New Britain herald., 1926-09-08

you and MT. Cunningham arr shadowing me. I think that is th' term the detectives use."
 Why why, Miss Moore Toddy was dumbfounded at this why, you must know If I coult do anything to help you"
 You would do just the oppo. site! Yes, of course I know that.' Bunny's eyes blazed now, and hel voice quivered. The poor child was all wrought up, her nerves were or edge, and she felt she must take | out of somebody.
 But she looked so lovely, 80 like a bruised blossom or a broken but. terf1y, that Toddy Buck forgot al about Cunningham and detective work, and wanted only to enlist ir the service of Bunny Moore for the rest Of his mortal career.
 ,"Now, you just wait" he ex- claimed, eagerly, I'm for you - all for you! And I'll put all my cards on the table. Al Cunningham did take your vanity case, or what ever you call 1t. And I'm expecting you to tell me why he took it, and why you care so much that he did take It."
 Buck looked at her straightfor- wardly, and to his delight, Bunny returned the glance with equal calmness.
 But Mrs. Prentiss, as she her self would have expressed it, could see through a ladder with a hole in 1t. and she realized that Miss Bunny, whether naive or sly, could wind Mir. Todhunter Buck around her adorable pink little finger, and that she was quite ready to proceed with and enjoy the process.
 Also, Mrs. Prentiss had the some- what unusual quality of a fine sense of relative values. And she sized up accurately and truly, Bun- ny's sudden little spurt Of defiance and she knew that there was some- thing back of it, more than a miss ing vanity case. She knew that Bunny had something to conceal, and that in her present mood, she would either blurt it out, or would tell some egregious lies.
 And good Mrs. Prentiss wanted to save the pretty child from either contingency.
 So she said, quite casually, "You clear out, Tod. Go to bed, or go down town to the movies, or do whatever you like. Miss Moore and are quite ready to excuse you.'
 Toddy, catching the gleam of his. aunts commanding eye, inn mediately said his simple good nights and left the room.
 Now, my dear child" Mrs Prentiss said, after a moment of tactful silence, you may go right to bed, or if you choose, you may talk things over bit first"
 Bunny looked at her with the glance a wise owl might give a country sparrow, and said, cour- teously: .
 Please. Mrs. Prentiss. I think I'll so to my room. You are so good to me and I do appreciate it - but it has been a hard day, and - oh, I'm sure you under stand. ] want to be alone."
 of course. you do. you poor dear. Now, you come right along with me-"
 And for the next half hour. Mrs. Prentiss was more like a matron of an orphan asylum or head nurse in a charity ward than any thing else.
 And little Bunny, exhausted by the unaccustomed strain on her nerves and emotions, tucked her self between the nice percale sheets, which Mrs. Prentiss pre- ferred to linen" and, after her kind hostess had departed, thought things over.
 Meanwhile, though Toddy Buck had fallen under the spell of Bun- ny's charm, he had not entirely taken leave of his senses, and he went out for walk, thoughtfully turning his steps toward the fune- ral parlors, where now reposed all that was mortal of lovely Myra Heath.
 Buck was a methodical sort. He his emotions and predi- lections in order, as another man might his business affairs.
 Toddy saw at once - he was mo- body's fool that he was either in love or about to fall in it, with Bunny Moore.
 He knew, too, that Detective Mott, as well as the amateur Cum ningham strongly believed that the exquisite child knew more than she had told about the fearful tragedy at the Heath bungalows
 This. to Bucks mind, did not make the girl any less desirable or attractive as an inamorata, but he did feel that he had to know.
 iiul W os uiC oli ollS Cu- tiation between Mrs. Prentiss and her nephew. Mrs. Prentiss, with her almost uncanny intuition, knew things. Toddy Buck, in his blunder- ing but pig-headed way, believed things. and had to find out.
 So, to the rooms of the Co-opera- tive Casket Co. he went, feeling sure that beyond the great palms and oriental vases of their entresol, he would find the man he was looking for.
 Nor was he disappointed. In a private room, of which there were several, he found closeted Al Gun ningham and Detective Mott In earnest consultation.
 CHAPTER XXI
 The two greeted him with grave and serious faces.
 On table between them lay an ornate and elaborate vanity case, which Buck instantly believed to be Bunny's missing property.
 It was of gold, and to the main box Wrc attached various and sllnlrp 1onolipv littln boyac oy.