The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-13
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

GHAH LEN w EslA = = W ~
TIL read the note to you. Lydia.
L but can't let you touch it,
Dundee said sternly. warding of
the womans frantinally clutching
Manipulating good care that her
fingers should not touch either the
paper on which the note to herself
had been written or the sheet
which contained her strange, in
formal will. Informal in spite Of
the dead woman's obvious effort to
couch it in legal phraseology.
Was Lydias frenzy assumed?
Did she hope to leave fingerprints
now which would account for fin
gerprints she had already left upon
it.? Was it not possible that Lydia's
had been the prying fingers which
had opened the envelope after Mia
SeIim had sealed it with God only
knew what fears in her heart?
If so, Lydia Carr had found that
he was her mistress sole legatee.
Revenge. coupled with greed.
What better motive for muir
der could a detective ask? And
gho had had so good an opportunity
as Lydia Carr to dispose Of the
Weapon?
The woman slumped back, an
gOny of pleading in her single eye.
Lydia. I think you know already
what this note tells YOU, Dundee
aid slowly. watching her SCARED,
swollen face intently.
To his establishment the maid
nodded. the tears starting again. Il
asked her once what she wanted to
keep that old dress for, and She
he said Id find out some day, but
1 never dreamed she'd want it for
a-oh. my Godl-for a shroud!"
For the second time that evening
Lydia Carr completely routed Dun
.dee's carefully workedup case
against her. It was inconceivable,
he told himself. that a mind cum
ming enough to have executed this
murder would give itself away in
such a fashion.
If she had indeed pried among
her mistress papers and found the
will and note. would she not. from
the most primitive instinct of self
preservation. have pretended total
ignorance Of the notes contents?
I'll read you the note Lydia"
he said. gently. at is addressed,
My precious old Lydia"
"She was always calling me thatl y
the maid sobbed.
A ND she writes: IF you ever
N read this it will be because
I'm dead. and you'll know that I've
tried to make it up to you the only
way I knew.
Il never could believe you really
forgave me. but maybe you will
now. And there is one last thing
I want you to do for me. Lydia
darling. You remember that old
royal blue velvet dress of mine that
you always we're shifting at and
either trying to make me give away
or have made over? And remember
that I told you that you'd know
some time why kept it?
We'll. I want you to lay me out
in it. Lydia. Such a funny, old
fashioned shroud, isn't it?
But with dresses long again, maybe
it won't look so funny and therell
be nobody but you and Lois to see
me III it, because I've said so i'll my
will.
And I want my hair dressed as
it vas the only time I ever wore
the royal blue velvet. A French
roll, Lydia, with little curls COM
ing out the left side OF it and
hanging down to the ear.
You brush the hair straight up
the back Of the head. gather it to-
cether and tie little bit of black
shoeString around it. then you twist
the hair into a roll and spread it
nigh, pinning it down on each side
Of tfe head. And don't forget the
little curls ON the left sidel
II hope have enough hair, but
If it hasn't grown long enough,
YOU know where those switches are
that 1 had made when I first
bobbcd my hair. You won't
mind touching me when I'm dead,