The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-30

then Flora came back. She said
Betty was asleep at last and that
her temperature was normal, and
when she heard about Karen, she
offered TO take her hand until
Karen felt like coming back"
What did Drake do then? He'd
been playing anagrams with Mrs.
Miles, you said" Dundee inter-
rupted,
Don't you remenber2-I told
you Johnny had taken Peters place
at our table after Peter refused to
breathe the same air as Dexter
Sprague," Penny reminded him.
Ralph and I, Lois and Johnny
we're playing together, and just at
the time I became dummy, Sprague
became dummy at the other table.
He rose. saying he had to 90 tele-
phone for a taxi and passed from
the porch into the living room"
Where is the telephone?"
The one the guests use is on a
table in the hall closet, where we
put our things" Penny eplained.
you can shut the door and hold
perfectly private conversation
Well, We never saw Dexter Sprague
againl"
Good Lordl Another bridge
dummy murdered" Dundee groaned.
"At least the newspapers will be
happyl Didn't anyone go to
look for him after the hand was
played?"
Not straight off," Penny an
swered with an obvious effort to
remember clearly every detail.
Lets see Oh, yesl That hand
was played out before Ralph had
finished playing his, at our table, so
I was free to pay attention to the
other table.
Flora said that since they
couldn't play another hand until
Dexter came back, she thought she'd
better hunt up Karen. who hadn't
come back yet"
How long was Mrs. Miles away
from the porch?" Dundee asked
quickly.
"Oh, I don't know-ten minutes,
maybe. She came back alone, say
ing she had found Karen in her
bedroom-Flora's room, Of course
crying inconsolably.
Flora told Hugo he'd better go
UP to her himself, since she evil
IDENTIFY had her feelings hurt be-
cause, he hadn't followed her in the
first place.
Tracey. who wasn't playing
bridge, you remember, because he
had given up his place to Sprague,
asked Flora if she'd seen Sprague,
and Flora said, in surprised voice,
mol 1 wonder where he is all this
Time and Polly said that probably
he'd gone to the lavatory, which
opens into the main hall and is next
to the library Well, pretty soon
Judge Marshall and Karen came
back"
Pretty soon?-Just how long
was Judge Marshall gomez" Dundee
pressed her, his pencil, which had
been flying to take down her every
word, poised over the notebook he
had snatched from her desk.
Il can't say exactly" Penny pro-
tested. 81 was playing again at the
other table. I suppose it was about
ten minutes, for Ralph and had
made another rubber, I remember.
Anyway, Karen was smiling like
a baby that has had a lot Of pet
ting, but she said Hugo had prom
ised her she wouldn't have to play
bridge any more that evening, SO
Flora remained at that table, play
ing opposite Hugo, while Tracey
played with Polly. AS soon as
Tracey became dummy, Flora sug-
gested he go look for Sprague."
And how long was he gone from
the porch?" Dundee asked.
LESS than no time" Penny as
sured him. HE was back before
Polly had finished playing the hand.
He said he'd gone to the hall closet,
where Whitson, the butler, would
have put Sprague's hat and stick
and that he had found they were
gone.
Tracey said he supposed spragde
had ordered his taxi and had de-
cided to walk down the hill to
meet it, and he added that that
was exactly the kind of courtesy you
could expect from a cad and a
bounder like Sprague-walking in
unlimited, making Karen cry, then
walking out, without a word, leav-
ing the game while he was dummy.
Flora spoke up then and said it
was no wonder Dexter had left
without saying goodby, considering
how he'd been treated.
Then Tracey said something ug-
ly and sarcastic about F1ora'S being
disappointed because Sprague had
decided not to spend the whole eve
ming"
"a f1rst-claSS row, eh?" Dundee
interrupted, with keen interest.
'RatherI Flora almost cried, said