Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-08-16

| had the drawing room to my
self, except for the younger South
ey. The detective was at work in
his room. Southley himself had gone
into the den; whether he had come
out again | did not know. The ne
groes had retired to their cabins, as
usual in the latter part of the even
ing. Villas was in the library, try
ing to read.
| don't think he was having any
too good success. The last two days
had made stupendous changes in
Villas. He had picked up two or
three little nervous habits, too, that
were particularly distressing to
watch. The mysterious death of his
father was of course the greatest in
fluence; and the ever-present men,
ace, the shadow of the darkness, had
stretched his nerves almost to the
breaking point.
| had noticed a curious thing, as
evening drew on. 1t seemed to me
that the other occupants Of the
house were avoiding Villas. Perhaps
it was just a coincidence; yet the
thing Rad happened three or four
lines. From eight to ten he spent
most of his time rowing from one
DOM to another. Whoever was in
he room when he came greeted him
:ourteuosly enough, but soon had
business elsewhere. | saw it work
out not only Southley, but his daug-
liter as we'll. OF course there were
reasons; but | couIon't even get a
glimpse at them. I imagined that
Villas would not have cared TO be a
lone in the library at that moment,
if there had been any other choice.
From time to time he summoned the
servants, seemingly for the most
trivial services.
About eleven / walked out onto
the grounds, mostly because the at
mosphere of the house had begun to
strangle me. | wanted fresh air, the
wind blowing off the water, the sight
Of a friendly moon in the sky. Of
course the tragedy of the night before
had occurred outside the house on the
very hill on which / stood, but there
remained the feeling that the crime
Itself. But the moonlit hillside was
at much relief. What wind there
vas brought curious smells from the
marsh. The moon looked wan and
pale and strange.
There was a light in the power
house-a little building at the rear
# the manor-house that contained
he engine that had previously gen.
Grated electric light for the house.
Hoping for a friendly word from
some mellow, African voice, | walk
ed around to it. The workmen were
busy at the plant, trying to repair
the break.
But the workmen weren't colored
people after all. They were bend
ing over the engine when | first APP
preached the door, and | couldn't
zee their faces. They didn't hear
ne coming in the soft grass, and
they seemed very intent. Then they
started up as my foot grated on the
threshold.
One of them was the elder South
ley. The other was the lean, be-
whiskered old man who had brought
he boat-Robin, he called himself,
I noticed just one impressing thing
about him. He wore rubber boots
He was the only mar on the plan
,ation as far as | knew, that did
They were little, ankle-length, quaint
affairs; and | was amazed at my
own stupidity that ! had not remem
bered the fact before. | had noticed
The boots the minute he had stepped
from the motor boat. They hac
plain rubber heels, such as had made
the track we had found on the hill.
side, beside the white stone. Beyond
all doubt or question, he had beer
the man we had chased just after
nightfall.
My eyes leaped over him. He hat
long legs-the kind that could stride
twiftly. He was agile, too.
"Howdy, sir" he greeted me
would you like a job?"
Southley looked up with a smile.
Were trying to get these light!
80 they'll work." he explained. "I'n
getting tired of candle-light. | dom
suppose you know anything abou'
electric generators"
81 knew quite a bit about them
when / had the engineering bug-il
college," | confessed. II might b.
able to help you"
Then | had a curious impression
1t seemed to me that a swift ex
preston of apprehension and dis
may flashed across my hosts face
1t WASH t in the least distinct. AM
, it was so senseless a thing | con
; Guided / had been mistaken. Robin
ooked up, too, somewhat quizically
81 can fix the thing" he said hur
; riedly, land, besides, | need the jot
81 guess he can do well enough
, Southley agreed.
,, But / couldn't resist the impuls'
to make a cursory examination 0
the generator. Perhaps it was low
: Of the engine. Perhaps it was tina
! irresistible human impulse to tinke
! and more than that, to exhibi
! knowledge. At first | found it diff
! cult to believe that the plant wa
really severely damaged. 1t locke
in the most perfect condition. Blu
Southley called me away in a mo
ment, and invited me to walk bac'
with him to the manor-house-
Inspector Freeman would hav
f been dismayed if he had known m
d thoughts as Southley and / wen
back to the drawing room. For b
fore another hour had passed, Their
v was to be further amateur interior
e snce in the working out of the South
D ley mystery. Even while | chatte
f with my host, / was planning tn
II hocf ,aoapc ~ rot hacG to tho ro,ra,