The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-09-07


expect to flirt with him."
"No," said Bunny. 50 dOcilely, tina
it was evident her thoughts wcr'
elsewhere.
That afternoon, later, she sat q,
the side window, behind the net cur
tains. as. per Mrs. Prentiss' advice
and watched the people arriving a
the house next door to pay their las
respects to the memory Of Myr,
| Heath. -.
Bunny felt as one in dream. He,
thoughts were chaotic, and in vair
she cndcavorcd to range them in or
derly array.
The excitement Of the last few
days left her mind and brain in ,
state Of ferment, and she gave her
self up now to watching the people
| without trying to unravel and dis
| cntangle her own conclusions or in
| tentions.
But after q time, the people hat
| all arrived; nothing could be seer
through the curtained windows mex
door, and Bunny knew that tho scr
vices had begun.
Then the tears came. Emotion a
the thought Of beautiful Myra. dead
| murdcred,-caused rush Of sob
bling grief, that while it rackcd poor
Bunny's body, seemed to clear hcl
mind. As she grew quietcr, she
found she saw things more clearly
She realized that of all the people II
| the Heath home, it was only Myrs
whom she loved; and whose terrible
death she must help to avcngc II b,
| any possibility she could help.
She forced herself to SO over The
events of that terrible night. Sht
| made herself remember everything
that had happened, or that she hae
reason to think happened. She CLOSED
her eyes, and for the first time since
the tragedy. she thought c0herentl,
and deeply as to Whist she. should do
| She was not sure who had killet
| Myra,-she could not be sure. Ye
Perry Heath had insisted on seeing
her to warn her Of her own danger
and So
But then, she had seen Larry
and, oh, good Heavens! Larry ha.
said he saw her, he told Tod Bucl
that. Was Larry lying?n oh, hat
he seen her? Vanity case and all!
Perhaps after all the very bes
thing to do would be to tell the Who'll,
absolute and utter truth. Kccl
nothing back,--nothing.
She opened her eyes. and at once
she rubbed them hard, sitting VI
straight in her chair.
She blinkcd and winked mo
ment, and then decided her eyes were
not playing 4 trick on her, but there
really was man sitting in chail
across the room, looking ut her.
CHAPTER XII
He smiled--pcoplc usually smilct
ut sight of Bunny.
"Slecp if you like" he said, ant
his voice was gentle, "IIl take thi.
watch" ~
IF you were smaller, shoult
take you to be Mr.. Truitt," she said
meditativcly. for even sitting dowI
it was plain to be seen that tn
stranger was u very long person.
II am Truitt," he said;- "it i
Bucks favorite jest to tell folks In
a dwarf or pigmy. and then HI
thinks it funny when they ere SUR
prised. You sce," he said, rising. !"
0utgrew myself as . boy, and nevel
got over it."
He was unusually tall, severa
inches over six feet, but he carriet
himself we'll and with no trace o
awkwardncss or yelf.consci0usness.
"What is the girl like to whom
you are engagcd?" asked Bunny, let
ting her eyes travel up to the yer!
top Of this Eiffel Tower of humanity
"I'm not engaged. That's another
daresay, of Todd's tafradiddles. \
suppose he's afraid you'll flirt will
/ mo IN srOnst vnsa ~
probably. usually do. But
Mr.. Truitt, sit down here by me. In
glad to talk with you alone = mo
ment. You're here to look into tn,
Heath case, aren't you 7"
"Yes, I am = detective, as we'll Al
friend Of Bucks. want to do al
can for him."
"Of course, you do. I'm Bum!
Moore, friend Of the Heaths. wa,
in the house at the time. visiting
and | am suspected Of being the muir
| derer."
There was no trace. Of smile OF
Bunny's face. Her eyes looked earn
estly into those Of Truitt, and h
saw that she had. serious knowledge
| Of the matter, whatevcr IL might be
ut seems incredible" he said, not
perfunctorily, but with seriousness
that equaled her own. evil you tell
me q few details, or shall wait
until Tod comes home I"
II will talk to you until they come
You don't look like q detective, Mr.
Truitt."
II did. until changed all that
The first duty Of detective IL moi
| to look like one. was helped BY
my height, Of course. No convcn.
tional detective was eversas tall ~
am Then ! cultivated = habit Of
looking like the person am TALKING
to. See, now wear 4 smile itk
yours,
His face irradistcd into smil
that was like, though In no way :
mockery Of Buhny's own; 20 much
20. that she stared and 4asped.
"It's knAck." he said, quietly
A. - A - :