New Britain herald., 1929-03-01


 was behind on his Christmas de- liyeries" "'
 "Why. yes, sir" the valet assented, surprised. And knowing I'd he right back. and that Mr. Bailey was with Mir. Borden. I left the foyer door on the latCh-C)iCked it. you know. 10 SaNe the bother of unlocking 1t when l came back with my hands full. Mr. Borden wanted a few other things besides the creme de menthe, since I Was going 10 the bootlegger's any way. Sho must have been watching and waiting for her opportunity"
 She? Who?" McMann broke in sharply.
 'I don't know her name. sir. but the woman who was quarrelinG with Nr, Borden when came hack with the liquor. sir. The three of them Nr. Borden, Mr. Bailey and the Woman-Wcrc In Mr. Bordcu's bed- room with the door closed when l got back. l could hear Mr. Borden $ voice and the lady's ouarroljue. but l couldn't hear what they said. didn't want to be mixed up in any trouble sir, so went abort my busine ss- mixing cocktails that Mr. Borden had ordered. That was in the pantry. right off the dining room"
 But you did hear the ~oman's roice?' McMann interrupted. What sort of voice? High, low. harsh, sof, n''
 The val,t hcstatcd, gropinc for ords, and q faint flush crert up his an"mic cheeks. It's odd. sir. but l did notice her voice particularly. ha- cause l recognized 1t as one I'd heard over tho telephone several times. A roau'iful voice sir, sort Of sort Of like the do"r notes Of an organ. if you know what I moan."
 Ruth leaned forward, too excited 10 keep out of i' any longer. "A con'ralto voice, Mir. Ashe-musical, but low pitched g"
 That's 1t, miss, oxactIy." the valet nodded gratefully. Maybe shes telophoucd her al his office. too. l take 't you were his secretary. miss He mentioned that he had a little bit Of blond girl for his secretary, but he didn 't-didn't say"
 What little beauty she iso" Me Mann helped him out. chucklinc. Yes. Miss Lester was Mir. Bor,Ien's < secretary, Asho. You say this nlys- teriou female with the contralto voice teIophoned Eordcu frequently before Christmas EVe""
 Not frequently. hut several times. sir. The first time, although she wouldn't give her name. put Nr. Borden on the phone. and he told me when he'd hung up as quick as f tho receiver burned his car. that he'd fire mo f ever did it again. Aftor that. the three or four times she call cd. I mean. I always said my master aas out, for ] couldn't mistake that voice. Once she changed her voice
 " -i t'+' 'a G''' liff'' " tS ibOIf'tl. Said sh" WAS Miss Gilman, and made her voice sound almost like Miss Gil- mans, too. So of course ' called lrr. l'ordon 10 tho phone. hut he didn't fire me. under the circumstances. though he ha"l"d me ont proper for having let him in Tor it."
 "All right. Aeho. Get along with your story NcMann directed iInpa- tiontly: "You're sure this was the same woman--l mean that tho woman who slipped in after vou'I left the door unlocked was tha wom an whom Borden wouldn't talk to on tho 'elcphone2"
 'les sir. Sure Of that. sir" the valet nodded mphaticalv. "Ae I was saying, I mixed the cocktails. and just as I was shaking them I saw. through the arrhway between the dining room and the living room. T sight that made mo turn sick. sir" The valet paused dramatically.
 "WeL what vas itc" McMann de 11anded.
 "A woman being half dragged half carried from the bedroom through the living room to the foEer.' the valet said inpreesivolv "Nr. Borden holding her up by one arm. Mir. Bailey ly 'ho other. She looked like sh" was drunk ar nSf .ey. but it wasn't that. for thara was hlood on her mouth. which Mir Railey wiped off twice ss they cross ed the living room. Knocked out. she vas sir
 What did she look like hair. eyes complexion clo'hoso" McMann rapped cut, thoroughly interested at last.
 Y couldn'. sne eo plain a' that distance. sir. hut had the idea she as not old and not young. and her eyes were closed so I couldn't say as to the color of them She was wearing enc Of those little tight fitting hats. but there was some