farther along the gal
lery opened slightly. What has
happened and whom have you
found ?"
"Mr. Bernhard ma'am! He's lynn
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
both hands flew to her carefully
massaged throat and she stared
straight before her. as though I'M
conscious of the presence of her in
formant. Joseph"
Eyes. nam. He-he looks as
though he'd been .layin there all
night and Geoff Peters says nobody
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 tall young woman in loose
robe, with great ropes of red-brown
hair hanging over each shoulder.
intercepted her.
Mrs. Cayley. 7 could not avoid
hearing that something was wrong
If can help you. if can be OF any
| assietance--?
/ vera, my upHE. Hc StSi
of repression softened for moment
| in the older woman's face. and she
steadied 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
and I am going down to find out
myself. Stay with Mildred and don't
let her see or know anything II you
can help it: above all. do not allow
her to come down stairs
you don't mean-." The girls
rich voice faltered. "Has--has some
thing terrible happened? oh, don't
YOU want me to go down with you?
| Mr.. Bernhard isn't--
The servants have just found
him. Lefty exaggerates. of course,
but T gather that he is lying uncon-
| scious out on the terrace somewhere:
| he may have been there for hours!
| Mildred is so excitable that l want
| the child kept out of the way until
4! her uncle has been cared for
| ut is---as bad as that" The young
womans soft brown eyes closed for
n moment and her face whitened,
while a 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
l
| of course. Mrs. Cayley, but II there
is anything further that I can do
if YOU need me in any way-plcase
| 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-off semi
| circle about the terrace doors. Then
| Mrs. Cayley moved forward TO the
L staircase, while the girl she had
\ called Vera stood quite still for a
Il 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 a statue indeed had II not been
for the rapid rise and fall of her
breast.
All at once a girlish 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
tell Miss Mildred" the housemaid
/ paused to whisper hurriedly. Hen
L nv Carp isn't goin TO be a mite of
use and Mrs. Cayley'll need me. Will
you tell Miss Mildred that--that her
uncle died sudden In the night?"
Her uncle-died!' Vera Sher-
wood repeated almost mechanically.
This is horrible. Lefty! Are you
sure? He was perfectly well last
evening. How-how could he have
died?"
I'm sure enough. miss; I saw
:. xx-tft ~