The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1927-01-28
| GERALDINE
. BONNER
copxAfeHr BY ne eoees Co

along the wire. 1t was Abel Will
liams.
Williams would be down as soon
as he could, with Mr.. Hawson, the
district attorney-an hour and a
half or two hours, the roads being
bad. The shore people had been
told It was an accident-that's all
right. couldn't hold an inquest any
way without a body and it was a
good thing to keep 'em off. Better
not let anything come out till they
had got the situation in hand, easy
10 fix at that end as the United
American Press man was Off fish
ing. They'd do a good deal better
il the press was held off for q spell.
Seeing where the island was and
that there was no one on it but
their own crowd, it would be pos
sible to keep things out of the pub
lie eye till they had the work well
started.
Bassett looked at his watch
nearly eight-probably two hours
TO wait. The best thing he could
do was to get them together and
keep them as quiet as he could. As
he went down the path his mind
collected and marshaled in order
the facts he would have to present.
They had all been in the house ex-
cept Stokes on the balcony and
Flora walking round the island,
Stokes eaten into by a hopeless
love. Flora on fire with jealousy
and hate-passions that make for
murder. "God, what's going to be
the end of this?" he groaned to
himself.
He found them in a group near
the pine grove, ~excitedly confer
ring together. Stokes had just re-
turned with the electric torch and
they were preparing to search the
ground for footprints. Bassett
brought their activities to an end
and shepherded them to the house.
With dragging feet and lowered
heads they trailed up the path and
fled into the living room.
Here. under the radiance of the
lights, they looked at n another
as IL expecting TO e startling
changes and fell grooming into
chairs. or sat, stiff and upright,
with rigid muscles. Bassett had
told them when the authorities
might be expected and as the hour
drew nea dread of the drama in
which they found themselves stilled
their tongues. The sea breeze,
freigilted with the acrid od0rs of
uncovered mud and seaweed, blew
through the room. Bassett rose and
closed the garden door, and eyes
shifted TO him, hung on his hands
as it slid the bolt.
He crossed TO where Anne was
by the entrance. She had
her back to the room and was look
ing out at the lights of Hayworth
dotting the shore. He stood behind
her chair and put his hand on her
shoulder. Her fingers stole up and
rested on his, icy cold. He bent
till his head was close to hers and
whispered:
Bear up. Thank God this can't
touch you in any way"
Her fingers pressed an answer
but she said nothing.
Shine came toward them: "Those
were lucky who got off this
afternoon. / might have gone with
them if Id had the sense"
Anne answered this time:
Yes, they were more fortunate
han we are"
Mrs. Cornell, between sobs,
spoke up:
But even if we were here they
can't suspect us. We've got alibis,
we're all accounted for. We were
all in"
She realized where she was go
ing and stopped. There was q pOr-
-entous silence. Shine almost
shouted, pointing out at the chan
nel:
"The tides falling fast. They
get into the dock here. How
will they make a landing!'
Bassett answered:
"1n a cove at the upper end Of
,he island. They've a dock there
for low water; They have to make
i detour, that's ALL
Flora, who had been sitting with
her hand over her eyes, dropped ii
and sat erect. Her breath came
her in a loud exhalation that
was almost a groan. Every pair of
eyes shifted to her, watchful, ques-
apprehensive.
do you feel i'll, F%lora?" said
Bassett. moving to her side.
"No-n0,' she looked wildly
about. But this waitlng-it's so
awful"
Miss PinkneS suggested a glass
water, but Flora waved a hand
as if pushing ii away. Stokes rose
and moved to a seat beside her.
They'll be here soon, now"
She sank back and closed her
eyes. Her husband bent a somber,
sidewise look toward her, then laid
his hand OH one of hers. Her own
and the thin fingers twined
Ike clinging roots about his.
III won't be hard" lie treasured.
Just give them a clear account of
you saw
She waved the other hand in
front of her face, like a person in
uncomfortable pain. who makes a
vague distracted gesture for silence.
Anne spoke from the door:
There's a light moving out from
the Shore
The statement shook them. There
was a simultaneous stir of feet and
bodies, a heave of labored breaths.
RaSseff won't To the a-ntrancn.