The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-08

But Dundee was paying little at
tention to his useful pet He was
remembering another scene in all
its tiniest details. Again he saw
Seymour Crosby bending, with
courtly grace, above Mrs. Berkeley
as he presented the costly gift.
Again he heard Mrs. Berkeley's
soueaI Of delight, "Oh, you dear
mani" as her plump fingers fastened
greedily upon the crystal flask.
And into his mental picture came
Gigi. skating across the floor,
shrilling excitedly: What is it?'
Then that queer protest Of hers;
ooh, mol"
AS if it we're Just happening
Dundee saw that strange. signif1-
cant side glance of Gigi's toward
Mrs. Lambert. saw the child clap a
restraining hand upon her own
mouth.
With his eyes tight closed. Dun
dee again saw Ciigi seize the flask
from her mothers convulsive grasp
saw the child dance madly about
the room, wasting the precious
scent prodigally.
DUNDEE sprang to his feet
~ Work to be done, Cap'n-
and light at last" he exulted. A
hasty glance at his wristwatch
told him it was 4:05. And at 4
o'clock Mrs. Berkeley was to grant
an interview to the most impor-
tunate of the gentlemen of the
press.
Delaying only long enough to
lock his precious notes and the
transcript of Mrs. Berkeley story
in Dicks desk and to pocket the
key. he sped downstairs.
His knock upon Mrs. Berkeley's
sitting room door brought no re-
Spouse. Good! The reporters were
being received in the drawing room,
probably. the better to impress
them with the Berkeley grandeur,
Dundee told himself with a grin.
He did not tarry in the sitting
room, where a cluttered desk gave
mute evidence that the social Sec
rotary was more than earning her
salary that day.
And she was now without a doubt
further earning that salary by be-
ing introduced to the reporters by
her proud employer as Dear Mrs.
Lambert the Mrs. Van Rensselaer,
Lambert of New York and Newport,
you know. who is now my social
secretary.
He plunged through the little
foyer and made straight for the
over-luxurious dressing table. Twin
orchid-shaded lamps glowed softly
in the rooms semi-twilight.
And among the expensive clutter
of crystal and silver he found what
he was looking fora squat, mod
ernistic bottle of fine perfume. 1t
was the only one visible, but to sat-
isfy any possible doubt, he jerked
open the narrow deep drawers and
searched them thoroughly.
Still mindful of Gigi's admoni-
ton not to go off half-cocked, "
Dundee raced to the bathroom and
searched its dressing table and
medicine chest.
There was no other bottle of per-
funnel And yet the flask he held
in his hand was only two-third FULL
Before admitting the inevitable
conclusion, however, Dundee took
one more precaution. On the sit
ting room telephone, which Mrs
Berkeley had said was a private
of the department store whose
name, on a tiny, gold-embossed
label. was affixed to the bottom OF
the perfume bottle.
The manager, please" he re-
quested in a low voice. Hamilton
police department calling. The
manager? .. Oh, yes, Mr.. Frank
lin. Thank you. This is Detec-
tive Dundee speaking. Will you
kindly look at the charge account
of Mrs. George Berkeley, and gel
me the following information: First
what was the brand of perfume
bought by Mrs. Berkeley yesterday;
second, the number of bottles o.
perfume bought by Mrs. Berkeley
during September. Certainly, Mr.
franklin The information is o.
real Importance to the police de-
partment. Thank you'll"
TINE wait was a considerable one
i but when the information came
at last, it did not surprise Defective
Dundee, startling though as it was
When he had rung up the receives
he returned the modernistic bottle O
perfume to Mrs. Berkeley'S dress
ing table, saying very softly:
Indeed, you do use entirely toC
much perfume, my dear Abbie!"
Then he did strange thing. HI
went to Mrs. Brekeley's commodiou
clothes closet, filled with enough
frocks. cloaks, coats and ensemble
to stock a small shop for The Styl
iSh Stout"
And he lifted each one of thos'
gaudy, expensive garments to hi
nose and shifted it. Oddly enough
the almost complete absence Of per
fume upon all of them, except thu
evening dress which Gigi haC
anointed with Fleur d'Amour, die
not puzzle or diSappoint him.
Where DO you keep your emp
ties, Abbie?" he inquired cheerful!
Of the rooms absent mistress.
But he answered the question FOL
himself, after a quick but very thor
ough search of every hiding place
the big closet afforded.