Evening star., 1928-11-10

marriage wasn't precisely a love match.
Not that I blame him for dlsliking the
lady. I think I'd have diSliked her
considerably. myself"
1T looks that way" DR.. Cavanaugh
stared gloomily into the empty cavity.
I'm sorry. 1t doesn't prove anything
of course"
well, it's rather an indication, isn't
1t? It shows that Ellsworth thought
the information contained in :hose
papers was dangerouS-and 1t wouldn't
be dangerous unless it led to some
thing he wanted to hide. He wasn't
aware the Kane woman knew about 1t,
of course"
Precisely" DR.. Cavanaugh agreed
YEARLY. His face, with Its deeply
craven lines, looked suddenly older. Il
wish he'd thought of that. It's the
mistake so many people make-the mis-
take of not realizing that concealment,
whatever the motive, is bound to be
taken as you've taken 1t. And 1t makes
it impossible for me to help him. If
he hadn't already taken these papers,
/ was going to warn him for heavens
sake to leave them alone; I've known
him, long while, you know. wanted
to prevent his doing foolish thing
if I could. But now it's out OF my
hands. can't go to a man who's
possibly guilty and tell him the way
he ought to proceed to establish the
appearance of innocence"
Peter, his hands thrust deep in his
pockets, strobe to the window and
stared out into the darkness. Warning?
The doctor had meant to warn Ellis
worth.
Had he been warned already-warned
that the papers revealing his forced
marriage still existed and were likely
to be found unless he got them out
of the way? Who could have warned
hin1-except Barbara? Barbara, who
tainted when she learned that Sheila
O'Shay's body had been found-Bar-
bara, who had once been, and perhaps
still was, in love with Ellsworth-Bar-
bara. whom Peter himself had told of
the breach of promise threat-Barbara,
with the candid brow and the shining
eyes of a child, Barbara with that
wary, withdrawn look that defied in
depreciation.
Peters shoulders dropped dejectedly.
He felt an irrational indignation against
Sheila O'Shay for getting herself mur-
dered and dragging Barbara into 1t.
The sharp sound of the safe door clos
ing recalled him.
"We'd better see what else there Is
while we're here" the doctor said with
a slight shrug of his shoulders, as II
he were shaking of an intangible
weight "Well leave Don out of 1t for
the present, and concentrate on Mrs.
Ellsworth She seems person who
might have left considerable traced be-
hind her"
Il don't like her." Peter announced
with great definiteness. TOO much
IYa fIn1In11t cIIdhnN1U a
girl whose clothes we're slim and
straight, In room full of freight and
orange marigolds. II wouldn't have
married her if she'd bluffed me with
dozen breach of promise suits:
Nevertheless, several men did"
"Did-?"
Marry her. She was a woman OF
very devastating charm, and II she mao
no conspicuous force of intellect, she
had an unusual force of will. She al
ways got what she wanted-until, poor
lady, in the end some one rebelled ana
gave her what she wanted least OF all.
I did not know her very well, but you
hardly needed to know her well TO
see that"
But a woman who kept all that
junk!" Peters voice vibrated WIN
Youthful and uncompromising d1staste.
He waved a hand toward the dressing
table mirror, whose edges were com
pletely bordered with old invitation
cards, dance favors, dinner place cards,
even the stubs of theater tickets.
precisely" the doctor said dri!y.
Nothing beclouds the Judgment ike
moral disapproval. If you're interested
in finding out who murdered Sheila
O'Shay, it's just possible that you ought
to be grateful for her passion LOT
boarding souvenirs"
He bent forward across the dressing
table, made a quick and thorough sur
vey Of the various bits of paper at the ne
mirrors edge, and turned to the snail
ornate desk with drop-leat lld WHICH
stood against the wall.
AS he lowered the flap which, Wnen
, opened. formed a shelf for writing.
veritable avalanche of letters, blils, en-
velopes and programs cascadeo from
the bulging interior.
IT rather thought she was like that'