Evening star., 1928-12-07
THE TULE
MARSH MURDER
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By
NANCY
BARR
MAVITY
Copyright. 1928. By Ben Syndicate. Inc

Her eyes we're like brown depths Of
water in the sun.
do you know, Peter" she said, 81
think am rather proud Of my father.
I think I will marry you. Peter"
Yes" Peter said He wished Cava-
naugh could have known that; but 1t
was too late now. 1t flashed across
his mind that Barbara was really
Cavanaugh's daughter, that he had
lied to give her piece of mind. Per-
haps. Well. let it 60 Cavanaugn
would have been glad to know that
Barbara was no longer ashamed nor
afraid of her inheritance. Let tf1at
one tribute remain his.
will it have to come out? Will
they have to know that he-did 1t?
Couldn't it end-like this?"
But he wanted them to know? He
wanted them to know that he hadn't
really failed to solve the case. He
gave me a note to Jimmy. He gave it
to the Herald"
Peter, you couldn't!" Barbara
pushed herself away from his arms,
, rose to her feet in Mortified protest.
You couldn't do thing like thatl
All his great reputation, all those years
of fine work, the record of his powerful
intellect = crashed, smirched! You
| that for the sake Of story in your
paper"
"It is great story, Barbara. there's
no doubt about that. But you'll have
to believe me when say that I'd have
suppressed it. I'd have let my paper
down. You don't know quite what
that means, think. But I'd have
done it. Only your father wanted me
to have it. He didn't want his last
case to be chalked up against him as
his first failure"
But he didn't see! He never saw
things quite like ordinary people. For
all his goodness, in that sense he wasn't
quite sane. He didn't see that his con-
| fession would show that his whole life,
| his whole personality was q colossal
| failure-that he wasn't in reality the
man of high integrity that every one
believed him to be- I couldn't bear
that Peter We must protect him.
protect his name. even against himself"
Peters mouth twitched with the
monstrous irony of it. Cavanaugh was
| to be denied his last triumph after all.
And yet it was the proof that Barbara
| feed his terrific ambition for the proof
of that love? He had tried to live be-
yond good and evil, beyond emotion.
He had laughed at the standards,
| painfully reared by humanity. And
yet, in the end. those standards had
| triumphed in his SOUL I'D like her
| to know that I loved her. Peter, in
my weakness" His weaknesS-or an
other and a saner strength?
IT believe he would let you have it
your way, Barbara. believe he would
give you that-but he would smile
when he did it."
/ hi Hr-if1 kI1o
sheet from the prescription pad which
DR.. Cavanaugh had given him. He
held it over the Goals that twinkled
redly in the CRATE until the corners
turned brown. Then as the paper
burst into flames. he dropped 1t into
| the fire and watched it flare for :
moment and then subside, in a littl
heap of white ash.
| There goes the biggest scoop the
| Herald ever had" he murmured God
help me if Jimmy ever finds it out!"
A little clock on the mantel piece
| tinkled out IL strokes. The sound
brought Peter to himself. Once again
| he was on the job-"Peter Piper Of the
Herald" He lifted Barbara gently and
gently deposited her in the big chair.
Listen to me, dear" he said. "I've
got to telephone this to the Office first.
Then shall have to call the-the
other people who must be notified You
shall hear just what I say. But 1 want
| you to sit quite still in that chair"
He vanished briefly into the doctors
office. DR.. Cavanaugh had done his
| job cleanly and eXpertly, as he did
everything There was nothing there
that would horrify Barbara when the
time came for her to look.
| Peter touched the dead hand gently.
| On the corner of the desk lay nickel
Dr. Cavanaugh's last bet with his own
| Judgment. Peter wondered what that
bet had been. Then he took the nickel
wrapped it in a piece of paper and
slipped it into his pocket.
Il don't think you'll mind my keep
ing this-in memory of a great man."
he said aloud to the dead, upturned
face.
When he came back to the little sit
| ting room, he walked at once to the
telephone in the corner. He did not
want Barbara to see that his eyes were
wet. She was sitting in the big chair
where he had left her. her head lifted
bravely. her face calm with a great
serenity. There were lines of pain
about her mouth, but in her eyes was
peace.
Keep on ringing till they do an
swer." Peter said harshly into the teIe-
phone. Jimmy? Well, you'll have to
wake up for this. DR.. Cavanaugh has
just committed suicide-a sudden break
down. due to overwork on the Ellis
worth case. I was present No. no.
BODY else. Yes, it's exclusive, abso-
lutely"
I'll be right down." Jirnmys raucous
voice over the wire was audible in the
quiet room. Meet you at the office
IN half an hour. Get all the dope"
I've got it," said Peter.
NOW that DR.. Cavanaugh's dead. I
suppose we never shall get the right of
the Tule marsh murder" Jirnmv's
voice was hoarse with disappointment
Lord, what chance he missed! He's
the only man that stood a chance of
solving it." ~
mo" Peter admitted. with DR.
Cavanaugh dead. doubt if the case
VIII ever be solved. But, Jimmy that's
not all. I've another piece of front
page news for you. I'm going to be
The deuce you are! And I sunnose
as usual. you want it known that she'S
the eighth wonder of the world9 We'll
mat can wait. You leg it down to the
IT'S not going to wait verv lor, -
Peter assured him. TITS the real do1e
tnat I'm going to marry the Ioyeliest
grl In the world!"
He'll" said Jimmy "rrbot,. =.