The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-04
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO Con
tinued)


tinued0
"And I've been told that Adde'S
cents were abnormally sensitive,
Dundee grinned down at her. do
you ever wait for an invitation,
Miss Georgiana Berkeley"
'.Never-if I think I shan't get
It," she retorted cheerfully, pillow
ing her head comfortably against
Mrs. Lambert's knees.
Let her stay" Mrs. Lambert
begged, laying a tender hand on the
bright brown curls. "Gigi loved
Doris-too."
you were very fond of Doris
Mrs. LAMBERT" Dundee seized the
opening.
Il loved her." Mrs. Lambert an
swered simply.
TIOW long had you known
l. her?"
He was not making notes, for he
wanted his witness" TO talk with
the utmost freedom. StraWn had
asked her two or three hurried
questions after the discovery of
Johnson's fight with the stolen
valuables, but there had been no
time then to go into past history.
"Since August, 1927, when I first
met Phyllis Benham, who was Doris
mistress then" Mrs. Lambert an
swered. 1.-THE two girls were more
like chunIs than mistress and lady's
maid.
Il believe Doris had been with
Phyllis about three years before
Phyllis marriage to Mr.. Crosby
They were about the same agc-22
then, I think. I was instantly at
tracted to Doris partly because of
her sweetness and beauty, but large
ly because of her loyalty and devo-
ton to Phyllis. And that, DR.. Dun
dee, is why asked to speak to you"
'Yes?" Dundee prompted, when
she paused because her voice broke.
"Oh, don't you see?" she cried,
almost passionately. Doris was not
Just a maid just an ordinary ser
want, if there is such a thing!
she was a lovely girl, a beloved
girl, loyal friend. These truths
about Doris must be recognized by
you-by the police-when you are
trying to solve her murder"
THE police think her murder is
solved" Dundee reminded her
gently.
81 know, but"
But you don't think so, Mrs.
Lambert?" Dundee took her up
eagerly.
"I-don't know" she confessed in
troubled voice. Il suppose John
son, the valet. is guilty But I've
been afraid all sorts of insinuations
might be made against Doris by
the papers.
"Your Captain Strawn himself
ssked me if had missed anything
since Doris has been here and
whether Phyllis Crosby had ever
been robbed"
'That was because Doris seemed
to recognize johnson when they met
at the servants dinner table last
night" Dundee explained. The
police naturally look for a confed-
crate on the inside, as matter of
routine"
"You say Doris seemed to rec
ognize Johnson" Mrs. Lambert re-
peated, brushing aside his last
words in her intense surprise.
$50 Peggy Harper says Doris did
not say anything to you about hav-
ing seen johnson before?'
ooh. no! II she had. I should
have thought, naturally, that john
son had been employed in New
York or London, and that Doris had
seen him at the home of one of
Phyllis hostesses."
THAT probably accounts for it,
Dundee agreed. Did you see john
son yourself, Mrs. LAMBERT"
Eyes. 1t was who engaged him."
she answered readily. His refer
ences were excellent and his appear
ance good In fact, as Mrs. Berke-
ley remarked at lunch, the man
seemed to be almost a gentleman,
in the narrow social sense of the
world
With a gentleman's appreciation
of art" Dundee said dryly. "One of
the things he stole from Mr.. Crosby
was an ivory miniature of Phyllis
Crosby. Something he could not
sell"
A-Miniature-of Phyllis?" Mrs.
Lambert repeated, in whisper.
She laened weakly against the back
Of her chair and the pupils of her
eyes dilated to enormous size.