Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-15

TT was a portion of the decorum O
death TO Mrs. McCook, like drawn
windows and a closed piano, tina
door bells must not be rung:
Attired in her best black, there
fore. she lurked in the lower hall, ant
anv arrivals found the door mys
terously and slowly opening pelors
them. while she herself remained De
hind it, out OF sight.
Tn this manner, she admitted war
rinrton and the detective. but, once
inside. she recognized the former ano
condescended to mournful speech. 81,
."rarrih1e. isn't it?" she said. y
Guess Miss Bayne will be glad to see
You. It's a pity you weren't mere
last night"
"Was she alone?" .u,.
yves The mother had been sick
all dav, and about in the morn
ing. while the poor girl was asleep,
she took a. notion to go up to the
attic. OF all places! And Miss Bayne
found her there, dead"
"In the attic" Warrington repeated
after her.
He was hardly conscious that ne
had spoken; his mind was BUSY WIN
the picture the words conjured up.
She had gone to the attic and found
the suitcase gone, and so she mao
died. 1t was horrible.
He glanced at the detective, but
that gentleman had apparently not
been listening.
He had moved to the drawing room
door and was surveying 1t, nolselessly
whistling between his teeth.
''Who is with Miss Bayne?
"Mrs. Cox is up there somewhere.
I'll get her, if you like"
Never mind, I'll go up" ne SAID.
The officer made no objection. he
moved to the foot of the staircase
and watched him out of sight, and
after that. he went back, rather to
| Mrs. McCook's establishment, and eX-
amined the rear of the house.
He located the servants staircase
and. leaving a door open, took up a
position which commanded it. Only
then did he speak. o.
$50 she was found in the attic?
he said. What do you suppose took
her up there, at that hour OF the
Margaret was sewing in the front
room, with the door open.
She had the black material foI
Holly's frock in her lap, and the
face she raised, as Warrington stop
ped in the doorway, was colorless
and set.
Involuntarily she dropped her work
and clenched her left hand.
Don't make a noise" she said
''Holly's asleep"
ASLEEP" he said blankly. ''Bu
came to see her. I have only &
little time"
I'm not going to waken her. She's
had more than any human being
ought to bear"
eyes" he agreed; Eyes, I suppose
so. I had hoped--how is she?'
"As well as could be expected" sait
Margaret briefly, and picked up hel
He stood inside the door. saying
nothing, merely facing this new dis
appointment.
"If she wakens before go. will yor
tell her I'm here?" he said.
"Oh! So you're going again! said
Margaret bitterly. well, maybe III
better L must say you haven
brought us any luck. Any OF us
If you'd used some common
Her resentment against him rose
! She put down her work and got up
| two bright spots of color in her sal
! low cheeks.
1--WE lost my husband" she told
| him, land he's lost the thing he cared
| for most in the world-more than he
| cared for me-hiS good name. [ sup
pose you didn't mean any harm, but
| God protect us from the laundering
fools who wreck us and didn't
mean to-"
She went out Of the room, leaving
! him there, and he heard her go along
the back passage.
There followed the opening and
closing of the door, and he knew
that she had locked herself away
! from him.
He squared his shoulders and went
out into the hall. The detective was
at the foot Of the stairs, and with q
gesture. Warrington signaled that ne
was going on up.
| AS he climbed he heard the Off
GERS heavy, deliberate tread behind
him. It irritated nerves already
strained to the utmost, and the search
he made of Warrington's room for a
! possible concealed weapon drove him
almost to frenzy.
"Oh, get out Of here and let me
clean up" he said. II don't own q
gun, and I'm not going to jump ou;
of window"
| Nevertheless, the detective stood by
until he had see him go into the bath
room and turn on the shower.
Then he very deliberately locked
him in, put the key in his pocket, and
started on certain Investigations.
He found the attic staircase with
out difficulty, and climbed it with q
certain caution. and once up. he stood
| in the semi-obscurity of the garnet
room and gave it general survey.
At first, however, it told him moth
ing. A blanket, lying carelessly or
the floor, spoke of the last nights
tragedy, and a candlestick on cedar
chest, the candle burned to the
socket.
But there was nothing else.
The detective resumed his noiselesi
whistling through his teeth.
The usual litter of such places sur
rounded him, a broken chair or two
boxes and trunks. Nothing, APP
parently, to bring Mrs. Bayne up her,
at in the morning from a sick bed
Yet she had come. She had come
up with candle and set the candle
on the chest there.
Had she brought up the blanke
also, or had they thrown it over hel
| later? The place was cold.