The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-03-27

, with S35742. Certainly not a very
big nest egg with which to start a
beauty shop, Dundee reflected. But
her letter to Kathy had limited at
a way to augment the sum ma
terially.
What way? An ugly word insin-
uated itself into Dundees mind, but
ne dismissed it almost angrily. Not
here, in this little room she had
worked so hard to make attractive,
could the susceptible young detec-
tive associate the word blackmail
with Doris Matthews.
ON the dresser, between precisely
~ placed green glass candlesticks
holding golden-yelIow tapers. sat a
square-cut, rather expensive bottle
of perfume.
and Doris didn't like perfume,
Dundee reminded himself thought
fully.
The bottle had been opened, fol-
the paper cap which usually covers
the glass stopper had been removed
but little or none of the perfume
had been used.
A gift, probably, and retained as
a dresser ornament, he decided, and
continued his prowling.
Here's the key. chief" he cried
at last. "In the pocket of her top
coat. Not the key to her own door,
certainly. for that's on the inside
of the lock now.
IN her coat, chi" Strawn
frowned. That means she intended
to wear the coat when she went to
meet Arnold"
And that when she did SO, she
rushed out in too great a hurry
to bother about coat or key" Dun
dee finished his chiefs sentence
Here's something else. tool" And
he united a handkerchief. knotted
about a pair of beautifully mounted
sapphire earrings.
There was a knock at the door
and in another minute Wicket was
standing at attention.
rs this the key you lent to Doris,
Wickett?" Dundee asked.
Eyes, sir"
Do you recognize these earrings.
Wickett?"
The buffers eyes widened as they
took in the expensive ornaments,
but he answered guardedly: ct can't
say positively. sir. have seen ear
rims which resembled them"
Dundee dropped them into his
pocket. 'Were you ever employed
by the Crosbys, Wickett?"
Yes. sir From November. 1927,
to May, 1928, sir"
THAT is. until Mrs. Crosby's
death?"
Yes. sir. Before that, I had been
with Mr.. and Mrs. Van Rensselaer,
Lambert for nine years. When Mr..
Lambert died in September, 1927,
Mrs. Lambert found herself fnar-
ciallv unable to keep up an estab-
liShment
Mr. Crosby, very old friend of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lambert. was married
10 Miss Phyllis Benham in October,
1927 and he asked me to head their
staff of servants"
Doris Matthews was Mrs.
CroSby'S maid at the time you served
as butler?"
Yes. sir. Doris had been with
Miss Phyllis. as we all called her,
for two years before her marriage
to Mr.. Crosby. After the wedding,
Mr.. and Mrs. Crosby decided to
spend a year in London, and took
Doris and me with them"
And Mrs. LAMBERT"
oh. no. sir. Mrs Lambert had
gone abroad almost Immediately
after her husbands death. before
the Crosby wedding" the butler an
swered.
DUT the friendship between Mr..
ID Crosby and Mrs. Lambert con-
tinued?"
Certainly. sir. Mrs. Lambert and
Miss Phyllis were the best of friends,
too. If ! may say 50, sir. It was
Mrs. Lambert who was largely re-
sponsible for launching Miss Phyllis
Benham into New York society, and
in London Mrs. Lambert did as
much as she could. considering the
fact that she was in mourning. to
guide Mrs Crosby's social career
there"
Being paid for her services?'
r, n e suggested.
Certainly not. sir Mrs. Lam
bert had a small but adequate in
come of her own at that time. This
is the first time Mrs. Lambert has
ever worked for money!