New Britain herald., 1926-09-09

much as they like-they'll never find me. Goodby, Little One, and try to forget me yourself"
 The voice ceased abruptly, and the dead silence told Bunny she would hear nothing more.
 She hung up the receiver, and walked slowly back to the porch, where the others still sat,
 They looked at her so expectantly that she felt she ust satisfy or at least allay their evident curiosity.
 Tt was a man I know" she said, slowly. He thinks l am in danger, and warns me to be careful. Espe- cially, he warns me against the waitress over at the Heath house. | That Emma-he thinks she is tell | ing tales abt t me.
 "She is" Toddy spoke out bluntly. 1 He had concluded that he could best help Bunny by telling her all he knew, and letting her profit by it.
 They are not true" Bunny said, calmly. Emma is making up stories"
 T heard her, last night" Buck
 
 intently at the cigaret he was light ing. T have to admit, her state ments had the ring of truth" "Bah!" said his aunt, you don't know truth when you hear 1t, Tod hunter! Yo have about as much insight or intuition as a hitching- post, Also, you're a gullible sort. If anybody told you the earth was flat, you'd begin to think that very likely it is"
 Bunny smiled little, but she looked at Buck. seriously.
 Did you really hear Emma taIk?" she asked. What did she say?" 1 Toddy hesitated, and then said: "I believe I'll tell you, for I think you ought to know She declares she saw you going upstairs at half past one o'clock, the night Of the murder. She says you were walking slowly, and you were carrying your vanity case-the one you have lost" How did Emma come to disclose this fact?" Bunny spoke coldly, her eyes almost glittered, and her whole expression was unlike her usual sum- ny smile.
 "She said Carer told her to do it." Toddy went on, looking at her now, and trs'ng to gather an inklins of her real thoughts,
 Carter" Bunny gave a sudden start, and frightened look appeared | in her eyes.
 In some ways, Toddy Buck had a | single track mind. Just now, he was determined to find out something | about Bunnys doings on the fatal | night, and he took deliberate advan- tgae of her present distraction to l quiz her.
 You were downstairs you know" he said, not accusingly, but as one | stating fact You saw the can- dies burning"
 1T saw those in the morning" Bunny began, but Toddy said, inex- orably:
 NO; they had burned out when l you entered that room in the morn ing. You went in with Doctor Conk- | lin, and the candles had then gone out.'
 Bunny stared at him. But instead | of losing her grip on herself, she | seemed to be steadier, and she said. | quietly:
 What are you trying to do? Trick ! me into some discriminating state | ment?"
 No" Buck looked at her kindly but very seriously. "I am trying to prepare you for others who will try to trick you into such admissions For 1t Is better you should know that there are such-that there are people who are beginning to think you have some knowledge of Mrs. Heath's death beyond what you have told"
 "Oh, there are!" and now, Bunny's lovely mouth took on scornful curve. her blue eyes stared haughti- ly and her golden, curly bob tossed with an air of utter contempt for the people of whom she had just been told.
 Will you be good enough" she said stonily. Ito go to them and tell them 10 mind thc'r own personal affairs?"
 But they consider this matter their own affair."" Buck said watch ing her. You see, they are the de- tectives. That man, Mott, is just waiting a little longer for Perry Heath's return"
 Perry Heath will never return" Bunny said with note of solemnity in her voice.
 Mrs. Prentiss' intuition lifted it's head.
 Was that Perry Heath talking to you on the tele. hone last night and this morning?" she demanded.
 Bunny returned her gaze. No" she said, simply and shook her head.
 The girls mind worked like light ming. She wanted to confide in these kind friends, nd ask their advice, but Perry Heath had forbidden her to say he mad spoken to her, and his word was law.
 Yet she must not antagonize these people with whom she was staying She must make them believe in her truth and innocence. She must wheedle Mrs. Prentiss into real friendship. and she must charm young Buck, until he was blind 10 her faults.
 Well, these things ought to be easy for her-for Baby Moore, who had always, so far in her short life, charmed anybody she wished to.
 But these folks were so-no, not suspicious-but so curious, yes, that was it, they were curious to know about her doings that night.
 Well, they must not know, that was sure thing! Why, her finger prints and Larry's, too, were on that bottle, that awful bottle that had brought about tle death of Myra!
 And her vanity case-oh, why did they harm that sn2 Nid tha.-