Evening star., 1928-06-14

Most of the details of this unnatural
situation we're supplied by Hemming
the older maid. She was less ecstatic
than during the first interview, al
though she interspersed her remarks
with biblical quotations and references
TO the dire fate which the Lord had
seen At to visit upon her sinful employ
ers. Nevertheless, she painted an ar
resting, If overcolored and prejudiced
picture of the life that had gone on
about her during the past 10 years
But when 1t came to explaining the
methods employed by the Almighty in
visiting his vengeance upon the unholy
Greenes, she became indefinite and OBJ
seure At length Markham let her
go after she had assured him that she
intended to remain at her post Of duty
to be, as she expressed ii, "a witness
eous devastation was complete.
Barton, the younger maid, on the
other hand, announced, in no uncertain
terms, that she was through with the
Greenes forever. The girl was genuinely
frightened, and, after Sibella and Sproot
had been consulted, she was paid her
wages and told she could pack her
things. In less that half an hour she
had turned in her key and departed
with her luggage. Such information as
she left behind her was largely sub
sanitation of Hemming's outpouring.
She, though, did not regard the two
murders as the acts Of an outraged
God. Hers was more practical mum
dane view.
There's something awful funny going
on here" she had said, forgetting for
the moment the urge of her coquettish
spirits. "The Greenes are queer people.
And the servants are queer, too-What
with Mr.. Sproot reading books IN for
eign languages and Hemming preach
ing about fire and birthstone, and cook
going around in a sort OF trance NUT
tering to herself and never answering a
civil question-And such family
She rolled her eyes. Mrs. Greene
hasn't got any heart. She's a regular
old witch, and she looks at you some
times as though she'd like to strangle
YOU. II was Miss Ada I'd have gone
crazy long ago But then, Miss Ada'S
no better than the rest. She acts nice
and gentle-like, but I've seen her stamp
ing up and down in her rooms looking
like very devil. and once she used
language to me what was that bad /
put my fingers in my ears. And Miss
Sibella's a regular icicle-except when
she gets mad, and then she'd kill you
IL she dared, and laugh about it. And
there's been something funny about her
and Mr.. Chester Ever since Miss
Julia and Miss Ada were shot they've
been talking to each other in the sneak
lest way when they thought no one
was looking. And this Doctor Won
Blon what comes here so much; he's a
deep one. He's been in Miss Sioella's
room with the door shut lots OF times
when she wasn't any more sick than
you are And Mr.. Rex, now. He's a
queer man, too. get the creeps every
time he comes near me-" She shud-
dered by way of demonstration. Miss
Julia wasn't as queer as the rest. She
lust hated everybody and was mean" !"
Barton had rambled On loquaciously
with all the thoughtless exaggeration OF
a gossip who felt herself outraged. and
Markham had not interrupted her. He
was trying to dredge up some nugget
from the mass of her verbal silt; but
when at last he sifted 1t all down there
remained nothing but few shining
grains of scandal.
The cook was even less enlightening.
Taciturn by nature, she became almost
inarticuiate when approached on the
subject OF the crime. Her stolid ex-
terror seemed to cloak sullen resent
mknt at the, fact that she should be
Questioned at ali. In fact. as Markham
patiently pressed his examination. the
impression grew on me that her lack
of responsiveness was deliberately de-
fensive. as If she had steeled herself
to reticency Vance, too, sensed this
attitude In her. for. during a pause in
tlle interview. he moved his chair about
until he faced her directly.
Frau Mannheim" he said. "the last
time we we're here you mentioned the
fact that Mr.. Tobias Greene knew your
husband and that. because of their
acquaintance, you applied for a posi-
ton here when your husband died"
And why shouldn't ~" she asked