New Britain herald., 1927-05-07

like"
 DO. Not that I need bolster
 ing up. but know your own curl
 osity is the urge"
 Let me go. too. will you?
 asked Robin Sears. I'm . borl
 detective"
 Hush your nonsense. boy" sai,
 his father. No. you are not to SC I don't want you dragged into thi
 business. too. You've no duty call ing you, have your"
 No. Angel and I were far ou, in the surf when 1t all happened But I want to go: I'd like to see how the thing works"
 "Yes. l know. Your inordinate curiosity. your"
 An interruption came in the person of Miss Anastasia Folsom.
 TalL majestic and auiet-man- nered. she approached the group. and as the men rose. she an- nounced herself. speaking to all, and yet. as her quick eyes darted from one to another. fastening themselves on Madeline, she seemed to regard her as the one to be ad- dressed.
 T am Miss Folsom" she said, land I am the sister of the man who was murdered down here yes terday. I have been told that, so far as Is known, Mir. Barron was the last one to talk to my brother before he collapsed, and SO"
 immediately Madeline Barron was on the defensive.
 Miss Folsom" she said. rising, to emphasize her words, you have been misinformed. My hus- band spoke to Mir. Folsom shortly before Mir. Folsom fell down into the water. But others spoke to him after that. know. because I stood at the other side of Mir. Barron. and had opportunity of observing"
 T am glad to learn, Mr% Bar ron, that you were observant. Your testimony may be of value. As nearly as can find out, you and MT. Barron were on one side of my brother, and two ladies. known to me. were at his other side. Now. will you tell me, please, who, since you were noticing. was also near him? Not necessarily on the rope. but nearby in the water?"
 Mad1ine thought. She was most anxious to remember those who were nearby, as every other possible suspect helped to fend off thought of her husband. She knew that Ned never knew the dead man, and had no possible personal interest in him. but she knew, too. how, in the stor- ies She had read, an innocent man was frequently put in most unpleas- ant situations.
 MT. Sears was not far off" said Madeline Barron. at last. But nearer, still. remember now. were Mir. and Mrs. Tracy. Yes, they were very close to Mr. Fol- som. and doubtless can tell you something of the circumstances"
 There's not much to tell" said Miss Folsom, her lips set in grim line. Nobody, except the man who stabbed him. was paying any particular attention to him. Why would they? In the ocean, each in- dividual Is looking out for himself or for some one in his care. Few are watching their neighbors. So. as somebody certainly did kill my brother, with a knife Or dagger. that person came into the water prepared and. of course, centered hts whole energy on accomplishing his fiendish plan unobserved.
 That's why I care little for the evidence or testimony of those who chanced to be near the unfortunate victim of this tragedy. Yet. as there is always a chance that an observer might have seen some suspicious some indicative move on the part of some one else. am asking those who were nearest for any information they can give"
 Miss Folsom's voice was low, her manner quiet and on the whole she made favorable im- pression on those who heard her.
 Except for two of them.
 Tite Riggs. watching closely, saw , hint of the iron hand under the velvet glove, and felt sure that the ady was politely plausible in her manner because she deemed it pol cy and not because she was entire- y sincere in her statements.
 And Robin Sears noted search ngly the unconscious movements of Anastasia Folsom, and ascribed ,er involuntary facial expressions or instinctive gestures to an unac- suspicion or doubt of or somebody unmen- toned.
 Gro Re Continued)
 New leads are brought out at the Read about 1t in the next i 'haptcr. READ HERALD CLASSIFIED ADS 1
 vNnN 1yny.rp N, A N--NC