Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-29

That's what / was thinking, sir. ]
| told Sproot I'd wiring his Scrawny neck
If he spilled anything to anybody
And" added Vance che bowed po-
| litely and said Yes, sir
You bet your life he did!'
! where is the rest of the household
/ at PRESENT." Markham asked.
/ Miss Sibella's in her room. She had
/ breakfast In bed at half past ten and
/ told the maid she was going back to
/ sleep The old lady's also asleep. The
/ maid and the cook are in the back of
/ the house somewhere"
| HAS Won Blon been here this morn
| ing?" put in Vance,
sure he's been here--he comes regu-
| lar O'Brien said he called at ten, sat
with the old lady about an hour, and
then went away"
And he hasn't been notified about
the morplline?"
Whats the use? Drumm's a good
doctor. and Won Blon might blab about
it to Sibella or somebody"
quite right" Vance nodded his ap
prevail
We re-entered the hall and Invested
ourselves of our wraps.
While we're waiting for DR.. Drumm,"
said Markham, we might as well find
out what Sproot knows"
We went into the drawing room, and
Heath yanked the bell-cord. The old
butler came directly and stood before
us without the slightest trace of emo
ton. His imperturbability struck me
as inhuman.
Markham beckoned him to come
nearer.
Nov. sproot, tell us exactly what
took place"
Il was in the kitchen resting, SIR
the mans voice was as wooden as
usual-"and I was Just looking at the
clock and thinking I would resume my
duties, when the bell of Miss Ada's
room rang. Each bell, you understand,
sir"
Never mind that! What time was
it?"
ut was exactly II o'clock. And. as
said, Miss Ada's bell rang. I went
right upstairs and knocked on her
door; but, as there was no answer, I
took the liberty of opening it and look
ing into the room. Miss Ada was lying
on the bed; but it was not a natural
attitude-f you understand what
mean. And then noticed very Pc
culiar thing. sir Miss Sibella's little
dog was on the bed
Was there a chair or stool by the
bed?" interrupted Vance.
Eyes, sir, believe there was. An
ottoman"
$50 the dog could have climbed on
the bed unassisted?"
"Oh, yes, SIR
Very good Continue"
We'll. the dog was on the bed, and
he looked ike he was standing on his
hind legs playing with the bell-cord
But the peculiar thing was that his
hind legs were on Miss Ada's face, and
she didn't seem to even notice it. In
wardly I was bit startled, and I went
TO the bed and picked up the dog. Then
/ discovered that several threads of
the silk tasSel on the end of the cord
had got caught between his teeth: and
would you believe it, sir?--it was him
who had really rung Miss Ada's
bell -
"Amazin'," murmured Vance. what
then, Sproot?"
Il shook the young lady. although
had little hope Of waking her after
Miss Sibella's dog had been trampling
over her face without her knowing it.
Then came downstairs and drew the
curtains in the reception room as
had been instructed to do in case of an
emergency. When the doctor arrived
showed him to Miss Ada's room"
And that's all you know?"
Everything, SIR
Thank you, Sproot." Markham rose
impatiently. "And now you might let
DR. Drumm know that we are here"
It was the nurse, however, who came
to the drawing room few minute.
later. She was medium sized WELL
built woman of IS. with shrewd brown
eyes. thin mouth and a firm chin.
and general air of competency. She
greeted Heath with a companionable
wave OF the hand and bowed to the rest
of us with aloof formality.
(fvoV,+sy,T,-.sa ~ TTT~.-- 81